Following allegations by Diran Odeyemi, the Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee in Ekiti State that Governor Kayode Fayemi had sold the governors lodge in Abuja and got the government to buy a property that belongs to him in order to be converted to a governor’s lodge, the governor’s team has fired back at the opposition PDP.
Governor Fayemi’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Segun Dipe, in a statement denied the allegations and clarified the issue.
Mr Fayemi said the building in question was purchased by the Segun Oni-led administration from Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola when he was the Governor of Osun State. He said the building was being renovated as it had been allegedly abandoned by the Fayose-led administration.
The structural defect of the lodge prompted him to order its demolition and rebuilding, the governor said. He added that the project was captured in the state’s 2020 budget.
Governor Fayemi alleged that former Governor Fayose leased his personal apartment in Abuja to the state for a period of four years and collected N120 million. He also alleged that Mr Fayose sold the official land acquired by former Governor Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo meant to build a state lodge in Abuja.
“Lest the critic might have forgotten, their party, PDP, spent four years in building a bridge to nowhere, while owing huge backlog of salaries due to workers. Fayemi is not like Fayose who shrewdly rented his personal apartment located in the same Asokoro axis to the state for his own use in Abuja, at a cost of N30 million (Plus N3 million agency fee) per year, which amounted to N120 million (plus N12 million agency fees) in four years.
“Up till now, the lodge procured has remained in private hands and the Fayemi administration is the one trying to take possession of the land in the name of Ekiti State,” Governor Fayemi said.
Reacting to the allegation, the PDP said Governor Fayemi lied. The party challenged the governor to lay facts and figures for public scrutiny.
“If the property has been sold as alleged, to whom was it sold? How much? When was it sold?
“And most importantly, of what benefit is construction of a new governor’s lodge in Abuja to the people of Ekiti State at this time?” the PDP asked.
Responding to claims that the demolition and reconstruction of the Governor’s lodge was captured in the 2020 budget, the PDP said “We are aware of budgetary provision of N1 billion in 2019, for construction of Governor and Deputy Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. Out of this N1 billion, a sum of N770.9 million was spent last year.
“One of the questions we have asked to which no answer has been provided is, on which construction was N770.9 million spent last years? This is because the Governor’s Lodge located at Asokoro in Abuja that they allegedly sold was demolished this year and building of a new structure started last month.”
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