The new Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, yesterday at his inauguration openly mocked All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, boasting that he had successfully pulled down what he described as the house of falsehood built by the former Lagos State Governor and sent his lackeys back to Lagos.

“You have helped me to successfully sack them and send their agendas to their masters in Lagos,” he told the teeming crowd that turned up for his inauguration as the fourth Executive Governor of the state.

The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, administered the oath of office on the governor alongside his Deputy, Dr. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka.

Fayose had in his characteristic manner caused a stir at the inauguration ceremony as he rode on a 1965 Model Mercedes Benz 200 to Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, venue of the event.

The symbolic event ended anxiety and speculations concerning the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain’s fate after his victory in the June 21 Governorship Election.

Fayose in his speech also sought the understanding of the people of the state to be able to surmount the challenges posed by the huge debt profile left by immediate past administration, saying the state is indebted to the tune of N57 billion .

Fayose also promised Free Education Policy up to secondary school, while the tuition fees payable by the state higher institutions would be reviewed.

He said: “My heart bleeds today as I report to you that our state had been plunged into heavy debt dungeon of over N57 billion by our own brothers and sisters.

“Today, our state has been committed financially up and till year 2020, even beyond my own administration. The proportionate benefits of this huge debt profile to our people remain to be seen or felt by the ordinary man and woman in our state.

“I consider it expedient that this parlous position of our finances be known to members of the public who gave us the mandate to be here. This situation is a challenge that requires our collective efforts and creative devices to resolve.

“My consolation and hope is in our astute human resource capacity and creativity to pull our state out of the palpable quagmire,” Fayose declared.

He made it clear that he would only work on the basis of 16 local government areas in the state, saying although the matter of the creation of 19 local government areas in the state after the governorship election was in court, he would stick to the 16 councils recognised by the constitution.

He described the creation of 19 LCDAs in the state as “sudden and shoddy balkanisation of the existing 16 local government areas by the immediate past administration under the guise of creating local council development areas.”

Fayose said: “Our party considers the hurried creation of 19 LCDAs, after the incumbent lost the June 21 election, as a gratuitous after-thought of a bad loser.”

He announced that he would focus on six key areas namely: empowerment of the people, development of agriculture, infrastructural development, education, science and technology, health and security, and also announced that there would be free education from primary to secondary school and free health programme for pregnant women and children from ages one to five.

On the recent appointment of eight permanent secretaries by the former governor, Fayose said his administration would take “appropriate steps towards the restoration of the core values of professionalism, honesty, integrity, accountability and probity” and announced the reversal of the appointment of the permanent secretaries.

He said: “My government shall review all public service personnel issues including appointment, promotion and discipline which were hurriedly effected after the governorship election. The head of service is hereby directed to return all officers to their substantive positions as at June21, 2014.”

He decried what he described as the “last minute attempt by the opposition party to truncate the mandate which you freely entrusted to me on June 21,” saying “this has clearly confirmed the true character and direction of interest of these political desperados whose machinations is to demonise and portray me as a violent person.”

Speaking on the occasion, the national chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu, said Fayose “needs your support, he needs year prayers, he needs your support so as to be able to deliver in the office.”

He charged the new governor to work with the people and carry them along in the governance of the state.

One of the highlights of the event was the defection of some All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the Ekiti State House of Assembly to PDP.

They are Hon. Olowo Ajiboye (Oye State Constituency II), Adeloye Adeyinka (Ikole One), Hon. Abeni Olayinka (Ado II), and Fatunbi Olajide (Moba II).

Others are Hon. Olugbemi Joseph (Ikole I) and Hon. Adeojo Felix Ayodele (Ekiti South West II).

Among the numerous dignitaries at the ceremony were PDP National Secretary, Professor Olusola Oladipo; Governors Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Theodore Orji (Abia); Liyel Imoke (Cross River); Ramalan Yero (Kaduna); Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Usman Dakingari (Kebbi) and Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta).

Others are former Governors Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo); Peter Obi (Anambra); Alao Akala (Oyo); PDP governorship aspirants in Oyo, Osun and Ondo, Iyiola Omisore and Olusola Oke, respectively, and royal fathers in the state led by their chairman and the Onitaji of Itaji, Oba Adamo Babalola.

•Pieced together from reports in Daily Independent and Nigerian Tribune. Photo shows Ayo Fayose signing the relevant documents at his inauguration . . . yesterday at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti.

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