Ekiti assembly approves Fayose’s N10bn supplementary budget

The Ekiti state house of assembly has approved the N10 billion supplementary budget presented by Ayodele Fayose, governor of the state.

TheCable had reported how Fayose forwarded a supplementary bill titled “2018 Revised Budget” to the assembly on September 10, though it was backdated to August 30.

After receiving the proposal, Kola Oluwole, the speaker, recalled lawmakers who had been on recess since July 16, directing them to start working on the document.

At a sitting which commenced at 12pm on Wednesday, 14 lawmakers, including Oluwawole, the speaker, went through the proposal within an hour and passed it.

Journalists were barred from covering the proceeding.

Speaking with TheCable after the sitting, Ekundayo Akineye, member representing Ijero constituency, said there is no illegality in what Fayose did.

Akineye said Fayemi did something similar when he was leaving office at the end of his first term.

“After Fayemi lost the election in 2014, he presented a revised budget to the house of assembly for approval,” he told TheCable.

“He sent it on September 15 to be precise. Wale Ominrin, then speaker, Kola Esan, former clerk, all worked on that budget. So we are not doing anything illegal.”

The supplementary budget was approved one month to the end of Fayose’s administration.

Kayode Fayemi, governor-elect of the state, will be sworn in on October 16.

Fayemi had earlier described the N10 billion proposal as fraudulent.

In a statement by Wole Olujujobi, media director of his campaign organisation, Fayemi said the action was worrisome and not in the interest of the state.