MINISTRY OF FINANCE REFUTES WITHHOLDING STATUTORY ALLOCATION TO EKITI STATE

A claim by the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, that the Federal Ministry of Finance has withheld statutory allocation due to Ekiti State has been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Finance.

The Ministry categorically denies and states the claim as incorrect as the Ministry has not withheld any statutory allocation due to Ekiti State, or any other State in the country.

The fact is that, the Ekiti State Government failed to comply with the necessary requirements for participating in the Budget Support Facility (BSF), which is a Conditional Loan Programme to State Governments introduced with the view to enhancing fiscal prudence and designed particularly to enhance transparency, efficiency in public expenditure and payment of salaries.

Ekiti Poll: Saraki says Jonathan can lose re-election

Former Kwara State governor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to live up to expectation of Nigerians because he could lose re-election next year if he failed to do the will of the people. Saraki said the outcome of the just-concluded governorship election in Ekiti State, in which the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, trounced the incumbent governor and the candidate of the APC, Mr. Kayode Fayemi, was a signal that the President could lose re-election in 2015.

The former governor, who is currently a senator, said in a statement on Sunday that Fayose’s triumph was a victory for democracy and for the people of Ekiti State.

He said, “It is important that around the clock, people want to be engaged. This should also serve as a lesson to Mr. President that as an incumbent it is very possible to lose in Nigeria if he fails to do the will of the people.

Ekiti Victory: President Jonathan Congratulates Governor-Elect Ayodele Fayose

The Nigerian president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated the governor-elect of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose with a call on him to be humble and magnanimous as he prepares to assume office as the goverenor of Ekiti state.

President Jonathan in his congratulatory message to the governor elect, charged him to “commit himself to forming an administration that will work for the advancement of the interests of all Ekiti people irrespective of their political affiliations or loyalties”.

He charged Mr Fayose to regard his second chance to serve as Governor of Ekiti State as a “sacred mandate from God Almighty and his people which he must discharge with immense dedication, wisdom and vigour to achieve a much more rapid pace of socio-economic development in Ekiti State for the benefit of its people who resoundingly reaffirmed their trust in his leadership by voting overwhelmingly for his election”.

President Jonathan’s message which was conveyed through a statement signed by the special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati.