Ministerial nominee, former Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, had his back to the rope when he was asked by the Senate to respond to allegations that he left the state with huge debts and also wasted money building and furnishing the state house.
The questions were posed by the Senate chief whip, Professor Sola Adeyeye.
Fayemi, who had eloquently recounted his education and career antecedents and struggles, appeared not taken aback by the questions as he offered a rebuttal.
He described government as a continuum and that he met a debt of N30billion when he took over from Engineer Segun Oni in 2010. He also said he left a debt of N18.5 billion.
He said during his tenure, he completed Oni’s projects and embarked on his own. He also said he offset ‘substantial debts’ left by the Oni administration.
According to Fayemi, Ekiti is 35th on the revenue allocation ladder, with an average allocation of N3billion monthly, before the oil price crash and a monthly wage bill of N2.4 billion.
He said he had to raise funds from the World Bank, the EU, a lot of international organisations and the capital market to be able to take the state out of its financial limitations.
He said the results are there to show the efforts bore fruits, flaunting the tourist facility at the Ikogosi Warm Springs, roads built, schools rehabilitated and ‘most heart warming’, a social security programme for the old people in the state.
“Yes I borrowed. I did not borrow to pay salaries, but I borrowed for projects”, he said, adding that many governments all over the world borrow, including the United States, which is the most indebted government in the world.
On the Government House that he built, which his successor, Ayo Fayose said cost N3billion, Fayemi said the cost was exaggerated. He said the house cost N2.5 billion.
Ekiti, he said did not have a befitting State House and that the one he occupied was a two-bedroom. He also denied buying a bed at a cost of N50million.
“I built Government House for the people of Ekiti State. It is a legacy House. It’s the cheapest State House in Nigeria”, he said.
Fayemi’s session was the longest with the senate as it was asked questions on declining public education, foreign policy, poverty and security in Nigeria.
After him came Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Chief Audu Ogbeh.
The screening continues.