Ekiti APC Exco Query Non-Payment Of Allowances, Demand Probe

By Ayodele Oni

As the  countdown to the primary election to pick a flag bearer for next year’s Governorship election, there is disquiet, occasioned by an alleged diversion of funds meant for payment of monthly allowances to some leaders of the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC) in Ekiti state.

Investigation revealed that the money amounting to about N324 million, earmarked for the Party Executives from the Ward, Local Government and State levels has not been paid to them.

During his campaign in 2018, Governor Kayode Fayemi was reported to have promised members of the Executives at the Ward and Local Government levels a monthly allowance of N25 thousand each for a period of four years.

To fulfill the promise, it was learnt that ten percent is being deducted monthly from the salaries of political office holders at Local and State levels.

The deductions, according to investigation, are being lodged in a bank account with the Chairman of the party in the State, Secretary to State Government and Chief of Staff to the Governor as signatories.

However, while party executives at the State level receive their allowances regularly as, and when due, the reverse is the case for those on the Ward and Local Government levels.

During a parley he organized for the party executives during the Christmas holiday, Governor Fayemi apologized to the leaders that he was just being told that they have not been getting their monthly allowances for three years as promised.

His promise to investigate what was responsible for non payment drew negative reactions from the leaders, who resorted to grumblings while some of them walk out of the get together in protest.

Since after the ceremony, some of the affected party leaders have embarked on social media war, accusing the Governor of not telling them the truth about the matter, or trying to cover-up those in charge of the fund.

In one of their write-ups, the Party leaders stated that “Since they said APC, in Ekiti are naive, we have been pushed to ask further questions on the fund being deducted from all appointees account which seems not to have been accounted for.

“Our first question is this, Who are the major signatories to that particular account. Is it true that the Party Chairman, Ex-SSG, BAO and Chief of Staff are the signatories to the account?

“Is it true that 10% of the gross salary of all appointees are being deducted every month. Is it true that this 10% deduction from the salaries of appointees is around 9million naira every month?

“If it is nine million Naira, can we multiply it by 12 months, that is 108 million naira in a year.

“If it is 108 million Naira in a year, can we multiply it by 3 years. That is 324 million Naira that has gone into that account in the last 3years.

“Our further questions are : Can the party Chairman, CoS and SSG if truly they are signatories to this account come out open to either deny it or tell us the truth.

“Secondly, where is this money? Why are party members lavishing in poverty while funds that are meant to take care of them cannot be accounted for.

“Is it true that Ward Excos are to get 25k every month? Have they been paid? How many months have they been paid in the last 3years? These are fundamental questions begging for answers and it must not be swept under the carpet.

“Ekiti KETE urge all party members, delegates and critical stakeholders to show the so called anointed candidate this message anytime they come with their lies and cajole again.

“Ask them to provide answers before telling us what Tu face refer to  as ‘they want to tell us another story again ooo.’

It was further gathered that since the cat has been let out of bag, those linked with the management of the fund are reported to be doing everything possible to ensure that beneficiaries get paid in order not to jeopardize the chances of the annoited candidate at the party primary slated for January.