The Ekiti State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has given Governor Ayodele Fayose knocks over his criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments, which the governor described as lopsided and promoting Northern agenda.
The party said rather than look in the mirror, Fayose was busy attacking the president over the appointments of his close aides.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the State Publicity Secretary of APC, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party wondered why Fayose failed to remove the speck in his eyes before removing the log in the eyes of somebody else saying, “the governor is guilty of worse insensitivity to his fellow Ekiti people in the state appointments made so far”.
The APC accused Gov. Fayose of religious bias as he has only favoured appointees from his hometown and local government area in the appointments made so far.
The opposition party alleged that treatment of Muslims in terms of appointment in the state is the worst since the state was created, saying “Muslims were not given up to one percent of the appointments made by Fayose’s administration”.
Olatunbosun said: “While Buhari’s appointments of his personal aides were based mainly on merit and conviction that they would deliver good services to lift Nigeria out of the woods, Fayose’s consideration for appointments was based on narrow selfish motives for self-preservation.
“While Buhari considered competence, merit and track records of sound morality in public conduct in the appointments of his personal aides, self-preservation is the major criterion for appointments in Fayose’s government.
“This self-preservation is anchored on prospects of the vulnerability of the appointees to manipulation and family affinity which Fayose believes he can exploit to enable him have a firm grip on the state and do whatever he wants with the fortunes of Ekiti people without restraints”.
The APC said while President Buhari viewed hard-working and honest Nigerians as having equal rights to political appointments to render their services to the nation, Fayose’s choice of appointees was based on loyalty of such appointees to serve his personal interests.
Listing instances where Fayose chose personal interest above state’s interest in appointments, Olatunbosun said: “In the twilight of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Governor Fayose chose a 73-year-old Ambassador Toye Olofintuyi from his (Fayose) Irepodun/Ifelodun local government as Ekiti State representative at the Federal Civil Service Commission against the wishes of party leaders.
“Fayose’s Chief of Staff is from the governor’s ward. His Personal Assistant, Secretary of the Local Government Education Authority and the chairman of Ekiti State Traffic Management Agency (EKSTMA) are all from Afao-Ekiti, the governor’s home town”.
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