Don’t divert N9bn bailout loan, APC warns Fayose

–The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti state has asked Governor Ayodele Fayose to make judicious use of the bail-out loans being facilitated by the Federal Government. According to the party; ‘’ This call became imperative against the backdrop of his alleged misapplication of the balance of the N4 billion bond taken by former Governor Adeniyi Adebayo,’’ which the party said Fayose diverted in 2004 to other purposes different from the terms of the bond agreement. Ekiti APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, said in a statement that the people would want the governor to spend the loans for salary and other debts owed civil servants and former political office holders. He said the disbursements and spending of the loans would be monitored to ensure compliance with the terms of borrowing to curb diversion. He said: “Our concern is premised on the alarms Governor Fayose has been raising on the status of the state’s debts, particularly his condemnation of the Federal Government’s bail-out initiative, which he dismissed as not a bail-out but a statutory allocation. “It is gratifying that the Federal Government again made available N9.6 billion to the state to offset salaries, allowances and other emoluments owed civil servants, pensioners and former political appointees, but we have our reservations on Fayose’s new move to access another N10 billion to be repaid in 10 years. “Our reservations is premised on the evidence that the governor presented no development blueprint before Ekiti people during campaigns,” Olatunbosun explained. “We urge workers to insist that the loans should be devoted to the payment of their salaries as approved by the lending authorities. Former political office holders should impress it on the governor to pay their severance allowances and other entitlements as approved in the mandate of the loan scheme. “Knowing the kind of man the governor is in money matters, we hereby put the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and other Related Offences (ICPC) on notice to monitor disbursements of the loan to ensure that the money does not end up in private pockets,” Olatunbosun concluded. APC factions reconcile Meantime, crisis rocking the Ekiti State APC may soon be over, as leaders and other stakeholders in the party have been meeting with a view to resolving their differences and forging a common front that will return the party to the forefront in the state. At its meeting yesterday at the Ikere country home of Bamidele Olumilua, former governor of the old Ondo State, the leaders lamented the self-inflicted pains they have caused themselves as a result of lack of internal democracy and cohesion resulting in the nose-diving fortune of the party of late. They however expressed absolute trust in the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, both at the regional and national levels of APC. In a communiqué issued after the meeting convened by Evangelist Olumilua, party faithful observed that their problem in the state was as a result of the leadership problems which they suffered and still suffering after the party lost the gubernatorial election on 21st June 2014. The crisis, which they blamed on the inability of the three former governors, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Engr. Segun Oni and the immediate past governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to cooperate among themselves to give the party the desired leadership and sense of direction.