The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership has urged the new Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to publicly declare his assets.
It called on Fayemi, who was sworn in on Tuesday, to behave like Caesar’s wife and “come to equity with clean hands by declaring all his assets and those of his deputy, publicly”.
“Aside from his pedigree that such declaration tends to preserve, it would serve as a baseline to hold other office holders by and this could be better appreciated if we consider his antecedents as a prominent rights crusader and civil society advocate.
“Our position remains that the curse of leadership deficit that has afflicted the nation for so long and our resolve to roll it back would be better served if he could start on this promising note of accountability,” CACOL said in a statement by its Media Coordinator, Adegboyega Otunuga.
The centre, however, commended the governor for immediately springing into action after his swearing-in on Tuesday “by announcing a ‘free education programme’ for all pupils in the state-owned primary schools up to junior secondary school.”
“This is a laudable step, considering the fact that education is one cardinal area the people of the state has consistently prided themselves in, aside from the global benefits accruable to any government, with an educated populace,” CACOL said.
The statement quoted the centre’s Chairman, Debo Adeniran, as saying he hoped that Fayemi would balance the populist free education programme with other needs of the state with lean resources.
Also, Fayemi has been advised to learn from the mistakes of his predecessor, Ayodele Fayose, and do well for the people.
The advice was given on Thursday by the Awiye Adinni of Ekiti land, Alhaji Raheem Olowoyo, who said those in position of authority must learn that power is transient and nobody remains in office forever.
He said, “By this time last week, it was whoever Fayose wanted that would be allowed into this Government House and whoever he did not want would not be allowed in.
“But where is Fayose today? Where is Fayose today? Fayose is now a former governor, the governor that is there today will be a former governor tomorrow.
“Three days have gone out of four years and that is how the four years will be reducing gradually. People are talking about good things and bad things Fayose did in power.”