Ekiti Debt Not N117bn, Fayose Replies Fayemi

Ekiti  debt not N117bn, Fayose replies Fayemi

Exactly 35 days to his leaving office, outgoing Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, on Sunday says his handover note is ready for the scrutiny of people making enquiries about his government.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the governor did not cooperate with the Transition Committee set up by the Governor-elect, Dr Kayode Fayemi.

Fayose snubbed the request by the committee for certain records of his tenure.

He claimed the committee is illegal.

Fayose, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, urged the governor-elect to stop spreading falsehood about him or the finances of his administration.

He described as mere fabrication, the claim that his government had accumulated a debt of N117bn as against the N18bn it inherited.

“Fayemi is already preparing excuses for his impending failure at the tribunal,” Fayose said.

Fayose insisted that the state government under him had no obligation to relate with any committee not empowered by law, stating that the governor-elect should wait for the handover note that would be given to him on October 16.

He said it was funny that the same transition committee that claimed it did not get any information from the state government estimated the state debt at N117 bn.

He reiterated that his government only received N10bn grant from the Excess Crude Account, which was released to all states for capital projects as well as Budget Support Fund released to states by the Federal Government.

“It is on record that the Ekiti State Government was indebted to the tune of N86, 013,689,097 as of October 16, 2014, that Governor Fayose took over.

“The debts are broken down as follows: bank loans; N15,831,613,425.62, Bond; N26,749,796,784.75, outstanding warrants; N15,522,552,900.76, outstanding to road contractors; N21,286,126,749, outstanding remittances to the Federal Government; N709,883,656.75, outstanding remittances (state government); N592,995,374.89 and EKSG public servants outstanding emoluments; N5,137,888,224.37,” he said.