Student representatives from across tertiary institutions in Ekiti State on Monday in the State Capital, Ado-Ekiti protested what they called attempt by former Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi to render impotent, the commission of inquiry set up by Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.
It would be recalled that governor Fayose at the instance of the Ekiti State House of Assembly last week inaugurated a commission of inquiry to investigate Dr. Fayemi on allegations of fraud and diversion of public funds but the former governor who is also the Minister of Mines and Steel Development under the Buhari led administration on Thursday 1st June, 2017 approached a state High Court to restrain the commission from investigating him.
Addressing journalists during the protest rally which started from the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti, National President, Federation of Ekiti State Students' Union(FESSU), Comrade Adewumi Idowu said the students gathered to register their dissatisfaction with corrupt practices amongst public officials in Nigeria in conformity with President Muhammadu Buhari’s Anti-corruption stance.
Adewumi who opined that the fight should not be sectional or targeted only at players in a particular political party added that the fight must be extended to each states of the federation. He called on former Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi to come home and clear his name on the allegations that #2.5b flowers refused to grow during his tenure and give explanations on how #850m SUBEB funds developed wings.
"Dr. Kayode Fayemi should come home, present himself before the state commission of inquiry and clear his name of all these allegations of mismanagement if he has nothing to hide rather than seeking black market injunction from the court. Seeking Jankara injunction will not help him, acts like these will only continue to rubbish President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC", Comrade Adewumi said.
Another speaker at the rally, Arigiodo David who is the President, Students' Union Government of the Ekiti State University(EKSU) called on former governor Kayode Fayemi to face charges levelled against him instead of making moves to pervert justice through the backdoor.
The College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti Students' Union President, Ogundipe Adewale in his address said he was in support of the commission of inquiry set up by the state government adding that Dr. Kayode Fayemi has no reason to run away from his people if he's not guilty.
"Under normal circumstances, if you make a law, the moment it is made, the law becomes older than you. The law has no senior brother, everyone is equal before the law. Dr. Kayode Fayemi should be answerable for his deeds while in office, he should desist from this hide and seek game if indeed he has nothing to hide. He should come back and jawjaw with the people he ruled for 4 years", Ogundipe said.
Ekiti Axis of the National Association of Nigerian Students' JCC Chairman, Comrade Olubola Adu who spoke at the rally said former governor Fayemi will be laying a bad precedence by using his position as a minister to muscle the judiciary. "Can you imagine a situation whereby someone who signed the law establishing a commission of inquiry in 2012 to probe his predecessor(Asiwaju Segun Oni) begin to run from the same law in 2017?
"Nigerian Students are hereby calling on Dr. Kayode Fayemi to come home, defend and exonerate himself of these allegations if indeed he's clean", Olubola said.
The protest which kicked off at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium saw the students sing protest songs round Ojumose, Okeyinmi, Old Garage before dispersing by Ijigbo junction in Ado-Ekiti.
