Fayose In Turbulent Waters Again

The last is yet to be heard over the political drama in Ekiti State between members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) led State legislature and Governor Ayodele Fayose. Executive Editor AMOS DUNIA takes a peep at current developments in the state asking will the bombastic governor be able to survive the political arrows being shot at him by the legislators this time around?

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the days of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State remaining to preside over the affair of the Fountain of knowledge state are have become limited following the axe of impeachment that dangles over him like th sword of Damocles. Worse still is the position and posture out-going President Goodluck Jonathan is believed to have adopted over the matter that clearly showed that Governor Fayose has to wither the storm all alone in line with democratic ethose and rule of law. Dependable sources within the presidency told Forefront that President Jonathan pointedly told Fayose, who has become so worried and troubled following the announcement of the presidential election last week to humbly and quietly bite the humble pie by resigning from office before nemesis catches up with him. And in what appears like a scripted plan being followed to the later, the Police high command on Sunday April 5, restored the security details of the legally recognized Speaker of the Ekiti state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adewale Omirin that was driven out of the state since August last year by political thugs of the governor. The police action came on the heels of the restoration of the personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) that were hitherto attached to Omirin. Already the Speaker Omirin-led lawmakers, it was gathered have schedule to hold its plenary session at the Ekiti State House of Assembly for Tuesday April 7, having adjourned after their sitting on Thursday April 2, 2015 at the same venue. Information pieced together by Forefront indicated that President Jonathan, who is already packing out some of his personal belongings from the Aso Presidential Villa, emphatically told Fayose that the era of acting with impunity in the country is over and he (Jonathan) has to remain committed to the rule of law. Another source within the presidency quoted President Jonathan as having said: “I cannot influence any process as we must allow the law to run its full course. We cannot continue to disrupt due process. That is not good for the country.” The development may not be unconnected with the absence of Governor Fayose and his Ondo State counterpart, Governor Olusegun MImiko at the post-election parley with Jonathan in Aso Rock following the poor showing in their states in spite huge financial investment made by the presidency through them. For now, the determined 19 All Progressives Congress lawmakers in the Ekiti State House of Assembly have commence what clearly can be described as impeachment process against Governor Fayose, that had used the instrument of office and security apparatus available to him in preventing the the lawmakers from participating in proceedings of the House since he assumed office as governor of the state in the third quarter of 2014.. The legally recognized Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin, last week Thursday forwarded a notice of gross misconduct to Governor Fayose just as a copy of the notice was equally forwarded to his deputy, Dr. Olusola Eleka. However, Fayose in his usual bombastic and tough talking manner said the APC legislators were merely acting like “jesters,” stressing that the impeachment notice if any, is nothing but a joke of the century. In the letter by the 19 lawmakers titled, “Re: Notice of Allegations of Gross Misconduct,” the lawmakers penciled down eight impeachable offences against Governor Fayose. The offences covers impunity, brigandage, stalking and other constitutional breaches. They included alleged invasion of the House of Assembly with thugs and miscreants, instigating an unconstitutional takeover of the House by seven legislators to sit in contravention of Section 96(2) of the 1999 Constitution, and prevention of the 19 APC legislators from performing their duties with the use of security agents and armed thugs. Other include sponsoring of an unlawful impeachment process in the House, spending of Ekiti State funds without requisite constitutional approval in contravention of the constitution as well as running the government without legally constituted Executive Council in contravention of Section 192(2) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria among other things. Persecond News also gathered that Governor Fayose reportedly left Ado Ekiti for an unknown destination on Saturday just as some of his close aides are quoted to have disclosed that their principal has been acting in very strange manner since the announcement of the results of the presidential election in which General Muhammadu Buhari, who Fayose so vilified during the campaigns was declared the winner. The days ahead are certainly trying moments for Fayose. Will he be able to swim above the political waters whose waves are move so high and fast, taking into consideration of the absence and lack of support for him from the presidency and against the new gale of CHANGE sweeping across the country? The answer to the question is likely to be provided in a matter of few weeks.