The conflict between the Ekiti State House of Assembly and former governor Kayode Fayemi further deepened on Thursday as the lawmakers resolved to direct the incumbent governor, Ayo Fayose, to institute a panel to probe his predecessor over allegations of diversion of N852 million Universal Basic Education, UBE, funds.
The assembly had earlier accused Mr. Fayemi of fraud perpetrated during his tenure as governor, but he maintained his innocence, saying the house was out to smear his image.
Mr. Fayemi, the current Minister of Solid Minerals, was also summoned by the house to appear before it to answer questions regarding the alleged diverted funds, but he refused to honour the summons.
Instead, he approached the courts, demanding N500 million against the assembly for alleged damage done to his image and person.
The assembly said its resolution on Thursday became necessary following Mr. Fayemi’s refusal to appear before it to explain what he knew about the alleged diverted funds.
The assembly also said it relied on Section 129 of the 1999 constitution, when on March 22, 2016 and February 7, 2017, it ordered Mr. Fayemi to appear before it and clear his name over the allegations.
The Speaker of the assembly, Kola Oluwawole, while leading proceedings, berated Mr. Fayemi for treating the lawmakers with contempt, saying this was not expected of him as a former governor of Ekiti State.
“Dr John Kayode Fayemi has slighted this house by his conduct by refusing to honour our invitation,” he said.
“This assembly duly invited him to come and explain how he managed the finances of this state,” particularly the SUBEB fund and other projects.
“The House had summoned him three times, but he disobeyed the regulation of this house. So, the state government should as a matter of urgency set up a judicial or administrative panel of inquiry to look into the finances of this state under Fayemi’s government.”
The lawmakers also slammed the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and other security agencies over their refusal to execute the warrant of arrest issued on Mr. Fayemi.
“The IGP can’t claim that Governor Fayemi is at large. He has been attending the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting and nobody even called him for questioning or thought of arresting him. That was unfortunate,” said Mr. Omotoso, the Chairman, House Committee on Information.
“Let me at this time call on the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo that Fayemi has no moral standing to be a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, having breached the1999 constitution by his refusal to honour us. If we fail to act now, then the country will be operating a banana republic where there are no rules.”