What is the relationship between members of Ekiti State House of Assembly and the executive?

As far as I am concerned, we have spent three years and four months and so far so good, the relationship among the three arms of government has been very cordial. We have a very cordial relationship with the executive and judiciary. Governor Kayode Fayemi has been a father to the House. He has provided all the things we need to work. He was instrumental to the legislators attending many capacity building workshops within and outside the country. He is very passionate about the development of the state. So we have no choice but to be on the same page with him so that we can move the state forward. When we are doing that, people think that we are a rubber stamp house. If the House has been a rubber stamp house and we have achieved what we have achieved, I don’t have apology for anybody for that. Because in a situation where the legislature and the executive are always at loggerheads, there will not be development in that state. Our relationship with the executive has brought tremendous development in the state. So in all ramifications, we are happy to be a rubber stamp house in the state. We are in a boat of development and success. We are very happy about that.

What kind of relationship do we expect between the APC-controlled state Assembly and PDP-controlled executive?

Well, as far as I am concerned, we don’t expect the relationship to change. The relationship we have with Fayemi is the same thing that we are expecting to have with Fayose, but he must rule with the fear of God. He must rule according to the rule of law. He must pursue all the developmental projects this government embarked on and to cap it all, he must respect the individual. The masses must be respected. If he is ready to do that, the House will work with him harmoniously irrespective of party affiliation. What we are particular about is the development of Ekiti State and if he is pursuing that, we have no choice than to partner with him to develop our state and move it forward. We are regarded as Fountain of Knowledge. I read in a paper where somebody said, Ekiti is fountain of anarchy. I don’t think we deserve such comment. We are peace-loving people. For the past four years the state has been adjudged the most peaceful state in Nigeria.

What are the other expectations from the new government?

The other expectations from the new government include finishing the projects that Fayemi started but could not finish. When Fayemi came on board he met some unfinished projects which he never abandoned. He went ahead and completed everything. Adejuyigbe Hospital and Ado-Iworoko Road were started by Segun Oni, Fayemi completed them and commissioned them. These are some of my expectations. All the projects yet to be completed should be completed. The welfare of the masses should be taken care of.

Why does Fayemi owe salary which has led to teachers and other institutions embarking on strike?

Fayemi’s fourth year will end in the next seven days. From the time he came to government, he has never owed a single month salary except this year August and September. Fayemi, in a television broadcast recently explained to workers that it is not his fault. You know our position in the allocation table. We are earning N2.4b in a month as our allocation and the salary of workers is N2.3b. What the government has been doing is that it has been having a standing arrangement with the bank. Whether the allocation comes or not, the bank pays the salary on 23rd of each month.

So when the allocation comes in, the bank will deduct what they have paid and the interest from that money. But since we lost the election in June, the governor-elect has been going to that bank threatening them not to release money to the government; even the bank themselves don’t feel comfortable releasing money to the outgoing government. So that is why it is difficult for the outgoing government to pay salary and as I am telling you, the allocation of September has not come from the Federal Government in October. Even from the federal government, we are a month behind. So how does the state government pay the money it has not collected? The governor has paid August salary to some workers and he will complete it. All workers will get August salary before Fayemi leaves, remaining that of October, which the federal government has not released to him.

Most parties in power always say that they will rule for a very long period, or they will rule for 50 years, how do you see that comment?

No political party wants to lose election. So I don’t see that comment as something bad. It is their expectation but it is left for Nigerians to know whether they have ruled well and that they should continue to rule. But some of us in this country know how the ruling party at the centre fares. We hear a lot of scandals. A country that decided to go through the back door and transfer $9.3m to another country, claiming they want to buy arms with it, it is ridiculous. We heard of almost N112bn that was used for oil subsidy without being appropriated for.