…Demand he faces judicial panel of inquiry

…Calls on FG to ensure corruption fight is across board

From: WOLE BALOGUN, Ado-Ekiti

Students of tertiary institutions from  Ekiti State, on Monday, protested against what they described as ‘an attempt to use the judiciary to shield self from answering questions on allegations of corruption leveled against former Governor of the state, Kayode Fayemi.’

They demanded that the former governor, who is current Minister of Minerals and Steel Development, present himself for questioning by the Judicial commission of inquiry recently constituted by the state government.

It would be recalled that Fayemi drew the ire of the state House of Assembly when he failed to honour three invitations from the lawmakers on the allegations. The state Assembly had reacted by slamming a N1 million fine on the ex-governor and directed governor Fayose to set up a judicial commission  of inquiry before which Fayemi must appear or risk facing penalties as would be meted out by the commission after its findings.

Fayemi has, however, gone to court to stop the commission from carrying out its duty against him. Incidentally, the state law that empowers governor Fayose to set up the said commission was signed into law by ex-governor Fayemi in 2012.

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The angry students who represented all indigenes of Ekiti State from such students’ associations as the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Federation of Ekiti State Students’ Unions, home and diaspora (FESSU) and other students’ unions from tertiary institutions across the country among others, marched from the Oluyemi Kayode stadium in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, to Ojumose to address the press and from there to other parts of the city.

They sang hate songs against Fayemi and carried placards with agitating inscriptions such as “Ekiti students support Fayemi’s probe,” Fayemi, where are the N1 billion flowers”,” We say no to corruption” and “Fayemi don’t hide, come to Ekiti to exonerate yourself!” among others.

Speaking on behalf of the students, President of FESSU, Idowu Peter said: “We are protesting endemic corruption of political office holders in Nigeria and we are demanding that the fight against corruption by the Federal Government should be across board and not sectional or restricted to only the opposition party.

“We are also calling on immediate past governor Kayode Fayemi to come to face the judicial commission of enquiry set up to probe his activities in government. He must come to defend himself against the allegation of misappropriation of the N850 State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) funds leveled against him and others. He shouldn’t hide under a court injunction to stop the panel if indeed his hands are clean.”

Also speaking, chairman of NANS, Ekiti State chapter, Owolabi Temitayo Alexander said: “If former governor Fayemi knows he has no skeleton in his cupboard, we demand that he appear before the state judicial commission of enquiry set up to make him answer to allegations of graft. He should not hide under a shield by the judiciary. After all, he himself signed this law of judicial commission of enquiry into the constitution of the state, so he should have the moral courage to face the. Commission and not run away from it.

President of the Students’ Union Government,  Ekiti State University, Aridiogo David Olaitan and President College of Education SUG, Ikere, Ogundipe Adewale, also corroborated their colleagues’ views, saying: “The federal government must impress it on Fayemi to present himself for probe before the Ekiti State Judicial commission of enquiry if indeed it is sincere with its anti-graft fight in the country. There shouldn’t be a sacred cow in this fight. That Fayemi is an appointee of the President doesn’t not shield him from being probed, ” they said.