Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has described the “outbursts of the All Progressives Congress” over the possible removal of the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, as “mere comedy.”
The governor, who advised the opposition party to stop acting as if Nigeria belonged to the party said, “President Goodluck Jonathan can sack Jega if he wishes and if he does, heavens will not fall.
“By turning themselves to advocates and defenders of the INEC chairman, the APC and its agents have shown that they have a deal with Jega to manipulate the elections and that the deal will be frustrated if he is asked to leave office.”
Fayose, according to a press release issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, added that the removal of Jega and any other appointees of the Federal Government was a prerogative of the president, “which no one can question, provided laid down rules are followed.”
He said the position expressed by the House of Representatives was that of the APC members in the House, urging that “the APC lawmakers should rather pay attention to the ill-health of their party’s Presidential Candidate, Major General Mohammadu Buhari (retd.), whose whereabouts is now a mystery.”
The governor described Jega as partisan, saying, “By his actions and utterances, Jega had already demonstrated his bias in support of the APC.
“For instance, how can Jega explain the 80 percent distribution of Permanent Voters Card in Boko Haram ravaged Borno and Yobe States while less than 40 percent distributed in Lagos as of February 7 that the election was postponed?”
“It is on record that Prof Maurice Iwu was asked to proceed on terminal leave two months to the end of his tenure? Is Jega not a beneficiary of Iwu’s removal?
“So if Iwu was asked to go on terminal leave before the expiration of his tenure for Jega to assume office, what difference does it make if Jega too is asked to proceed on terminal leave before the expiration of his tenure?”
Fayose also said, “It is the president that can determine whether or not Jega will go on the mandatory three months terminal leave which should commence on March 8, and if the president decides that the INEC chairman should go on terminal leave, what can the APC loudmouths do?
“They boasted before the postponement of the elections that they would go on street protests, but did they do anything? They made noise when Justice Isa Ayo Salami was removed from office as president of the Court of Appeal, what did their noise amount to?
“Therefore, let me say it categorically that the noise being made by the APC and their agents will amount to nothing because if the president removes Jega today, heavens will not fall.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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No need to talk much. Just advice your paymaster to carry out your request and see this nation of our boil under GEJ roof. You and your master has being carry out unconstitutional action without no one to challenge him but this time you will not go unpunished. You are families with the subsidy removal protest. That was just a tip of the iceberg. And concerning the PVC distribution, the people of the north east arecfedvup with GEJ so they are looking for quick means to remove him so the killing will stop. They have to collect their PVC on time unlike we here in the south that can still bear the suffer since GEJ is our brother. We thought we can still manage him but now we can't any longer
ReplyDeleteHonestly is fayose only pdp governor for God sake,he has turn himself to gej spoke person ,talk anyhow he doesn't behave like a governor,heaven will not fall if jega is sack.
ReplyDeleteGbam! U said it all.....
ReplyDeleteYou fools still leave in the pass
DeleteGbam, nothing will happen.
ReplyDeleteMad man
ReplyDeleteIt is important that we look at the provisions of the law in this matter. Gov Fayose may talking too much but has he said anything contrary to the provisions of the laws as stated below.
ReplyDeleteThe spokesman for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr. Kayode Idowu, has debunked reports that INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, would proceed on terminal leave on 1 March this year.
Idowu, who spoke on a TV programme monitored in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, on Tuesday, said Jega’s appointment was not guided by civil service rules and so he would serve until his tenure elapses on 30 June this year.
After the postponement of the elections last weekend, there have been reports that President Goodluck Jonathan’s next move is to relieve Jega of his job and replace him with a pliant person to conduct the elections.
Idowu also said the ballot papers for Nigeria’s presidential election scheduled to hold on 28 March were ready.
He said the ballot papers had been delivered by the printers and that they were being kept in the vault of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He also disclosed that thousands of ad hoc staff were being trained for the elections initially billed to take place on 14 and 28 February but shifted to 28 March and 11 April.
He said the postponement would allow INEC perfect its preparations for the polls, adding that there can never be 100% preparations for an election since things continue to change until the last day of the polls.
But Idowu may not be right after all on reports that Jega may be asked to proceed on terminal leave in March.
