The flamboyancy of Governor Fayose

Sir: Ekiti State epitomises bad leadership and crisis that bedevil Nigeria, generally speaking. The people became fed-up with Ifakayode Ifayemi, surreptitiously imposed on them by Tinubu. Like in all such states in the southwest, Ifayemi was heartlessly demolishing people’s houses and shops, ostensibly to expand roads in city centres, and bribing Christian and Muslim clerics, chief justices, et al, with festival gifts and pilgrimage sponsorships, while unable to pay workers.

At the appointed time, Ekiti State voted out Ifayemi (of the All Progressives Congress) and installed Ayodele Ifayose (of the Peoples Democratic Party), once deposed as the governor, based on excessive flamboyance. Why did the people vote for somebody once deposed in the past? It was because he started talking great and vociferous against the disaster, which Ifayemi constituted, and Nigeria, nay Africa, lacks good leaders, generally speaking.

Ironically, the workers who rallied in support of Ifayose against Ifayemi are now rallying to, if possible, oust him, for the same offence: non-payment of salary. Upon becoming the Governor, Ifayose started talking great and highly critical of the President, Muhammadu Buhari. But, is he better than PMB and other Nigerian miss-rulers? That is the question. Ifayose opened his mouth and said that he inherited heavy debts from his predecessor. But if so, where did he get the money for the rams he bought for Muslim clerics during their festival, and other festival gifts for Christian and Muslim clerics?

PMB was also saying, falsely, that he inherited “empty treasury” from the former President Goodluck Jonathan. Where did he get the dollars he sold cheaply to Muslims who went to end the Ramadan in Saudi Arabia in 2015, while importers of essential commodities complained of lack of foreign exchange. The bottom-line is that Ifayose’s pot should stop calling the kettle black. PMB and himself, as well as other Nigerian miss-rulers should repent and focus on welfare of ordinary Nigerians, rather than Christian and Muslim clerics who feed fat from milking the people, without paying tax.

• Oyeniran Abioje,
University of Ilorin.