The Ekiti State Government has banned Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, from holding political office in the state and other parts of the country for 10 years.

This is according to a Government White Paper released in Ado Ekiti on Monday.

The White Paper was read to journalists by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Lanre Ogunsuyi at the end of an emergency State Executive Council meeting.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the White Paper was the outcome of the report of the Justice Silas Oyewole-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry.

The state government had set up the commission to look into the financial transactions of the state under Fayemi's administration.

It was mandated to submit its report on December 13, last year.

Also banned for the same length of period along with Fayemi,was his Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Kolawole.

According to the White Paper, both Fayemi and Kolawole had been declared unfit to hold any public position in the state and any part of Nigeria.

“This is as a result of their refusal to appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry even after the determination of the case instituted by them to challenge the inauguration of the commission before the Ekiti State High Court

“For their disrespect to the constituted authority and the undignified roles they played in the whole contracts saga, which were obviously against the interest of the state they were supposed to protect, they are banned for holding public offices for 10 years.”

They were also asked to refund various sums of money running into billions, either for failed or non-executed contracts that were allegedly paid for.

When the panel submitted its reports last month, Fayemi and others, including contractors, were asked to refund billions of misappropriated money to the state government.

Specifically, Fayemi was asked to account for the whereabouts of N2.75 billion allocated from the N25 billion bond obtained by his administration.

The money was for the construction of an ultra-modern market in Ado Ekiti, which was never executed.

The commission also said that the contractor, in respect of the furnishing of the new Government House built by Fayemi, should be made to refund N324.8 million.

According to it, the furnishing contract should not have been more than N280 million.

The panel said it found out that Kitwood Nigeria Limited, to which the furnishing contract of more than N600 million was awarded, had no traceable address.

“The address on the letter of award was a virgin land opposite the new Central Bank along new Iyin Road, Ado Ekiti.”

On the purchase of vehicles, the panel said the “claim by Coscharis Motors that it supplied 235 and/or 250 vehicles was fraudulent and fraught with so many contradictions.” (NAN)

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