EKSG SLAMS ADEYEYE, OMOYENI OVER CLAIMS ON PENSIONERS, DEBT PROFILE ….2014 contest not for mischief makers, liars

 

                                              PRESS RELEASE

 

EKSG SLAMS ADEYEYE, OMOYENI OVER CLAIMS ON PENSIONERS, DEBT PROFILE

….2014 contest not for mischief makers, liars

 

Ekiti State Government on Wednesday faulted what it described as uninformed position of two Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, Mr Dayo Adeyeye and Mr Bisi Omoyeni over the State’s finance and its relationship with pensioners.

 

The two PDP governorship aspirants had in different media reports earlier in the week, made scathing statements against the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration. While Omoyeni criticised the government for allegedly taking a total N50billion loan in three years, Adeyeye had reportedly accused the government of defaulting in the payment arrears of pensions to pensioners in the state.

 

But the government in a statement on Wednesday faulted the claims by the two politicians, describing it as outbursts of uninformed and desperate politicians out to make cheap political gain.

 

According to the statement signed by the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr Tayo Ekundayo, the state government flayed Omoyeni and Adeyeye  for attempting to play politics with the welfare of pensioners and also making false claims over the debt profile of the state.

 

It said no government in the state has treated workers as well as the present administration has done, adding that the administration is still clearing the huge debt incurred by the governments under which the two politicians served.

The statement reads in part: The actions of these two politicians is akin to embarking on a voyage of deliberate falsehood, distortion of facts, misinformation and chicanery in a bid to attract an undeserved attention.

 

“One would have expected anyone aspiring to high office in the state to be better guided  in his public and media engagements instead of exhibiting ignorance on the pages of newspapers as did Omoyeni and Adeyeye.

 

“For the avoidance of doubt, this administration has paid a whopping sum of N4.993 billion as pension for retirees and N2.149 billion on gratuities of retired workers since coming to power on October  16, 2010.

 

“It has also set aside a sum of N4.3 billion in the 2014 Budget for the payment of pensions and gratuities to retirees. It is a well noted fact that this administration  has not shirked in its responsibilities to retirees despite the challenges of paucity of fund coupled an intimidating debt profile of N42 billion inherited from the previous administration, under which Adeyeye served.

 

On Omoyeni, the statement said it was lamentable that a former bank chief would stoop so low as to falsify figures in order to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.

 

“Regardless of the circumstances leading to his unceremonious exit from the banking industry, one would have expected a governorship aspirant to have a little understanding of how facts and figures could be verified before making a public statement about state finances.

 

“Perhaps  Omoyeni needs to be educated that the state went to the Capital Market in 2011 and obtain a N20 billion bond, duly endorsed by the Minister of Finance. And  with a well structured payment plan that saw the state making monthly payment of N400 million, the state has repaid about N12 billion of the bond. It is also on record that the bond proceeds were spent on some regenerative developmental projects in the state, which are also well monitored by the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC)

 

“A simple check at the Debt Management Office (DMO), SEC or the state website would have saved Omoyeni this avoidable goof, which is unbecoming of an accountant aspiring to high public office in a well informed environment as Ekiti State.

 

"It is unfortunate that Omoyeni, Adeyeye and their ilk in an attempt to get undeserved attention have resorted to name calling, deliberate falsehood, distortion of facts, misinformation and chicanery.

 

“The good news here, however, is that an average Ekiti man and woman is well informed and able to make a distinction between truth and falsehood; between illusion and reality. And experience has taught them to identify and reject a fraudulent politician whenever they come across one, regardless of the façade.

 

“It must be stated also that the 2014 contest is not about mischief and misinformation, it is about the ability of an aspirant to articulate those new values he or she intends to add to governance and the lives of the people of the state”, the statement added.  

 

 

 

Signed:

 

 

Mr Tayo Ekundayo

Hon. Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation