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Fayemi did not give us N4 billion, Ekiti APC replies Fayose, PDP
The Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has denied allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party that former Governor Kayode Fayemi diverted N4 billion workers’ entitlements to service it during his tenure.
The APC accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of regaling in his old practice of falsehood and blackmail to divert Ekiti people’s attention from proven cases of sharp practices in governance.
It said the allegation by the PDP was meant to divert attention from the controversy over the alleged N720 million he awarded himself as salary arrears for his unfinished first time while at the same time owing workers salaries and pensioners’ entitlements.
Mr. Fayose was impeached from office in October 2006 during his first term as governor.
In a statement on Sunday by its spokesperson, Taiwo Olatubosun, the APC expressed dismay that the governor was just realising after eight months in office that N4billion was diverted by Mr. Fayemi.
It said Mr. Fayose was exposed as an enemy of workers, having owed workers’ salaries and pensions at the time he awarded himself N720m and paying back N650m to his election contractors.
The APC said, “It is laughable that as much as 4billion was diverted and or embezzled by the Fayemi administration and Fayose is just knowing eight months after assumption of office, pretending that a kangaroo verification exercise had revealed this. This is better told to the marines!
“Fayemi had earlier offered his administration for probe when Fayose started a similar campaign of calumny to cover his tracks in financial mismanagement but the governor had no courage for such exercise because there was nothing to probe,” he said.
“Fayose is at it again in his usual funny game to divert Ekiti people’s attention from his sharp practices in governance. This is an afterthought that exposes his ignorance and confusion. If Fayose is sure of his facts, he should not waste time in taking his case to the EFCC.”
The party said the former governor was still paying workers’ salaries with overdraft until Mr. Fayose as governor-elect wrote to banks to stop it.
It said, “There is no deduction anywhere. It is not possible. Even though for the two years that federal allocations to the state dwindled with as much as N500 million, Fayemi was still paying workers’ salaries with overdraft until Fayose as Governor-elect wrote to banks to stop it, so how was any deduction and diversion possible under that situation?
”The biometric system was so transparent such that it did not allow ghost workers syndrome, but since the PDP is now saying its government had detected 1,000 ghost workers, we are interested in unmasking the ghosts, which we believe is the governor’s making and we demand that the names of these ghost workers be published,” he added.
The APC asked Mr. Fayose and his party to approach the EFCC with their claim, including the list of workers used to siphon funds.
It said Mr. Fayemi would be willing to defend his financial transactions in government with facts and figures.
The party said this lie is coming now because APC had put Mr. Fayose administration on the spot over its inability to pay workers salary, stoppage of poverty reduction programmes of his predecessor at the time he is facing N1.3b poultry fraud case in court while also awarding himself N720m salary arrears.
“We want to say that this diversionary tactic has failed. Fayose had said on several occasions that the greatest weapon in politics and governance is tellies lies,” it said.
“All Nigerians, Ekiti people in particular, know the kind of human being Fayose is and so they would not be deceived by this diversionary tactic to continue to owe workers’ salaries and pensions to retirees.
“With money saved from cancellations of empowerment schemes, refusal to fund security agencies, job cuts, cuts in allowances, refund of N24b by the Federal Government, six moratorium on bond repayment, abandonment of capital projects initiated by Fayemi and non-award of fresh capital projects, APC will not stop from asking the governor to fulfil his obligations to Ekiti people.”
The APC urged the governor to show his development blueprint and achievements eight months in the saddle instead of engaging in lies, mindless private comfort and encouraging indolence and crimes among youths.
I did not pay N720million to my self — Fayose
Meanwhile, Mr. Fayose has denied paying himself the sum of N750 million as terminal benefits for his first term in office.
The governor debunked the allegation during a broadcast on Monday to mark the first year of his return as governor of the state.
He said only a wicked leader would pay such a huge sum to himself in the face of the present economic hardship.
According to him, the allegation was the plan of the opposition to cause disaffection among the Ekiti people.
He said, “I am Ayo Fayose, your governor who can never do that, since you have known me, you will observe that I have always been transparent and down to earth with you in all matters.
“Please be assured that I am not in a hurry to get rich through the back door as suggested by my detractors.
“Let us even to think of it whether it was logical for me to have been so selfish into paying such money into my private account, what sense does that make to a right thinking person when such money was almost enough to augment what we are looking for to pay the May salary to Ekiti workers.”
The governor assured of his administration’s readiness to bring rapid development to the state despite the dwindling financial resources.
Fellow Nigerians, and friends of Nigeria abroad,
They said the APC was not popular with the people. They said its strength was only in government houses, not in the marketplace, not in the villages, not in the hearts of men and women who rise each day to labor under the hot sun. Yet the people have now spoken, and their voice is louder than the rumors of social media, stronger than the whispers of drawing rooms.
In the bye-elections of this past weekend, sixteen seats were set before the people. Out of these, the APC took eleven, stretching across Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Taraba, Ogun, Kogi, Edo, Adamawa, and Niger. One more stands in contest, and there too the APC leads.
APGA secured two seats in Anambra. The PDP held one in Oyo. The NNPP claimed one in Kano. But the others—ADC, SDP, Labour—were nowhere to be found. Not a single seat fell their way.
