Ekiti assembly approves Fayose’s N10 billion supplementary request behind closed doors

The Ekiti State House of Assembly on Thursday approved the N10 billion supplementary budget requested by outgoing governor, Ayo Fayose, under curious circumstance.

About 14 lawmakers, led by the Speaker of the house, Kola Oluwawole, reportedly arrived the assembly complex at about 12 noon and sat for about one hour within which the appropriation bill went through the first, second and third readings after a brief reference to the house committee on appropriation.

Journalists, who came to cover the bill’s consideration, were however, not allowed in the chambers.

The Clerk of the house, Tola Esan, and two legislative officers were also part of the procedures in the passage of the bill.

The lawmakers who are all PDP members include Kola Oluwawole, Sina Animasaun, Samuel Omotoso, Samuel Jeje, Tope Fasanmi, Dayo Akinleye and Wale Onigiobi.

Others are Dare Pelemo, Cecilia Dada, Musa Arogundade, Sanya Aladeyelu, Olayode Omotoso, Dele Fajemilehin, and Olanrewaju Olayanju.

But members who are of the All Progressives Congress, have rejected the passage of the N10 billion supplementary budget.

The APC lawmakers led by the Minority Leader, Gboyega Aribisogan, (Ikole 1), described the action as a “ploy by Fayose to legitimise fraud which will be resisted through legal and constitutional means.”

“The APC lawmakers and some members are not in support of the bill because it has been discovered that the outgoing governor wanted to use the House to legitimise fraud,” Mr Aribisogan said.

“The proposed Appropriation Bill is the handiwork of Governor Fayose and his cronies to cover up massive fraud in some Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs).

“The Appropriation Bill is not meant to improve the lives of our people in the state but to cover up some unapproved spending of the Governor. It is a fraudulent Bill to cover fraudulent spending. That’s why the governor wanted the bill to be passed without proper scrutiny.

“The Appropriation Committee did not sit on the Bill. The Bill was back dated to August 30 to give an impression that the Appropriation Committee had since been deliberating on the Bill.

“It is ridiculous to hear that a government that has less that 32 days wants to spend N10 billion. The governor is yet to tell us how he had managed the finances of this state.

“We have not been told the position of the state IGR, but the executive wanted us to pass a budget. We shall resist this latest attempt by Fayose to further plunge Ekiti state into financial mess.”

The media aide to Mr Fayose, Lere Olayinka, had defended the supplementary budget, saying it was meant to ensure the completion of ongoing projects in the state.

He also said the issues raised by the opposition on the procedure of passing the bill was not relevant as it is the assembly that had the powers to determine its procedures for the passage of any bill including the appropriation bill in question.

End.