May day Fayose urges market women to raise 500naira

Supporters of Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose have stormed the various markets across the state soliciting for 500 naira as contributions for the forthcoming birthday of the No one citizen of the state.
Our correspondent observe various





Let us unite, Fayose tells SW governors
…..adopts common education, agric policies

By Ayo Olukunle
The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose has called on his fellow governors, almost all in a different political party than his, to close ranks and unite for a common Yoruba agenda, sources at the meeting told Irohinoodua.
The meeting was attended by 5 governors and the Ogun State Deputy Governor who represented Mr Ibikunle Amosu.

Part of the resolution at the meeting was for the region to map out a common agrarian and educational curriculum representing the shared history and aspirations of the Yoruba people.
It is not clear how such a technical initiative will be achieved among political leaders notorious for bickering and the lack of a unifying political figure.

He urged the governors to look beyond partisan line in the bid to unite for a minimum economic and cultural programe. Many have berated the South West governors for their inability to find a common ground like their counterparts across the country inspite of political differences.

He also berated the Federal Government for not giving enough allocation to the SW states.

Fayose spoke at the opening of quarterly meeting of the south west governor's economic meeting in Ado Ekiti, the state capital. He regretted that the only Federal government-driven project in Ekiti State is the 45 kilometre Akure – Ado Ekiti with a paltry N250 million allocation..

Fayose said "What can N250 million do on Akure – Ado road that is begging for reconstruction? There is even no guarantee that the N250 million budgetary provision will be made available at the end of the day. I am sure this is applicable to other states too compared to other zones."

Governors at the meeting were Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, Lagos; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Osun; Senator Isiaka Ajumobi, Oyo; Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo while the Ogun state governor was represented by the Deputy Governor Yetunde Onanuga.
Observers remain deeply concerned how the meeting will be sustained and if it will lead to any groundbreaking achievements.

Fayose, who lauded his guests for attending the meeting in large number, said to move the south west forward, they must respect the political beliefs and opinions of others and not do anything to undermine one another.

While lamenting the menace of herdsmen, Fayose called on the zone to adopt a common strategy to curb this menace "before we are consumed by hunger."

Fayose said "Apart from the herdsmen, there is also need for us to use our influence to secure assistance from the federal government in the area of construction of dams for irrigation as well as storage facilities. No doubt, if we must make agriculture the mainstay of our economy, as in the time of old, it must be mechanised and we must use our reach and influence to get the federal government to do the needful in the Southwest, as being done in other zones."

About time