Revealed: Real reason behind Ekiti crisis •Fayemi, gov-elect continue war of words •Moves to reconcile Fayose, Ekiti CJ begin

As the political crisis in Ekiti deepens, allegations are rife that the plan to judicially stop governor-elect, Ayodele Fayose, from taking over the reins of power, is a self-preservation battle.

A senior citizen of the state told Sunday Tribune last night that he was already making efforts to open the eyes of Governor Kayode Fayemi to the alleged agenda of those involved, which he said was purely selfish.

The elder statesman who said he never supported Fayose, disclosed that some of those behind the plot had allegedly been managing properties belonging to the state in the last four years, without allegedly remitting any money into the coffers of the state.

Though he was convinced that the state could still re-elect Fayemi after Fayose’s tenure, he disclosed that the fear of imminent probe of the handling of funds accruing from the properties was the underlying objective of the suit seeking to stop Fayose from being governor.

Days after his re-election, Fayose had said he would not probe Fayemi’s administration.

The commercialised public property were said to have been built by Fayose during his first tenure and he had expressed his disappointment with their handling in the course of Fayemi’s tenure, fuelling the suspicion that a probe might be in the offing.

It was learnt that it was almost certain that Fayose as governor would take these property from those currently managing them and a probe into their finances might follow.

Sunday Tribune has also learnt that moves have commenced to reconcile the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Daramola and Fayose for harmonious working relationship in days ahead.

An involved source revealed that both men would need to sit together and iron out differences before commencing inter-governmental relationship.

Daramola shut all courts down after he and two other judges were allegedly manhandled by Fayose’s supporters.

Those behind the reconciliation move reportedly reasoned that it was certain both men would work together and a frosty start to their working together could further deepen the crisis in the state.

The source debunked insinuations that Daramola would be a willing tool in the hands of the majority members of Ekiti House of Assembly, who are allegedly waiting in the wings to impeach Fayose at the slightest opportunity, with Daramola being expected to play along.

It was learnt that a deep-seated mistrust between Fayose and Daramola, could also end the jurist’s career prematurely.

Meanwhile, as normalcy returns to Ekiti State after the mayhem that followed the murder of a drivers’ union chief in the state, Chief Omolafe Aderiye, the state governor has said his incoming successor, Fayose, should be held responsible for the current crisis in the state.

Governor Fayemi claimed the state had “been relatively peaceful until Fayose’s attack on judges and disruption of court proceedings during the week.”

Fayemi made the allegation while assessing the level of damage done by hoodlums who burned down the state and Ado Local Government secretariats of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the residence and five vehicles belonging to the former Chairman of the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria, Mr Joseph Olambiwonu (Mentilo), and several other vehicles that were attacked in the wake of the killing on Thursday night of Aderiye, a former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

He had earlier made a broadcast to the people of the state in which he announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew and his directive to the state Attorney-General to seek the advice of the chief judge of the state on the possibility of continuing the cases involving Fayose in courts outside the state.

But Fayose said Fayemi was insensitive to the yearning and aspiration of the people of the state, saying the governor’s broadcast made to the people of the state on the political unrest in the state on Friday was, “a further demonstration of the governor’s wickedness and heartlessness.”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which reacted to the allegation, said it was “only a wicked leader that would address the state without at least mentioning the name of the National Union of Road Transport Workers leader, Chief Omolafe Aderiye, that was murdered and sympatise with his family.”

The party, in a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, said it “wondered how what happened in the state High Court premises on Monday and Thursday could be more important to Governor Fayemi than the murder of an Ekiti son.

Fayemi had lamented that some people did not care about returning “the state to its dark old days between 2003 and 2006 in their desperate bid to actualise their ambitions,” saying “the crisis was fuelled by Fayose and he should be held responsible for all that happened during this crisis, adding that “Fayose should have sought redress if there was any court pronouncement he was not satisfied with.”

But the PDP said: “Instead of showing concern for the soul already lost, Fayemi’s concern was ‘court cases’ through with which he intends to remain in power despite the fact that Ekiti people rejected him totally on June 21, 2014.”

Speaking on the directive to the Attorney-General on the cases against Fayose, PDP described Fayemi’s action as “an aberration,” saying “obviously, Fayemi has lost it all. The governor has allowed himself to be taken over by desperation to remain in power such that he could not understand that what he asked the Attorney-General to do simply amounted to interfering in the workings of the judiciary, a separate arm of government.”