APC: Fayemi’s performance earned Ekiti budget transparency award

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All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has said former Governor Kayode Fayemi’s performance earned the state the Budget Transparency Honour Award.

The award was given by a civil society group, Civil Resource Development Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) in conjuction with the Department for International Development (DFID).

The APC berated Governor Ayo Fayose for claiming credit for the award, maintaining that CIRDDOC carried out the research between July and December 2014, when the budget prepared by the Fayemi administration was still subsisting.

The party condemned what it called “Fayose’s attempt to demonise fellow governors” contemplating paycuts for workers.

It said the governor lacks the moral rectitude to cut foreign trips and shun opulence instead of slashing salaries.

The APC said evidence abound that Fayose wastes state resources on endless overseas trips, frivolities and purchase of luxury properties.

It added that his (Fayose’s) attack on fellow governors “was the height of hypocrisy”.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary Taiwo Olatunbosun yesterday, the APC said: “Fayose is guilty of what he advised his colleagues to shun.

“Fayose’s one man budget illegally passed by a seven-member illegitimate House of Assembly could not have been endorsed by a serious organisation such as CIRDDOC.

“Let us thank God that CIRDDOC stated in its report that it obtained its data between July and December 2014.

“The result was the outcome of budget planning and implementation for 2014 by Fayemi. Fayose did not prepare that budget, neither did he implement it.

“The budget for July-December 2014 was prepared by Fayemi and he ran that budget from January till October 2014, when Fayose took over as governor.

“Fayemi visited all the 177 towns and villages in 2013 to seek people’s inputs for the budget.

“The people chose the projects they wanted in the budget and that was one of the criteria set by CIRDDOC in giving the award.

“Fayemi executed the budget diligently between 2011 and 2013. Fayose’s approach to budget planning and implementation is a one-man show.

“The budget that was discountenanced by Fayose, who is building an airport not captured therein, could never have been applauded by such a transparent organisation.

“We wonder why a man noted for direct opposite of what Fayemi stands for is the one now claiming credit for Fayemi’s achievements.”

On Fayose’s pro-workers posture, Olatunbosun said: “This is a man who travels monthly to South Africa and the United Arab Emirates after collecting federal allocations. Records show that Ekiti has no bilateral pact with these countries.

“He pays for full page newspaper adverts to abuse the President, yet he cannot pay salaries.

“The governor urging fellow governors to shun opulence is the only governor going about with riders on BMW powerbikes.

“These bikes cost millions of naira and exotic cars are the choice for his long convoys.

“Fayose dribbled workers in the misapplication of the bailout cash. Up till now, many teachers, local government workers and former political office holders have not been paid.

“He owes certain categories of workers three-month salary and others are owed four months.”

Source: The Nation