Fayose, APC disagree over N9.6 bn bailout money

The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State said on Tuesday that the request by the state governor, Ayo Fayose, for a N9.6billion bailout from the Central Bank of Nigeria was frivolous and unjustifiable.

According to the party, since Mr. Fayose had hitherto maintained that he was not owing salaries, he should not benefit from a facility meant to assist states under the heavy burden of backlog of salaries.

APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said the governor should explain his need for the bailout against the background of persistent claims that he did not owe workers in the state civil service.

“It is difficult to trust a one-man government where the House of Assembly doesn’t have any voice and the State Executive Council is not functioning, just as both the State Accountant General and Auditor-General sign documents without questions on what they are asked to do by the governor,” he said.

“Besides, why will a governor who does not owe salaries and has not shown Ekiti people his development blue print be taking loan? Why does he need N9.6b after he has declared he was not owing Ekiti workers, more so that the loan is meant for defaulting states to clear their backlog of salaries?”

Mr. Olatunbosun also noted that the governor was yet to explain how he spent the N2.1billion bailout he received from the Federation account in June as well as another N8. 5billion received also in June.

But Mr. Fayose responded while featuring on his monthly programme tagged ‘Mr Governor’s Explains’ on state-owned radio and television.

He stated that the state had no reason to borrow, but for the two months salary arrears owed by his predecessor, Kayode Fayemi.

Mr. Fayose insisted that his administration had been prudent in the management of the state’s allocations.

He denounced allegations of profligacy levelled against him by the APC, saying, “they are rantings of those gradually fading into political oblivion”.