By ADEWUMI ADEMIJU, Ado Ekiti
The Ekiti State House of Assembly has imposed a fine of N1 million on the former Governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, currently Minister of Mines and Steel Development, for his failure to answer three summons served on him by the state legislature. This is a ridiculous twist from the crisis between the former governor and the incumbent Governor Ayodele Fayose.
The fine was part of the resolutions reached by the lawmakers at their plenary on Tuesday in Ado Ekiti.
At the Plenary Session, the Ekiti State House of Assembly passed the following resolutions:
1. That a reminder letter be written to the Nigerian Police through the IGP to effect the warrant issued by this Honorable House and arrest Dr. Kayode Fayemi with immediate effect.
2. That the sum of N1 million, being the cost incurred by this House during the activities surrounding his invitations, be imposed on Dr. Kayode Fayemi as a fine to serve as deterrent to future heady elements and bullies of democracy.
It is public knowledge that this honorable House invited the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, at three consecutive times, spanning a period of one year as follows:
The first invitation was sent on March 10th 2016; Second invitation was sent on November 29th 2016; and the third Invitation was sent on February 2nd 2017.
Rather than attend to these invitations by the EKHA as empowered by Section 129, 1c, of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and come to the Assembly to explain himself on allegations of corruption and abuse of office levied against him by the executive arm of Government, Dr. Fayemi choose to play to the gallery.
Section 129, 1c, of the constitution of the FRN granted the State House of Assembly express powers to invite anybody for information and clarification, especially, on matters of evidence.
“This same constitution, bearing in mind some heady elements and bullies of democracy, also empowered this House under Section 129,1d, to issue warrant to compel the attendance of such lawbreakers,” the lawmakers observed.
“This, we have done, and Dr. Fayemi was officially declared wanted on February 7th 2017 and the Police were adequately communicated through the IGP to effect his arrest forthwith,” they said.
The lawmakers regretted that, “up till this moment, the Police have failed to carry out their constitutional duties as provided by the 1999 constitution of the FRN.
“Going from the above, this House, today, officially declare the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as a law breaker and in exercising its powers under Section 129,1d, of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, hereby, impose a fine of N1 million against Dr. Fayemi and payable to the EKHA.”
The lawmakers remarked that, Section 129, 1d, provides that “… order him to pay all cost which may have been occasioned in compelling his attendance or by reason of his failure, refusal or neglect to obey the summons and also to impose such fine as may be prescribed for any such failure, refusal or neglect, and any fine so imposed shall be recoverable in the same manner as a fine imposed by a court of law.”
They, therefore, declared: “As it stands today, Dr. Fayemi is a wanted man in Nigeria, he has also been declared as a law breaker by the EKHA, by disobeying the constitution of the land and fine of a sum of N1 million as allowed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We wish to reiterate our commitment to democratic tenets and the rule of law and we will do everything possible to ensure accountability in Ekiti State.”
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