Ayo Fayose, Fayemi In War Of Words Over N852.9m

The Governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose has accused the former Governor of the state, and minister of solid minerals, Kayode Fayemi of misusing the N852.9m State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) counterpart funds.

Fayose said Fayemi’s improper handling of the funds was what led to the blacklisting of Ekiti state, by the education board.

Punch reports that Fayose alleged that the “misappropriation of funds by Fayemi hindered the state from accessing the 2013, 2014 and 2015 grants, amounting to over N2.8bn.”

The Ekiti Governor, through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said “It is even more embarrassing and ridiculous that Fayemi’s Commissioner for Finance, Dapo Kolawole, could defend this criminal act perpetrated against the people of Ekiti State by saying there was no law forbidding states from borrowing counterpart funds to support capital development operations.”

Reacting to Fayose’s allegations, the Special Assistant on Media to Fayemi, Yinka Oyebode, said the UBEC Deputy Executive Secretary, Dr. Yakubu Gambo did not accuse the Fayemi of misusing any funds.

He said “Rather, Dr. Gambo gave details of the development that led to UBEC’s decision to sanction the state. He explained that the immediate past government had taken a loan from a bank to be able to make available its counterpart funding to access the UBEC fund. But the bank withdrew its money when the government lost the 2014 governorship election for fear that the incoming government might not honour the terms of repayment.”

A former Governor of the old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olomilua has criticised Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose over his verbal attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari.

Olomilua also said Fayose’s insults against Buhari were insults against the country.