Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Affairs, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, has accused the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, of laxity and underperformance in governing the state since assumption of office in 2018.
Ojudu also scolded Fayemi for allegedly running the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) like his own personal fiefdom.
According to him, “He is running our party like a one-man show, also like a puppeteer.”
The senator, who represented Ekiti Central in the seventh Senate, stated this in a telephone chat with journalists in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, yesterday.
Ojudu said: “Where is the focus on the people now? Is it roads that the government is constructing? Is it providing employment or foods? Where is the governance in the state? I want you to do a search on Google and tell me where the projects are.
“You can compare Borno and Ekiti States. Look at what the Borno State Governor, Professor Zulum, has done since he was sworn in, and then take a look at what Fayemi has done since he entered office as governor.
“Let us compare the two leaders! Some people might tell you that there is no money, but is Zulum in charge of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or is he receiving more than what Ekiti State governor receives?
“Compare the population of Borno State and that of Ekiti State. You could take three Ekiti State out of Borno State. Compare the ratio of the population of Borno State to what is going on there and the ratio of our population and what is coming in Ekiti State.”
On the allegation of running the party like a one-man show, the Special Adviser to Buhari on Political Matters said Fayemi has not called any meeting of party leaders or caucus meeting since he was sworn in almost two years ago.
Ojodu said: “They have not called any meeting of leaders of the party. No caucus meeting has been held, and I don’t know how one man can run a show of the party. He is a puppeteer. He beats the drum and others just dance to it.
“Most of us have been observers-ex-senators, ex-House of Representatives members, ex-Speaker of the House of Assembly, ex-members of the House of Assembly, leaders of repute etc. Nobody has been asked to come for any meeting.”
However, while puncturing Ojudu’s allegations, Fayemi, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Mr. Segun Dipe, said the governor has brought a paradigm shift in Ekiti State in terms of good governance contrary to what the senator posited.
Dipe added that it was appalling and disturbing that Ojudu was sounding like an outsider who had lost touch with what was happening in the state.
According to him, “Ojudu is sounding like what the people are claiming he is. He is guilty of what the people are accusing some people of. We believe his appointment can’t be divorced from being an Ekiti man. Yes, Senator Ojudu doesn’t come home and doesn’t recognize Ekiti State at the moment.
“What you don’t understand you will always see fault in it. For now, he is excused from seeing the negative side because he is already a stranger and alien to the people and the party.”