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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.
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From Construction Sites to Community Service: Temitope Akinyemi Emerges as a Model of Leadership and Impact
Energy experts in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector have defended the pricing structure of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, accusing some fuel markers of attempting to blackmail the refinery and mislead the public over the recent increase in petrol prices.
The experts said reports suggesting that the refinery’s latest adjustment is solely responsible for the recent hike in fuel prices were misleading, noting that importers are also bringing in petrol at almost a N1,000 per litre, while the refinery’s coastal price is N948 and the gantry or ex-depot price stands at N995 per litre.
They stressed that public comparisons fail to consider the differences in pricing structures and supply channels.
According to the experts, N948 per litre represents the coastal delivery price, which refers to petroleum products transported by marine vessels or barges from the refinery to depots along the coastline. On the other hand, N995 per litre represents the gantry or ex-depot price, which is the rate paid by marketers who load petrol directly from the refinery into tanker trucks at the loading gantry for onward distribution across the country.
The experts explained that the two figures should not be interpreted as conflicting prices but rather as different logistics arrangements within the petroleum distribution chain.
Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, energy expert David Okon said the pricing adjustments were inevitable given prevailing market conditions.
According to him, Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals operates in a deregulated market and procures crude at international prices, which have risen sharply due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
“The refinery is already absorbing part of the cost to cushion the impact of the crisis on Nigerians. We can see what is happening in other parts of the world where shortages and scarcity are being reported despite higher prices, yet the Dangote Refinery has continued to guarantee domestic supply,” he said.
Okon explained that when the refinery previously sold petrol at N774 per litre, crude oil was landing at about $68 per barrel. However, with crude now arriving at roughly $95 per barrel, the cost difference of about $27 per barrel translates to nearly N40,000 per barrel when converted to Naira.
“You cannot expect a refinery to continue selling at the old rate under those circumstances,” he added.
“If imported products were truly cheaper, importers would still be selling at the previous prices.”
He warned that without local refining capacity, Nigeria could have faced severe fuel shortages, long queues at filling stations and a resurgence of black market sales.
“Without the Dangote Refinery, many filling stations would likely shut down, queues would return across the country and black market traders would exploit the situation, hawking four litres keg at N20,000 or more. The refinery has effectively prevented that scenario,” he said.
Another analyst, Mohammed Ibrahim, also faulted narratives circulating in some quarters suggesting that the refinery’s pricing adjustment was responsible for worsening economic hardship in the country.
Accusing some importers of attempting to manipulate public perception, he said, “What we are seeing is nothing but deliberate blackmail by some fuel importers who feel threatened by local refining.
“They are twisting the pricing structure to mislead Nigerians and create unnecessary panic in the market.
“By exaggerating the refinery’s gantry price and ignoring the comparable costs of imported fuel, they are trying to make it appear as though Dangote Refinery is the cause of rising prices and economic hardship. This is a calculated attempt to protect their import businesses and undermine local refining, which is meant to reduce our dependence on imported petrol.”
Ibrahim added that such narratives were aimed at portraying the refinery as the reason Nigerians were struggling with higher petrol prices.
He stressed that petrol pricing in Nigeria is largely influenced by global crude oil prices, exchange rate fluctuations, and distribution logistics, noting that these factors affect both locally refined and imported fuel in the country’s deregulated market.
Afolabi Olowookere, Managing Director and Chief Economist at Analysts’ Data Services and Resources (ADSR) Limited, explained that although Nigerians expect refined products from the refinery to be significantly cheaper, prevailing market realities such as global crude oil prices, the cost of crude supply and refining margins make substantial price reductions unlikely in the short term.
“Therefore, improving domestic crude allocation to the refinery would strengthen supply stability and enhance the long term benefits of local refining for the economy,” Olowookere noted.
Recent conflicts in the Middle East and disruptions along key shipping lanes have tightened global oil supply, pushing crude prices past $90 per barrel, a development that directly raises the cost of both imported and locally refined petrol in Nigeria.
The unrest has pushed up fuel costs and transportation in several countries, including Ghana, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, and Japan, as rising crude prices increase the cost of refining, distribution, and logistics globally.
CHETACHI NWOGA-ECTON EMPOWERS 300 WIDOWS IN IMO
A renowned humanitarian and proud daughter of Mbaise in Imo State, High Chief (Dr.) Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton, has empowered over 300 widows and vulnerable women across the Owerri Zone, in a remarkable demonstration of compassion and service to humanity.
The empowerment programme, which took place at the Palace of the Eze of Ngor Okpala, HRH Eze Engr. Fredrick Nwachukwu, brought together community leaders, traditional rulers, women groups and beneficiaries from different communities within the zone.
During the event, the widows received food materials and cash support, aimed at helping them meet basic needs and strengthen their small-scale businesses.
The initiative was widely applauded as a timely intervention to support women who often face severe economic hardship after losing their spouses.
Many of the beneficiaries expressed heartfelt appreciation to High Chief (Dr.) Nwoga-Ecton, describing the empowerment as a lifeline that would help them take better care of their families.
Some widows, while offering prayers for the philanthropist, noted that the gesture had restored hope and dignity in their lives.
Fondly known as Ada Imo and Adaure, High Chief (Dr.) Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton has earned widespread admiration for her consistent humanitarian efforts both within Nigeria and internationally.
Through her philanthropic activities and foundations, she has continued to support widows, children, and vulnerable communities with interventions in healthcare, welfare and economic empowerment.
Community stakeholders who attended the programme commended the Mbaise-born philanthropist for her generosity and dedication to uplifting the less privileged, noting that her actions reflect true leadership and compassion.
Observers say the initiative further reinforces her growing reputation as one of the most impactful humanitarians of this generation, whose commitment to humanity continues to inspire hope across Imo State and beyond.
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