by Omoleye Omoruyi

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has ordered Governor Ayodele Fayose to set up a Judicial or Administrative panel to probe former Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, over allegations of discrepancies in the finances of the state during his tenure.

Fayemi had refused to appear before the House to throw light on the alleged diversion of N852 billion Universal Basic Education Board fund.

Using Section 129 0f the 1999 constitution, the Assembly had on March 22, 2016, and February 7, 2017, ordered Fayemi to appear before it and reply the allegation, and some other misappropriation allegation in his time.

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Fayemi snubbed the Assembly and instead approached the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, slamming a N500 million libel suit against the Assembly, using defamation of character as justification.

The Ekiti House in its plenary on Thursday, presided over Speaker, Hon Kola Oluwawole, said the former governor treated the Assembly with contempt.

Before putting a motion to compel the Executive to probe Fayemi, the Speaker said, “Dr John Kayode Fayemi has slighted this house by his conduct by refusing to honour our invitation. This Assembly duly invited him to come and explain how he managed the finances of this state, particularly the SUBEN fund and other projects.

“The House had summoned him three times, but he disobeyed the regulation of this house. So, the State government should as a matter of urgency set up a judicial or administrative panel of inquiry to look into the finances of this State under Fayemi’s government”.

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The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon Omotoso slammed the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris and other security agencies over their hesitation to arrest Fayemi despite the valid arrest warrant issued by the Assembly against him.

“The IGP can’t claim that Governor Fayemi is at large. He has been attending the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting and nobody even called him for questioning or thought of arresting him. That was unfortunate.

“Let me at this time call on the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo that Fayemi has no moral standing to be a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, having breached the 1999 constitution by his refusal to honour us. If we fail to act now, then the country will be operating a banana republic where there are no rules,” he said.