A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State and governorship aspirant, Bamidele Faparusi has accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of treating Ekiti workers like slaves.
Faparusi claimed that local government workers through their President, Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, Ekiti chapter, Bunmi Ajimoko had to prostrate and roll on the ground before the governor agreed to pay their 2015 entitlements.
In a statement in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, Faparusi declared that Fayose, who parades himself as Prophet must know that a labourer is due for his pay.
The governorship aspirant said Ekiti received a sum of N5.2 billion from the federation account last month and got another N4.7 billion from the FG’s bailout , which ordinarily could pay a total of three month salaries and leave bonuses for 2015 and 2016 to all workers.
Faparusi added that the governor also paid the local government workers their 2015 deductions and 2015 leave bonus without any salary paid, in spite of the spirited and concerted efforts made by Ajimoko, including rolling on ,
the floor at Osuntokun Villa, governor’s lodge in Ado Ekiti in the presence of all labour leaders.
“Under Dr Kayode Fayemi, several appointments were made. Former Governor Fayemi appointed about 45-member cabinet and several Special Assistants and Senior Special Assistants and added to the State civil service the wage bill was N2.5 billion monthly.
“But now, Governor Fayose, hiding under economic recession pruned down the appointments to about 30-member cabinet and with few special assistants reportedly less than 20 and he was still claiming a monthly wage bill of N2.5 billion while the LG is N1.4 billion even when available records at the Accountant General’s office confirmed that the authentic State’s wage bill was N1.7 billion when that of LG is N1.1 billion.
“Even at N2.5b wage bill, the staggering N9.9 billion received by both local and state government can pay three months salaries for both State and local government’s civil servants and the 2015 leave bonus across board.
“So, Governor Fayose should stop treating the workers like slaves. He should know that the State runs a full-fledged monolithic economy resting primarily on civil service architecture and whatever affected that arm will permeate to all sectors like Ekiti people are currently groaning under hardship under the reign of terror as typified by Governor Fayose”, he added.
Faparusi contended that Governor Fayose, as a leader of the PDP was supposed to play opposition role, but added that such should be done with dignity and candour and not for personal gains as being allegedly done in this wise.
“Governor Fayose is a man that loathed development of institution and party structure with passion. Rather than fortifying the PDP to be able to play opposition role, he decided to hijack their roles and subsumed them to the extent that the state PDP under Barrister Gboyega guntuase and Jackson Adebayo as Publicity Secretary was a shadow of itself.
“I want to plead with Nigerians to ignore Fayose’s ranting and perceive him as being grossly infantile and callow to be a governor under an ideal society except in a degenerated society like Nigeria”, he added.
