Fayose awarded N200m repainting contract to brother

The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of awarding the repainting of the Governor’s Office to his “blood brother” at the cost of N200m.

It also accused the governor of awarding a contract to put marble in front of the Government House, which he (Fayose) had earlier described as too expensive; and relaying of asphalt on an already asphalted road leading to the lodge.

In a statement by the State Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, on Sunday, the APC said, “To add salt to injury, artisans working on the marble are all imported from Ibadan, when many Ekiti artisans could do the job. This a man who claims to be a friend of the masses.

“He is repainting the Governor’s Office, awarded by direct labour at the cost of N200m awarded to his blood brother.

“He told the Permanent Secretary, General Administration Department and Head of Service to find alternative entrance for civil servants, who work within the Governor’s office building because he doesn’t want to be meeting the ‘evil servants’ while coming in at the main entrance.

“This has been effected as civil servants in the Governor’s office now pass through the back to their offices. Yet this is the class of people he professed to be their friend before the election‎ and he has also cancelled the appointment of eight permanent secretaries that were legally appointed after passing necessary examinations according to the service rules.‎”

Fayose, who, however, spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, denied awarding the repainting contract to his brother as alleged by the APC.

Adelusi said the contract was awarded to an indigenous firm and the owner is not a brother to the governor.

He also denied the allegations that the marble contract was awarded to a non-indigenous firm.

“We are not like APC that pauperised the people for the four years. All the contractors handling the job including the marble are from Ekiti. They are, however, free to source their materials from anywhere in and outside Ekiti,” Adelusi added.

Olatunbosun, who also alleged that Fayose had not kept to his promise to give better life to the people, regretted that while it was the standard practice in other states to celebrate their governors after a month in office, the experience in Ekiti State was that of gloom, anger, frustrations and disappointment by the people.