The Ekiti State House of Assembly has reiterated that the immediate-past governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, remains a wanted person.
The Assembly said it had, in the last one year, summoned Fayemi according to the dictates of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Reacting to a suit filed by Fayemi, demanding for N500 million damages from the Assembly, Chairman, Committee on Information, Youth and Sports Development, Samuel Omotoso, yesterday, maintained “that the former governor’s antics were efforts in futility.”
Omotoso said: “The attention of the Ekiti State House of Assembly has been drawn to some newspaper publications where the wanted Minister of Solid Minerals, John Kayode Fayemi, claimed that he had sued the House for N500 million for issuing a warrant of arrest against him, due to his failure to appear before the Assembly on three consecutive invitations spanning a year period.
“As a former governor and a serving minister, one would have expected him to be abreast of due process, especially as it relates to service of court processes which, is at the instance of the bailiffs. Rather than communicating with the Assembly through any court process (if any), or through the appropriate channels, Kayode Fayemi prefers the comical way of media blitz and sensationalism.”
The House noted further that its members’ resolution over the mismanagement of State Universal Education management Board (SUBEB) funds crisis was carried out according to all laid-down provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
He said: “All lovers of democracy who believe in the rule of law know that in carrying out one of its oversight functions of accountability, the Ekiti State House of Assembly, as well as the National Assembly, have powers under the Constitution to invite anybody, anywhere in Nigeria to appear before it as long as he/she is relevant to the issues under purview.
“The same 1999 Constitution, while taking cognizance of some heady elements, also empowered the legislature, under section 129 (d) to issue warrant of arrest to force such lawbreakers to appear before it for questioning and clarifications.
