Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose has explained the reason behind his failure to appoint the former state Secretary of the  Peoples Democratic Party, Tope Aluko, as Chief of Staff.

Aluko had on Sunday, alleged that the military was used to influence the outcome of the June 21, 2014 governorship election in the state, while adding that former President, Goodluck Jonathan funded the efforts.

Reacting to Aluko’s claims, the Ekiti governor said he’s evidently spurned over his refusal to make him the state’s Chief of Staff.

Fayose said he overlooked Aluko for the COS position as a result of his ‘great lust for money and insatiable drive to jump from one camp to the other’.

In a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the governor   was quoted to have said that Aluko couldn’t be trusted, owing to his antecedents.

The governor also stated that the former PDP Secretary was sacked from the state-owned institution ‘because of certificate racketeering’, adding that his appointment would have tainted the credibility of his government.

“All these steps are being taken by the APC to silence me because of my criticism of obnoxious policies of Buhari administration, but I cannot be silenced. If I Ayo Fayose remains the last man standing to put Buhari administration on its toes, I will not look back.”

“Strong opposition is ingredient of  virile democracy. I don’t have skeleton in my cupboard. If the APC has any concrete evidence against me, it should give it to the EFCC.”

“It is very obvious that those who rented him (Aluko) will keep him at arms length believing that what he did to me, he will do same to them.”

“From Aluko’s rantings, one could see that he wants to poison our waters because he did not get the position he expected in our administration.”

“He complained that he was not made the Chief of Staff, how could somebody with great lust for money and insatiable drive to jump from one camp to the other be trusted with such a sensitive post. I was advised by well-meaning Ekiti people not to trust him with sensitive positions because of his greed.”

“As the state secretary of the party, he was going from one aspirant to the other to collect money, using his position. When he was at the state-owned university, he was sacked because of certificate racketeering. Pressure was mounted on me not to appoint him otherwise he would put credibility problem on my administration.”

Kolapo Olapoju