The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, on Monday, said the 10-year ban on him from holding political office was a joke taken too far.
Fayemi was banned by the Ekiti State government from holding public office for 10 years.
The ban was based on the outcome of the findings by the judicial commission of inquiry, which indicted Fayemi of involvement in alleged mismanagement of the fund of Ekiti State when he was a governor between 2010 and 2014.
The panel of enquiry was set up by Fayemi’s successor, Ayodele Fayose.
Also banned for 10 years is Dapo Kolawole, who was Commissioner for Finance in Ekiti State under the government of Fayemi.
But in a swift reaction, Fayemi described the probe as a discredited one which decision could not stand.
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The reaction of Fayemi is contained in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Yinka Oyebode.
According to Fayemi, the White Paper was “a pre-meditated verdict that cannot stand.’’
According to him, it was not within the constitutional powers of Fayose to ban him from holding political office.
The statement reads in part:
“While we believe it is part of the responsibilities of the state administration to look into the finances of the state at any point in time, we are also of the belief that such must be done in a very responsible manner devoid of prejudice, witch-hunting and a calculated attempt to victimise a citizen.
“In this particular case, the entire process is discredited right from the beginning, as the only agenda of the panel was to rubbish Fayemi’s public service record.
“One is therefore not surprised at the recommendations of the White Paper, it only goes to confirm our initial position that the panel was compromised right from inception and targeted against the former governor.
“In his desperation, Fayose chose the crude and ignoble path towards hitting a perceived political foe.’’
The statement reads further: “In the process, they ignored the rule of law and behaved as if the court does not matter, thus making their actions subjudiced to the court.
“Fayose was misguided into believing that he could pass a death sentence on Fayemi’s public service with the white paper, this is not only laughable, but ridiculous, as neither him nor his paid agents have the power to bar anyone from political participation.
“The entire process and the character personae involved are discredited and since it is impossible to build something on nothing, legally speaking, their recommendation is not only null and void, it is a joke taken too far.
“We urge the teeming supporters of the minister, the good people of Ekiti State and the general public not to be disturbed by the development, it is simply another act of illegality, from an administration that has elevated political debauchery to state craft.”
