For the third time, the Ekiti State House of Assembly has summoned a former Governor of the state and now Minister of Solid Minerals and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to appear before it on February 7 or the Assembly will be forced to invoke Section 129 (d) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The House at its plenary in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on Thursday decried what it termed the nonchalant attitude of the former governor to previous invitations and described this as unbecoming of a public figure who had also served the people.
Section 129 (d) of the constitution empowers the Assembly to issue a warrant to compel the attendance of any person who, after being summoned, fails, refuses or neglects to do so.
The House Leader of Business, Hon. Olatunji Akinyele, who moved the motion for the invitation of the former governor, said he should appear to shed light on the allegations of misappropriation and diversion of public funds made against him.
The motion, seconded by Hon. Dele Fajemilehin, representing Gbonyin constituency, was thoroughly debated by members of the Assembly.
Ekundayo Akinleye, Titilayo Owolabi-Akerele, and Dr. Samuel Omotoso spoke extensively on the need to take proactive measures in compelling the former governor to appear before the Assembly members.
Omotoso described the court action instituted by Fayemi against him and the media aide to the state governor, Lere Olayinka, as a blackmail and remarked that he would not be deterred towards making the former governor accountable for his actions while in office. The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kola Oluwawole, decried the selective application of the anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Government and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to immediately commence action on the petition submitted to it by the Assembly.
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