A Federal civil service circular, issued by former head of service, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali entitled, ‘Three Months pre-retirement/terminal leave’ made no distinction as to whether one is a career civil servant or a political appointee.
According to the circular, “It has been observed that the mandatory notice of retirement for officers who are due to retire is not being observed as provided for in the extant rules. Accordingly, it has become necessary to reiterate the provisions of Public Service Rules (PSR) 100238 which states that officers are required to give three months notice of their retirement from service terminating on the effective date of their retirement”
The circular was addressed and sent to the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Justice of the Federation, all Ministers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, Chairman Federal Civil Service Commission, the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Others are Heads of extra-ministerial departments, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Auditor-General of the Federation, Surveyor-General of the Federation, Directors-General/chief executives of parastatals and agencies.
Jega’s predecessor, Prof Maurice Iwu. Iwu’s tenure was due to expire on June 13, 2010. However, on April 28, 2010, then acting President Jonathan, ordered Iwu to proceed on terminal leave.
Former IGP Abubakar’s tenure was due to end on July 30, 2014 but he proceeded or was sent on terminal leave on May 12, 2014. Former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Dahiru Musdapher voluntarily proceeded on terminal leave three months before the constitutional or mathematical end of his tenure.
It is rather unfortunate that Nigerian politicians have not learnt anything from what happened to past political leaders either in this country or outside this country. How can an elected Governor abandon his primary responsibility of governing the State for which he was elected to power and convert himself to the trouble-shooter of PDP? What does he stand to gain? Ekiti State, as far as I am concerned, has no Governor yet and the people who trusted him are, by now, seriously regretting for voting massively for Fayose to come to power. Salaries are being owed and some workers are even threatening to go on strike, yet Fayose is not bothered about all this. It is high time the Presidency calls Fayose and even the First Lady, Patience Jonathan to order. Let them not overheat the already tensed political atmosphere with their unguarded utterances.
ReplyDeleteMy Amiable governor Fayose, even the former central bank governor, Sanusi, when GEJ wanted to sack him, the APC threaten brimstorm and thunder, but after his sack, nothing happened. So sir, they (APC) are empty barrel that...
ReplyDeleteNo body voted massively for Fayose rather Goodluck Jonathan and the military rigged massively for him. The Ekitigate DVDs are in circulation and also in court.
ReplyDeleteGiving fayose a mental patient attention
ReplyDeleteVery unfortunate Mr. Fayose I'm sure by now your family are ashame of you, that one of their own has turned out to be an irresponsible politician.
ReplyDeleteI pity Ekiti people
I love this man, he always talk the truth, does this nation belong to one party
ReplyDeleteIs this one a state governor or a motor park tout? Fayose,your utterances are becoming a kind of war challenge. It's not APC as a party that is interested in seeing Pro. Jega finish the election,but,the masses. Your challenge is not to the APC,rather,to the masses of this nation. Let's wait and see what happens when Jega is removed unconstitutionally.
ReplyDeleteBankole Coker, God bless you really good for pointing out the truth. The issue is not PDP vs APC as that tout tried to paint to some stupid people, but PDP against Nigerians. Is it Jega that would have to go to people's doors to deliver their PVCS? How many people have gone to collect their own in the South? How many people even vote in the South? So they should blame Jega for the collection of PVC as of 7th Feb? I saw some foolish comments here and it's very sad to see some folks giving kudos to this tout. Jega was perfect in 2011 but now that GEJ popularity is down the drain and GMB train is gaining serious momentum, they want Jega removed because he wouldn't cooperate to rig elections for them. Nigerians are wiser now though some fools we will always have amongst us.
DeleteFayose is embarrassing Ekiti people with his lack of decorum. He has no reason whatsoever for being so vulgar, he is giving the state an image that does not belong to us. His wife and family members should sit him down and talk to him from the side of his ears that is still functioning ( if any)
ReplyDeleteTrue saying, the way you slap Judge In Ekiti and Nothing was done about it. Foolished Governor.
ReplyDeleteNonsense mad man
ReplyDeleteFayose! Fool is never a good name if u are happy wt d name fool. So, rethink and change.
ReplyDelete