The Ekiti State House of Assembly on
Tuesday refused to deliberate on the motion seeking approval for the
constitution of local government caretaker committees’ chairmen and
members.
The assembly said the request
by Governor Ayodele Fayose was sub judice as the sacked caretaker
chairmen of the 16 Local Government Areas and 19 Local Council
Development Areas had gone to court to challenge their dissolution.
The
35 caretaker chairmen were sworn in on August 5 by the immediate past
Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi. But Fayose, on assumption of office
dissolved them on October 18.
The
assembly also refused to consider the list of commissioner nominees
submitted for screening by the governor because it was not included in
the Tuesday’s Order Paper.
It,
however, granted approval to the state to access N2bn out of the N220bn
Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises’ Development Fund of the Central
Bank of Nigeria.
The assembly said accessing the loan would bring about development to the state’s economy.
The
motion moved by the Majority Leader, Churchill Adedipe, and seconded by
Mr. Tope Agidi, was unanimously approved by the members present.
The
Chairman, House Committee on Legal Matters and Local Government
Affairs, Mr. Adedeji Odu, called the attention of members to a writ of
summons in a case instituted by the sacked caretaker chairmen of the 16
LGAs and the 19 LCDAs.
He cited Order
54(5) of the Standing Order of House, which stated that the Assembly
could not deliberate on a matter pending in court.
According
to him, the aggrieved chairmen are asking the state High Court to
interpret certain aspects of the law regarding their constitution and
tenure.
Odu, therefore, advised that the matter be set aside until the court decided the pending suit.
Earlier
the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin, had read three letters written to the
Assembly by Fayose, seeking approval for the CBN loan, approval of three
commissioner nominees and caretaker chairmen.
The
nominees are Mr. Owoseni Ajayi as Attorney-General, Mr. Kayode Oso as
Commissioner for Transport and Chief Toyin Ojo as Commissioner for
Finance.
The Assembly later adjourned sitting till today (Wednesday).
Meanwhile,
the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has called on Fayose to
fulfil his electoral promise that he would enhance the welfare of Ekiti
people as he pledged during campaigns.
In
a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, the
party lamented that the state had been thrown into darkness in the last
14 days.
“In the last 14 days, the
entire Ekiti State has been thrown into darkness, even though the
governor promised to ensure 24-hour electricity supply during his
inauguration.
“The excuse that
electricity is under the Federal Government is untenable, as a
responsible and sensitive government is supposed to do the needful to
make life easy for its citizens.
“This
did not happen under Governor Fayemi who supported the Power Holding
Company of Nigeria, which transformed to BEDC by purchasing over 120
transformers and many metres of cables to replace the old and damaged
ones.
“This ensured steady supply of
electricity. Instead of Fayose to take a cue from his predecessor, he
has remained insensitive to the plight of the citizens as the total lack
of power supply has taken a toll on businesses of artisans with its
attendant hardship,” Olatubosun said.
It
will be recalled that Fayose on Monday, following a protest, promised
to release N5m to reconnect the people of Ifaki-Ekiti, the home town of
former Governor Segun Oni, to the national grid after nine months of
blackout.
He also promised to provide a transformer to the people to assist them in power distribution.
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