The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has warned Governor Ayodele Fayose not to misapply the bail-out cash he collected from the Federal Government to settle workers’ salary.
The warning came on the heels of persistent denials by the governor that he had collected the cash.
The APC also debunked claims by Fayose that the cash was a normal allocation from the Federation Account and not a special fund to address workers salary problem.
The Publicity Secretary of the APC, Taiwo Olatubosun, said in a statement that the governor’s denial of cash collection in his last media chat was a most wicked attitude to misinform Ekiti State people and put workers at the peril of dashed hope over settlement of their salaries and other entitlements.
Olatubosun said: “It is wicked, selfish and sheer greed on the part of the governor to continue to deceive our people that he has not collected the bail-out cash.
“We state categorically that just like other states, Fayose has collected Ekiti State share of the bail-out cash, which we believe should be spent on workers’ salaries according to the mandate of that gesture.
“Pensioners are being owed five months. Traditional rulers are owed for five months, all higher institutions in the state have not received subventions for five months while Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital and School of Health Technology, Ijero-Ekiti, have not received subventions for five months but there are enough for frequent trips to South Africa and Dubai.”
Olatubosun expressed worry over Fayose’s penchant for misinformation and bare-faced lies to have a grip on the people, even as he bemoaned lack of transparency in the governor’s dealing with Ekiti State people.
The statement said: “Fayose denied ever collecting N22b refunds on Federal projects as well as N2b ecological fund until we planned to approach Ecological Fund office with FOI Law to get the details.
“There is a constant pattern of behaviour anytime the governor collects Ekiti money from Abuja: he would travel to Dubai and South Africa where reports alleged he is building properties and five-star hotels while the constant songs at home is that Ekiti is down with Fayemi’s debts.”
The APC spokesman also said the party was worried over the alleged cheating by Fayose in the compensation package to market women at Oja-Oba Market, who were being displaced to give way for the building of a new market.
He said: “It is sheer unconscionable greed and callousness to continue cheating the poor market women while at the same time claiming to be the friend of the poor.
“We have heard of the official N500,000 compensation package for the poor women that are losing their stalls to the planned new market, but only N100,000 and below got to the poor women. In the official document, N500,000 is paid to each woman, but she receives N100,000 because she doesn’t know she is entitled to N500,000.
“This is greed and callousness and we urge the EFCC to beam its searchlight on Fayose over these reports to save Ekiti people from this mindless looting of the state.”