Fayemi is fulfilling his campaign promises’

 

•Erinle

 

The chairman of the Ekiti State House of Assembly Committe on Public Petitions, Mr. Segun Erinle, spoke with reporters in Lagos on the relationship between the legislative and executive arms of government. Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

Has the Ekti State House of Assembly lived up to the ex-pectation of the masses?

 The legislative arm in Nigeria has just started growing and with time, we shall achieve the feat of the developed country.  The major achievement of the developed nation is experience on legislative issues.  In the USA  Congress, for example, we have people who have spent about 50 years. Also, in the UK , we have people who have spent similar years in parliament. But in Ekiti, we are very lucky to have two returning members, which equates to the point that tax payers fund spent on training all these people goes into the drain.

What do you think is the reason for this?

 The reason is not far fetched. In those countries, the perception about service differs from the way we look at it in Nigeria. Here, the general belief is that you are going to the House to make money which should not be. I believe the  motive for going into public service is to serve your people and not to make money.

As the chairman of the Public Petitions Committee, what are the challenges you are facing?

 The committee’s main challenge is that resolution passed may not be enforceable as it does not have the  effect of law. l look forward to a situation whereby our resolution can be enforced as  we take time to investigate certain matters. However, it becomes annoying, if our decisions is treated as a mere tissue paper.

In one of his interviews Mr. Segun Oni has faulted the merging of three universities into one and stated it was a bad move by Governor Kayode Fayemi. What is your reaction?

Mr Segun Oni is entitled to his opinion, but don’t forget that  Governor  Fayemi did not unilaterally did it. There was a summit on the issue and the governor only accepted the recommendation of the committee which necessitated the merging of the three universities. As for me, l supported the merger because we cannot afford three universities in Ekiti for now.

 Could you critically assess the performance of Governor Fayemi? 

 Those who know me know l am always very frank.  If Dr Kayode Fayemi is not performing, l will be the first person to say it to his face,  but l will say that past governors did their best, but their inability to increase the IGR and probably, the ways they handled the state, may not have allowed them to perform like the present governor. Let me say that, within a year, the governor has been able to increase our IGR. This  is a great achievement. People talk of roads, but the governor has not for a day campaigned on roads because he believed that roads is the duty of a good government. Let me briefly assess our road issue. Governor Fayose constructed many roads between 2003 and 2006 before his impeachment, but those roads are death trap today, which necessitated the need for Fayemi to now embark on those projects today, which ordinarily ought not to be. Five kilometres roads are being constructed in all local governments as l speak to you. Most of our hospitals have been re-constructed and the young and elderly now enjoy free medical facility. Also, there is now social security for the elderly. Headmasters and teachers can now access loans for cars and properties. The government has commenced the provision of laptops for teachers and students in all secondary schools in Ekiti. Five thousand school leavers are being prepared for jobs during the year and above all, we now have peace in Ekiti. Workers in Ekiti now get their monthly salaries latest by 25thof the month. For the first time in the history of governance in Ekiti, there is continuation of government, despite the fact that  Oni Administration was an illegal government, Dr Fayemi did not abandon any of the projects. Look at the Assembly Complex which we now occupy, it was nearly an abandoned project, but the Fayemi Administration completed it.

No governor in Ekiti has been given the opportunity for a second term. Do you think, if Dr Fayemi decides to run for a second term, he would be given the opportunity?

 Similarly, no woman have been given the opportunity to be in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, but today we have four women. No state in the federation, including the federal government, has a social security in place.  Today, we have one in Ekiti.  In the USA, nobody thinks Obama would be the President of USA because he is black. There is always a first time to everything. If Dr Kayode Fayemi decides to run for a second term, l would lead the team to campaign for him because   he has performed to  expectations and, by the grace of God,  he would win a second term in office.

Could you shed light on your legislative activities?

 l have been used by God to touch their lives within nine months of being in government. l have put in place a mechanism of watching achievements by what we do and what we fail to do. People have been empowered trading by procurement of tools for hair dressers, barbers and tailors. I have assisted in the payment of JAMB, WAEC and NECO forms for more than five hundred students. Part of school fees of most of our students in higher institutions have been paid and l have fulfilled most of my electioneering campaign.

Who are your godfathers in politics?

The Ilejemeje youths that trooped out enmasse on the  April 26, 2011, despite losing one of them to gun shot by a PDP leader in Iludun Ekiti,  a night  to the election, are my godfathers in politics. These youths want a change. They trusted me and they defied all odds to cast their votes for me and they are still with me. They are my godfathers.

 What is your advice to Governor Fayemi?

The Ekiti Project as contained in  the eight-point agenda is his idea. He should continue with its implementation and God will give him wisdom.