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Ekiti State House of Assembly has suspended the chairman of Ikere local government area, Mr Femi Ayodele, for sponsoring an unauthorised 2023 presidential campaign poster of the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
The unanimous resolution was passed at Friday’s plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Funminiyi Afuye.
The poster, which has generated series of debates and controversy across the state and the country at large went viral on all social media platforms on Wednesday and had the photograph of Fayemi campaigning for the 2023 presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The poster showed Fayemi in an adorable sky blue Agbada with a blue striped famous ‘Awolowo’ cap. The message on the poster with APC logo read: “ Support His Excellency Dr John Kayode Fayemi for President 2023.”
The motion for the suspension and investigation of the alleged unauthorised campaign publication was moved by the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan and seconded by Hon. Tajudeen Akingbolu, representing Ekiti West Constituency 1.
The motion titled: ‘Calling for an investigation into the alleged unsolicited and unauthorised campaign in the media in flagrant disregard to Extant Regulations by Chairman, Ikere Local Government Area, Mr Femi Ayodele ‘ was committed to the House’s Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for investigation, while Ayodele was asked to step aside pending the outcome of the matter.
Contributing to the debate, Hon. Steven Aribasoye, representing Ikole Constituency 2 and Hon. Olajide Adegoke, representing Efon Alaaye constituency , described the action of Ayodele as an embarrassment to the Government of Ekiti State and Governor Fayemi in particular, adding that it was against the Electoral Act.
They called for appropriate sanction against Ayodele to serve as a deterrent to other “sycophantic political office holders in the state.”
The Speaker, Afuye, directed that the concerned committee should report back to the House within one week.
While speaking on the rationale for producing the poster, Ayodele had said he did the poster to show his unalloyed and uncompromising loyalty to Governor Fayemi against insinuations that he was working against him ahead of the 2023 presidential poll.
According to him, some members of the party were accusing him of rooting for the APC national leader and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for the presidential seat in 2023, saying the poster was meant to set the record straight on where he belong to on the 2023 poll.
He said the governor is fit enough for the exalted office “considering his array of outstanding credentials, administrative shrewdness and political acumen.”
Ayodele added that Fayemi’s commitment, resourcefulness and pedigree puts him in good stead to lead Nigeria in the next political dispensation, maintaining that all factors including age and experience would work in favour of Fayemi, who is the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).