I leave Fayose to God, says Fayemi on N99bn debt

Kayode Fayemi, governor-elect of Ekiti state, says he has handed over Ayodele Fayose, outgoing governor of the state, to God to judge for allegedly plunging the state into N99 billion debt.

Fayemi, who left office in 2014 after losing his reelection bid, said this in reaction to the latest debt figure released by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

DMO said the debt profile of the state had increased from N18 billion during Fayemi’s era to N117 billion, under Fayose’s watch.

The incoming governor said he would accept whatever liability and assets left behind by the outgoing government, saying he believed government is a continuum.

Fayemi spoke while receiving the report of the transition committee constituted to interface with the outgoing administration to facilitate smooth change of government.

He promised to make a drastic change in the life of the people the moment he is sworn to office on October 16.

The committee had told Fayemi that the humongous debt was outside arrears of salaries, pensions, gratuities and money owed retirees and contractors by the Fayose administration.

Fayemi also suggested the enactment of a law to be known as transition act that would stipulate the duties of an outgoing administration and an incoming administration to pave the way for seamless transfer of power.

This he said had become imperative, given the uncooperative attitude and difficulties the committee faced in meeting with officials of the outgoing government as well its refusal to allow his own committee obtain information from it.

According to Fayemi, if such law were in place, it would have been difficult for an outgoing government to refuse to cooperate with his transition committee.

He said such laws are already operating in countries like Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and the western world.

“The chairman (of the committee) talks about liabilities, that is what government is all about, assets and liabilities, government is a continuum,” he said.

“We are not unmindful of the fact that there will be debts but we are focused on our agenda to make a difference in the lives of our people.

“So for us, we leave whatever that is done by the outgoing government to God and God will handle that in the best way possible.

“We want to focus on making the difference in the life of our people, so our people remain our priority. We hope some reason will prevail between now and inauguration day for the outgoing government to come up with the information this committee has been asking for since it was inaugurated.”

The governor-elect, who promised to hit the ground running after taking the oath of office on October 16, also charged aspirants to national and state legislatures in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to familiarise themselves with the contents of the report.

Earlier while submitting his reports to Fayemi, its chairman, Olubunmi Adetunmbi, said the outgoing government agents refused to cooperate with the committee.

He however said the sub-committees of the transition committee was able to meet with 76 interest groups outside of government, including labour unions, interest groups, civil society bodies, development partners who assisted with information of what is going on in the outgoing administration.

“The report we are submitting to you represents the voice of the peoplethat voted you (Fayemi),and it contains what they want in the short term, medium term and in the long term,” he said.