14 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers had on Thursday approved N10bn supplementary budget for outgoing Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.
The lawmakers approved the budget despite the warning by the incoming governor, Kayode Fayemi and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to an impeccable source, the PDP lawmakers, led by Speaker Kola Oluwawole, arrived the Assembly complex at 12.05 pm on Thursday and sat for about one hour inside the hallowed chambers before they passed the controversial supplementary appropriation bill into law.
But APC lawmakers, led by the Minority Leader, Gboyega Aribisogan (Ikole 1), described the action as a “ploy by Fayose to legitimize fraud which will be resisted through legal and constitutional means.”
According to reports, the PDP lawmakers were joined behind-closed-doors by the Clerk, Tola Esan and two legislative officers in conducting the ‘secret’ sitting.
The PDP lawmakers who were part of the closed-door session included: Oluwawole, Sina Animasaun, Samuel Omotoso, Samuel Jeje, Tope Fasanmi, Dayo Akinleye, and Wale Onigiobi.
The rest were: Dare Pelemo, Cecilia Dada, Musa Arogundade, Sanya Aladeyelu, Olayode Omotoso, Dele Fajemilehin, and Olanrewaju Olayanju.
Reacting, Aribisogan said: “The APC lawmakers and some members are not in support of the bill because it has been discovered that the outgoing governor wanted to use the House to legitimize fraud.
“The proposed Appropriation Bill is the handiwork of Governor Fayose and his cronies to cover up massive fraud in some Ministries, Department, and Agencies (MDAs).
“The Appropriation Bill is not meant to improve the lives of our people in the state but to cover up some unapproved spending of the Governor. It is a fraudulent bill to cover fraudulent spending. That’s why the governor wanted the bill to be passed without proper scrutiny.
“The Appropriation Committee did not sit on the Bill. The Bill was backdated to August 30 to give an impression that the Appropriation Committee had since been deliberating on the Bill.
“The Speaker, Oluwawole was given the Bill last Friday when he was summoned to the Governor’s Lodge. As usual, he was given a marching order to call Hon Jeje Samuel, the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, to make a public statement on the Revised Budget.
“The Progressives in the House” are now the majority. We have met. We have resolved to boycott sittings on the dubious budget.”
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