Fayemi’s campaign posters: Ekiti Assembly suspends council Chairman

The Ekiti State House of Assembly on Friday directed the Chairman, Ikere Local Government, Mr Femi Ayodele, to “step aside” over alleged unauthorised viral campaign poster seeking support for Governor Kayode Fayemi’s presidential ambition.

The Assembly at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Funminiyi Afuye, said an investigation is ongoing into the act considered as “disregard for extant regulations”.

The resolution, which was unanimous, was passed at the Friday plenary sitting of the lawmakers presided over by the Speaker, Mr Funminiyi Afuye.

Ayodele, in a viral campaign poster, had solicited support for Fayemi’s presidential ambition in 2023.

But Fayemi had immediately disowned the campaign posters, saying he did not authorise it.

The motion for the suspension and investigation of the alleged unauthorised campaign posters was moved by the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, and seconded by Mr Tajudeen Akingbolu.

The motion was entitled, ‘Calling for 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’.

The House, through resolution, committed the matter to its Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for investigation and directed the committee to report to the House within one week.

The Assembly, however, directed Ayodele “to step aside pending the outcome of the matter”.

During the plenary, Mr Steven Aribasoye (APC Ikole II) and Mr Olajide Adegoke (APC Efon) called for appropriate sanctions against Ayodele.

The lawmakers also described the council chairman’s action as “embarrassment to the government of Ekiti and Governor Fayemi in particular as well as against the Electoral Act”.