Jumbo Xmas, New Year Celebrations for Ekiti APC members as Fayemi gets N350m to buy gifts

From all indications, there will be a bumper Christmas and New Year celebrations for members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State as a whooping sum of N350 million was said to have be given to the Minister for Steel and Minerals Resources Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi to buy gifts and share in cash to members of the party and some notable traditional rulers in the State.

In preparing ground for Fayemi’s declaration to contest the 2018 governorship election, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi were said to have mobilized N350 million for him (Fayemi) to procure 10,000 bags of rice, 500 cows, 1000 rams among other gifts.

Sponsored Ads

A close aide of Fayemi was said to have boasted that “by the time we bombard Ekiti with rice and cash gifts during the Christmas and New Year, the only name you will be hearing as the preferred APC candidate will be Dr John Kayode Fayemi.”

CLICK THE LINK TO READ FULL LIST

A source quoted the aide as disclosing that rice was projected to be shared at 30 bags per ward in the 177 wards in the State excluding those in Ado and Ikere Local Councils that will get 50 bags per ward.

Sources also disclosed that 20 bags were earmarked for the Exco of the party in each of the 16 Local Councils while the State Exco will get 50 bags.

Apart from rice, N53.1 million was earmarked to be shared by each of the 177 wards at N300,000, Local Government Exco at N200,000 each while State Exco was projected to get N5 million.

To further assist Fayemi’s guber ambition, N30 million from the N350 million provided for him was earmarked for traditional rulers in the State, while all the paramount kings will also be given one cow each, grade one to three Obas will get one ram each.

Already, other aspirants are now jittery considering the financial war chest of Fayemi and his influence as a serving minister.

“If the projected distribution of these gift, including the cash is followed strictly, there is no how anyone will be able to match Fayemi in the contest for the APC governorship ticket because there is no ward where 30 bags of rice and N300,000 will be shared and they won’t make up their minds to support Fayemi,” the source quoted a chieftain of the APC, who is supporting another governorship aspirant to have lamented.