So I ask: how do you define popularity? By the clamor on Facebook? By the trend on Instagram? By the fury of TikTok or the storms of X? No. Popularity in a democracy is measured by ballots cast, by hands inked, by real people walking to the polls to say with their vote: this is who we trust.
In America, they speak of midterm elections, a verdict passed halfway through a presidency. There, such elections measure the strength of the president and the staying power of his party. Nigeria has no midterm Congress. But these bye-elections, spread across thirteen states and five geopolitical zones, are our closest equivalent. And their meaning cannot be ignored.
Many thought the ADC, older in years than the APC, would rise with its new converts and prove itself a rival. Many thought the PDP would mount a strong wave. But the verdict of the ballot tells a different story. The PDP lives, but it fights to hold ground. The ADC, SDP, and Labour remain shadows, not yet substance. The NNPP, for all its color, remains a Kano river, not a national sea.
The APC, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has not only stood but has been endorsed. For all the cries, for all the bitter words against his reforms, the people have answered with their votes: they are willing to endure the hard medicine if it promises a better tomorrow.
What then is the road ahead? It is clear. The APC stands as the party to beat in 2027. The opposition must gather itself, must bind its wounds, must cease from fighting in fragments if it wishes to rise as a true alternative.
But for now, let it be recorded in the annals of our young democracy: that on the 16th of August, 2025, the Nigerian people spoke with ballots, not hashtags; with votes, not noise; with courage, not despair. And their verdict was plain.
The APC is not a party of rumor, but a party of the people.
The Lagos State Government, in its continued effort to promote cultural heritage and deepen tourism footprints, has concluded plans to host the Lagos Cultural Weekend.
A three-day cultural extravaganza, scheduled to take place across multiple strategic locations, including the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Freedom Park, National Theatre, Badagry Heritage Museum, Lekki Arts and Crafts Market, and Tafawa Balewa Square, from November 14th to November 16th, 2025.
This weekend-long celebration will spotlight the richness of Nigeria’s traditions through curated events that blend history, culture, and local artistry.
Speaking on the initiative, Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, noted that the event is a key part of a broader framework of the Lagos Cultural Mission.
“We aim to use the Lagos Cultural Weekend as a true reflection of Lagos culture, a herescope for tourists and visitors from across the globe to witness just how rich our culture is.
“The three days will be a cultural baptism, a deep, meaningful introduction to who we are. As a government, we now understand prioritising cultural representation as a driver for economic growth.
”On the initiative’s impact, the Special Adviser explained that it goes beyond showcasing culture, but investing in cultural artisans, talented enthusiasts, and key stakeholders to foster real engagement and growth.“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration values collaboration and inclusiveness, which is why we want to work closely with Lagosians who truly understand our culture to help us achieve these goals.
“From the historians, to creatives, curators, artisans, culinary experts, performers, fashion designers, community leaders, and traditional institutions, we need them to join us in making a lasting impact.“So that, in the end, our guests and friends from many nations will carry home an authentic story of Lagos and enriched cultural literacy,” Mr. Aregbe said.
Attendees will enjoy array of activities, including live music performances, DIY sessions, contemporary art exhibitions, traditional dance showcases, fashion shows, culinary tastings, and craft demonstrations.
Also lined up are symposiums and cultural lectures designed for tourists and enthusiasts who wish to dive deeper into the Lagos cultural identity.
The weekend will be animated by diverse local performance groups representing the rich ethnic landscape of Lagos, with a special emphasis on language, literature, and indigenous storytelling.
Lagos Cultural Weekend 2025 reaffirms the state’s commitment to building a thriving creative economy while celebrating the depth of Nigerian traditions.
Through strategic partnerships, corporate sponsorships, and community engagement, this initiative will set a new benchmark for inclusive cultural programming in Lagos and Africa at large.
Lagos Cultural Mission….Preserving Our Heritage, Advancing The Future
Aare Adetola Emmanuel King Congratulates Hon. Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji on Election Victory
The Chairman/CEO of Adron Group, Sir Aare Adetola Emmanuel King KOF, has congratulated Hon. Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji on her resounding victory in the just-concluded by-election for the Remo Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
In a goodwill message issued by him, he described the victory as “a historic moment for the Remo people, coming at a time when the constituency yearns for a leader with vision, courage, and genuine commitment to service.”
He noted that the outcome of the election was an attestation to the trust and confidence reposed in Hon. Ayoola-Elegbeji by the people, adding that her sterling qualities, integrity, accessibility, and compassion for the grassroots had endeared her to the electorate.
“The overwhelming support you garnered at the polls is proof that you are the right voice at the right time to carry the aspirations of Remo to the national stage,” he stated.
While acknowledging that the by-election followed the painful demise of the late Hon. Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga (Ijaya), Aare Adetola Emmanuel King said Hon. Ayoola-Elegbeji’s emergence symbolizes the continuity of purposeful representation. He expressed confidence that she would not only sustain the legacy of her predecessor but also surpass it with new energy, innovative ideas, and progressive leadership.
The Adron Group Chairman further prayed for divine wisdom, strength, and compassion for the Member-Elect as she assumes office, expressing confidence that her tenure will usher in meaningful development, economic empowerment, and greater opportunities for the people of Remo Federal Constituency.
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