Ekiti Assembly Rejects Fayose’s Caretaker Committees

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has reportedly rejected Governor Ayodele Fayose’s request to constitute local government caretaker committees’ chairmen and members.

The governor in a letter addressed to the Assembly which was read by the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin, requested approval for a CBN loan, approval of three commissioner nominees and caretaker chairmen.

Ayodele Fayose

Punch reports that the lawmakers at a plenary on Tuesday refused to approve the request on the ground that the sacked caretaker chairmen of the 16 Local Government Areas and 19 Local Council Development Areas had gone to court to challenge their dissolution.

It was reported that the 35 caretaker chairmen which were sworn in on August 5, 2014, by the past immediate governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, were dissolved by the incumbent governor, Fayose on assumption of office on October 18, 2014.



The lawmakers declined to ascend to the list of commissioner nominees submitted for screening by the governor as it was not included in the Tuesday’s Order Paper.

The assembly, however, gave approval to the state to access N2 billion out of the N220 billion Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises’ Development Fund of the Central Bank of Nigeria, noting that accessing the loan would bring about development to the state’s economy.

The Majority Leader, Churchill Adedipe, moved the motion and was seconded by Mr. Tope Agidi, before it was unanimously ascended to by the members present at the plenary.

Meanwhile, it was the Chairman, House Committee on Legal Matters and Local Government Affairs, Mr. Adedeji Odu, who 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.

The chairman, who cited Order 54(5) of the Standing Order of House, which stated that the Assembly could not deliberate on a matter pending in court, said the aggrieved chairmen are asking the state High Court to interpret certain aspects of the law regarding their constitution and tenure.

He therefore, urged the members to put the matter aside until the court decided the pending suit.
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, however, adjourned sitting till today (Wednesday).

Meanwhile, the judge of the Ekiti State High Court, Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi, has left the case challenging the eligibility of the Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, to race in the June 21, election, which he won.