Encomium
The newly sworn in Governor of Ekiti, Ayodele Fayose, has described his swearing in as an act of God. The fiery governor claimed that if it were in Biblical days, his name would have entered that Bible as the man who got a second chance.
On Sunday, October 19, 2014, during his thanksgiving service at the Deeper Life Camp, Ajebamidele, Ado-Ekiti, he said, “If we were in the Bible day, my name would have entered that Bible as the man who got the second chance. I spent 45 days in Ikoyi Prisons. My wife was detained for 15 days. I was in the house for several days without anyone to talk to. I am just telling you what God is capable of doing in the face of hopelessness. I give all glory to God Almighty. This time around, I will not allow this position to get into my head. I will not allow sycophants to have their way. If you want to report anyone to me, please bring the person you are reporting along. I want to say here that I will do good to all manners of men.”
Governor Ayò Fayose took the oath of allegiance and oath of office as the Governor of Ekiti State on Thursday, October 16, 2014, thereby returning to the seat he vacated unceremoniously eight years ago.
The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, who administered the oath on Governor Fayose, also performed the ceremony for the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola-Eleka.
The 60,000 capacity Oluyemi Kayode Stadium where the ceremony held was filled by thousands of people from all walks of life just as it was witnessed by many dignitaries from within and outside the country.
Fayose had caused a stir when he arrived at about 12:30 pm with his wife, Feyisetan, in a 1965 Mercedes 200 model with registration number W110, with the crowd at the stadium surging to catch a glimpse of the vintage car.
People had trooped to the stadium from the 16 local government areas of the state in their thousands at about 9:00 am and were identifiable in their various group uniforms and danced round the stadium in revelry.
After the oaths, Fayose thanked the people of the state for their support and called for their cooperation as he said he was setting off on the “Journey to restoration.”
He said he would only work on the basis of 16 local government areas in the state, that the matter of the creation of 19 local government areas in the state after the governorship election was in court, he would stick to the 16 councils recognised by the constitution.
He described the creation of 19 LCDAs in the state as “Sudden and shoddy balkanisation of the existing 16 local government areas by the immediate past administration under the guise of creating local council development areas.”
Fayose said: “Our party considers the hurried creation of 19 LCDAs, after the incumbent lost the June 21 election, as a gratuitous after-thought of a bad loser.”
He announced that he would focus on six key areas, namely: empowerment of the people, development of agriculture, infrastructural development, education, science and technology, health and security, and also announced that there would be free education from primary to secondary school and free health programme for pregnant women and children from ages one to five.
On the recent appointment of eight permanent secretaries by the former governor, Fayose said his administration would take “appropriate steps towards the restoration of the core values of professionalism, honesty, integrity, accountability and probity,” and announced the reversal of the appointment of the permanent secretaries.
“My government shall review all public service personnel issues including appointment, promotion and discipline which were hurriedly effected after the governorship election. The head of service is hereby directed to return all officers to their substantive positions as at June 21, 2014.”
He decried what he described as the “last minute attempt by the opposition party to truncate the mandate which you freely entrusted to me on June 21,”saying, “This has clearly confirmed the true character and direction of interest of these political desperados whose machinations is to demonise and portray me as a violent person.”
Speaking on the occasion, the national chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu, said, Fayose “needs your support, he needs year prayers, he needs your support so as to be able to deliver in the office.”
He charged the new governor to work with the people and carry them along in the governance of the state.
Among the numerous dignitaries at the ceremony were PDP National Secretary, Professor Olusola Oladipo; Governors Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Theodore Orji (Abia); Liyel Imoke (Cross River); Ramalan Yero (Kaduna); Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Usman Dakingari (Kebbi) and Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta).
Others were former Governors Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo); Peter Obi (Anambra); Alao Akala (Oyo); PDP governorship aspirants in Oyo, Osun and Ondo, Iyiola Omisore and Olusola Oke, respectively, and royal fathers in the state led by their chairman and the Onitaji of Itaji, Oba Adamo Babalola.
…APPOINTS SA (STOMACH INFRASTRUCTURE), SSG, CPS, OTHERS
Governor Ayo Fayose has approved the appointment of Mr. Sunday Anifowose as his Personal Assistant on Special Duties and Stomach Infrastructure.
It was also announced that Dr. (Mrs.) Modupe Alade was appointed Secretary to the State Government; Mr .Idowu Adelusi as Chief Press Secretary, and Mr. Owoseni Ajayi as Special Assistant to the Governor on Legal Matters.
In a statement made available to ENCOMIUM Weekly in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, October 16, 2014, and signed by Adelusi, the governor also approved the appointment of Mr Kayode Oso as Special Assistant to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure.
Mr. Sola Owoeye as Special Assistant to the Governor on Protocol, Mrs. Sola Olowookere as Personal Assistant to the Governor (Abuja), Chief Toyin Ojo as Special Assistant to the Governor on Finance, while Mr. Sunday Omosilade would serve as Personal Assistant to the Governor on Domestic Matters.
He also appointed Mr. Lere Olayinka as Special Assistant to the Governor on Information and Social Media.
Adelusi said: “The appointments took immediate effect.”
6 APC LAWMAKERS DEFECT TO PDP
Six lawmakers in the Ekiti State House of Assembly formally defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the occasion of Governor Fayose’s swearing in.
They are: Olowo Ajiboye – Oye II; Adeloye Adeyinka – Ikole I; Abeni Olayinka – Ado II; Fatunbi Olajide – Moba II; Olugbemi Joseph- Ikole I; Adeojo Felix Ayodele- Ekiti South West II.
-FEMI OYEWALE
