Arise cautions Fayemi against creating new LGs

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Senator Ayo Arise, has condemned the plan by the Governor Kayode Fayemi-led administration to create Local Government Development Areas, describing the action as provocative and “medicine after death”.
The ex-legislator, who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District in the National Assembly between 2007 and 2011, cautioned the outgoing regime to be wary of the consequences of such action and not to plunge the state into chaos.
Arise, who expressed this opinion in a telephone interview with journalists in Ado-Ekiti, said Fayemi’s action could be likened “to a Doctor who is bent on applying medication to the dead”.
He, therefore urged the governor to jettison the idea in the overall interest of the state.
The PDP chieftain hinted that the process of creating additional local governments could not be undertaken by the state alone without the input of the National Assembly, adding that it could take a minimum of six months to one year before completion.
He said: “To me, I don’t see any wisdom in Fayemi creating new local governments when he has less four months to go.
“The Nigerian Constitution is very clear on this matter and the process is clearly set out there.
“The process is subject to the approval of the National Assembly.
“How can an administration which has become a lame-duck be planning to take such sensitive decision?”
Arise urged that such decision should have been taken some two years back if the governor was sincere about it.
He said: “You don’t create problem at the last minutes for the incoming government.
“It is provocative and I think the governor should jettison the idea.”
Reacting to the plan by the All Progressives Congress to approach the court to challenge the results of the June 21, 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State, Arise said it would be an exercise in futility .
He said: “The defeat was so resounding and the result was counted and announced in the presence all parties.
“The reason why APC members are bitter is that they were not allowed to rig.
“Some of their members were apprehended with huge sums of money, with which they intended to buy votes.”
According to Arise, the APC was the architect of its own misfortune, stressing that people no longer liked to be oppressed by anyone.
He said: “There is a new dawn in the South West and PDP is taking over.
“Instead of creating additional problem for us, Fayemi should allow the incoming government to offset a huge debt of about N19 billion that he is leaving behind.”