Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State, has cautioned Local Government (LG) officials not use his name to perpetrate illegality.
Oyebanji said this in Ado Ekiti, while flagging off a three-day retreat for the council chairmen and other top functionaries across the 38 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in the State on Thursday.
The retreat was organised by the state’s Ministry of Local Government Affairs.
His words: “Sometime around December 2023, I learned local government officials in each of the councils deducted N1m out of the money approved for Christmas celebration and claimed they wanted to give it to me.
“I didn’t ask anybody to deduct any money for me.
“This might be true and it might not be true. If it was true, I didn’t get any money. Let me be clear I didn’t ask anybody to bring any money to me. And I didn’t collect any money. Henceforth, when you hear something of this nature, quickly contact me.”
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“Nobody should use my name for any fraudulent thing. I have made a covenant with God to be transparent; such will not happen under me. I am not going to touch your money, but I won’t allow you to spend it recklessly,” Oyebanji added.
The Governor further warned that whoever is caught would face the full weight of the law.
He assured the newly inaugurated officials that his administration would not divert nor touch allocations accruing to them from the federation accounts.
Oyebanji urged the council chairmen to be participatory, by consulting widely with all the communities to execute projects that would be in their interest and have a direct impact on the masses.
“Let me state here today that opportunities come with responsibilities. Those who elected you did that for a purpose. The question you should ask yourselves is, ‘How do I make a difference in the lives of the people?’ Ask yourselves, ‘How will I be remembered after this office?’ Three years is short and will soon come to an end. Will people still welcome you home or ignore you? The choice is yours,” the governor said.
