God will pick my successor, says Fayose, raises panel to probe partisan teachers

• CCT beneficiaries in Ekiti receive their N5, 000 stipends
• Lawyer urges INEC to release lawmakers’ certificates

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has explained that he would wait on God’s direction before picking his successor in 2018. He made the disclosure yesterday at Ikere-Ekiti when he inaugurated the last phase of the town’s road dualisation projects.

The governor made the clarification in response to the people’s request that the next governor should come from the town. He explained: “With God all things are possible, since you are legitimately qualified like any other town to produce the governor. As a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I must create a level-playing ground for all the aspirants, but God is the one who puts people in positions of authority.

“We still have more than one year before the next election. However, by October when we would be three years in office, the coast would have become clearer.”
Fayose also inaugurated a five-man special committee to probe the alleged involvement of public school teachers in partisan politics. The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Jide Egunjobi, did the inauguration in Ado Ekiti.

He said civil servants and teachers had been warned on several occasions to desist from politics. Mr. Deji Odutola heads the committee, which was given seven days to submit its report. Other members are Mr. Akin Olowojebutu, Samuel Daramola, Adebayo Babalola and Mrs. Eunice Oladimeji

Meanwhile, beneficiaries of the Federal Government Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) have started to receive their N5, 000 stipends.The Guardian learnt that over 200 of the beneficiaries were paid on Wednesday at the Access Bank’s branch at Secretariat Road, Ado Ekiti. Some of the beneficiaries said the payment started in December 2016.

The branch manger, Mr. Emmanuel Ujaddughe confirmed the payment. The state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, in charge of intervention programmes, Mr. Olugbenga Olajide, also confirmed that the beneficiaries have been receiving their stipends.

Also, a human rights activist, Morakinyo Ogele, has requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release to him, the certified true copies of all educational qualifications submitted by the lawmakers before the last general elections.

Ogele said that the non-performance of the lawmakers informed his decision. He said he would file a court action against the commission if the documents were not released within seven days.