Treating everyone equally, irrespective of political affiliation, is reflective of the One Ekiti spirit that Fayemi has pursued.- Odeyemi (PDP-Ekiti)
Former Ekiti State Acting Governor and House of Assembly Speaker Tunji Odeyemi has said that Governor Kayode Fayemi can make a difference by
promoting equity and fairness.
The former speaker other appointees of the Fayose administration recently received their outstanding entitlements from the governor.
He said: “We are most delighted for an avenue like this. I must confess that this opportunity we are having today is very uncommon,” Odeyemi said in
acknowledgment of the changed narrative in Ekiti State.
The practice especially with the immediate past administration, was to ignore the need to pay the entitlements of appointees who were not appointed by the administration. Their entitlement as it was believed turned into bad debt.
Odeyemi said: “When a new governor or government comes on board, what they usually do is to remove members of commissions and boards appointed by their predecessor not minding the laws establishing those commissions,” Odeyemi who alongside his colleagues were appointed by the immediate past administration headed by Mr. Ayodele Fayose.
Odeyemi, a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly and in that capacity Acting Governor of the State evoked an emotion that really shook
the emotions of those present on that occasion.
He added: “But you have magnanimously retained us and now paying our outstanding salaries. As far as Ekiti is concerned, from 1999 to date, the opportunity we are having like this has not been very common.
We are grateful to His Excellency for this”.
The former acting governor said Fayemi’s action was clearly devoid of personal vendetta, adding that they expected that they would be removed from office once the governor stepped into office last year.
Fayemi, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Biodun Omoleye, lauded the former political office holders for continuing to work in the interest of the
state even after the exit of the administration that brought them to office.
The beneficiaries were mainly drawn from the State Civil Service Commission and House of Assembly Service Commission.
Fayemi described their gesture in serving his administration after Fayose’s exit as a clear act of patriotism.
Such acts of treating everyone equally, irrespective of political affiliation, is reflective of the One Ekiti spirit that Fayemi has pursued since his inauguration for a second time last year.