Governor Ayo Fayose bans his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, from holding any public post in the state and Nigeria for 10 years

Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has banned his predecessor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, from holding public offices in Ekiti State and other parts of Nigeria for 10 years. Fayose's decision is based on the recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry that investigated the alleged misappropriation of funds and abuse of office of the immediate past governor of the state now Minister of Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemi. 

The Nation reports that the judicial committee which was chaired by former Acting Chief Judge, Justice Silas Oyewole (retd.), submitted its report on December 13, last year, to the governor, Ayo Fayose and the report was adopted by Governor Fayose and members of the state executive council yesterday January 15th.

Also recommended for 10-year ban from public office is the former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Dapo Kolawole, who served under Fayemi. 

The recommendation followed the receipt of a White Paper on the report of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry which investigated the handling of the state’s finances during the Fayemi administration between October 2010 and October 2014.

The White Paper also recommended that the duo should refund various sums of money to the coffers of the state government. 

Fayemi is the Minister of Mines and Steel Development while Kolawole is a board member of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

The ex-governor refused to appear before the panel on account of a lawsuit he filed to the effect that he would not get justice at the panel. He claimed that members of the panel are loyalists, associates and card-carrying members of Fayose’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Although Fayemi is yet to declare intent to run for the July 14th state governorship election, his suppoters are working to persuade him to run. His posters with inscription “Happy New Year, JKF Again” appeared in Ado-Ekiti and other major towns last week. 

The recommendation banning Fayemi and Kolawole appears on page 22 of the White Paper.

It reads: “Government accepts the recommendation to bar Dr. John Kayode Fayemi and the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Vincent Kolawole, from holding public offices in Ekiti State for 10 years.”

On Page 15 of the White Paper, Fayemi and Kolawole were declared “unfit to hold any public office” for their refusal to appear before the seven-man jury to give evidence on how they managed the state treasury when they were in office.

It reads: “Both His Excellency, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, and Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Vincent Kolawole, are recommended as unfit to hold any public office in the state for their refusal to appear before this Commission of Enquiry, even, after the determination of the case challenging the inauguration of this commission before the Ekiti State High Court.

“Their disrespect to the constituted authority and the undignified roles they played in the whole contract saga, were obviously against the interest of the state.”

The White Paper recommended that Fayemi, Kolawole and other members of the erstwhile Exco should account for N2,750,000,000 allegedly allocated for the execution of the contract for the ultramodern market “which was never executed”.