Ekiti experienced four ‘wasted years’ under Fayose – Bishop
The Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion,
the Rt. Rev. Christopher Tayo Omotunde, has described the tenure of
former Governor Ayo Fayose as four wasted years.
Omotunde noted that rather than moving forward, Ekiti retrogressed under
Fayose and urgently needs repairs, resuscitation and rejuvenation to
put it back on the right track.
According to him, “the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had a golden
chance to make a difference in the lives of Ekiti residents, but abused
the opportunity to the extent that the people became slaves under them.”
The cleric warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to
learn from the mistakes of the immediate past government and never
disappoint the teeming masses looking up to it for good governance and
redemption.
Omotunde made the remarks on Sunday during a thanksgiving service held
in honour of the new Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, at the
Cathedral Church of Emmanuel, Okesa, Ado-Ekiti.
The Bishop said Fayose’s unrelenting criticisms and opposition to
President Muhammadu Buhari denied Ekiti of many benefits while other PDP
governors succeeded in attracting projects to their states and got
financial support from the Federal Government because of their good
relationship with the President.
The service was attended by the wife of the governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi;
wife of the deputy governor, Mrs. Margaret Egbeyemi; Speaker, Ekiti
State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeniran Alagbada; his wife, Mrs. Kike
Alagbada; former deputy governor, Prof. Dupe Adelabu; Secretary to the
State Government, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji; Chief of Staff, Mr. Biodun
Omoleye; Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe and other traditional
rulers.
The Bishop, who described himself as “a father of all politicians”
because all members of his church are in all political parties, said he
was duty bound to speak the truth when the need arises.
Omotunde said God has given Governor Kayode Fayemi another chance to
make the difference in the lives of Ekiti people and must not fail to do
that because “the expectations are very high.”
While likening Fayemi to the biblical Nehemiah, Omotunde said the
President had so much trust in the governor (Fayemi) by releasing him
from the federal cabinet to come and repair Ekiti allegedly damaged by
bad governance.
Omotunde said now that Fayemi’s party, APC, is in power at the federal
level unlike what obtained during his first tenure, the Federal
Government must grant all the requests of the governor to repair Ekiti
and assist the state financially for its people to be relieved.
The cleric said: “This our God is a God of another chance, he gave PDP
another chance also but unfortunately they abused the chance to the
extent that people became slaves under them, they rendered everybody
hopeless under them.
“They bewitched everybody that our eyes were closed, they bewitched us
that we called evil good and the few that their power of bewitchment had
no effect upon prayed and God looked down from heaven and visitedthis
state again opening another door for Fayemi’s government.
“Your party (APC) is in power now, let them know that I said, it’s a
government of another chance and God will try you again and see whether
you will be faithful or not. It is left for you to prove yourself.
“Tell me of one youth that the immediate past government empowered even
though they called it a government of okada riders; how many okadas did
he buy for the youths?
“I was watching the television recently and Ebonyi State governor was
listing his achievements in agriculture, he gave the Federal Government
credits for his success and my (former) governor was also a PDP
governor.
“In many states, Buhari had many achievements and successes to show but
the only achievement here was the repair of Ado-Itawure Road but our
(former) governor would not give him room to work.
“The whole four years (under Fayose) was wasted; we were retrogressing,
going backward. Many states were given opportunities in agriculture,
nothing was given to Ekiti and all we needed was for the governor to
give them land and banks were ready to finance the projects.
“With hunger ravaging the land, the former governor was collecting
N1,000 from each pupil. What did he use the money to do? We did not see
what they did with the money.
“Our people are hungry and they are suffering financial difficulties.
They have been thrown into poverty so that they will become slaves to
the ‘rock’ but God brought somebody who knows how to break the ‘rock’
into pieces.”
Omotunde further charged Fayemi to prevent the state from being taken
over by herdsmen and ensure security of lives and property.
Retired Archbishop of Ondo Province, Church of Nigeria, Anglican
Communion, the Most Rev. Samuel Adedayo Abe, conducted a special prayer
session for the new government at the service which also witnessed a
special thanksgiving for Egbeyemi.
Addressing the congregation, Deputy Governor Egbeyemi called for the
prayers and support of Ekiti people for the new government saying: “the
welfare of the people remains the focal point of this administration.”
The deputy governor promised that more people in Ekiti will be employed
and empowered to reduce the rate of unemployment, hunger, political
thuggery and other vices.
Egbeyemi further assured that the Fayemi administration would execute
more projects in the grassroots to reduce rural-urban migration.
He assured that measures have been put in place to prevent herdsmen/farmers clash in the state.
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