AISHA ABUBAKAR
Mr. Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti State governor has said that he will be embarking on a seven-day spiritual exercise in one of the prayer mountains.
The governor disclosed this on Tuesday while presenting a N93.4 billion Budget for 2017 tagged, “Budget of Higher Height” to the state House of Assembly in Ado Ekiti.
According to the governor, he would go to the mountain from 14 December and return on 21 December with prayer and predictions for Nigeria.
Fayose stated that almost all his predictions for 2016 had come to pass.
The governor, who was clad in a military fatigue, lamented that security challenges in the country had made things worse, adding that robbery and kidnapping had become the order of the day.
“It is quite horrifying; Nigeria is moving towards a one-party state. The disobedience against court order. It is shameful that the Federal government is sponsoring rally against court judgments. Today, the judiciary is blackmailed to submission.
“We beg the international community not to look away; Nigerians are suffering, human rights abuses are on the rise.”
On the state’s 2017 budget, Fayose said the Recurrent Expenditure is N55.02bn which is 59 percent of the budget, while Capital Expenditure is N38.42 bn or 41 percent of the estimates.
The budget is 33 percent higher than the N70.5bn presented for 2016.
The governor explained that the increment was due to the economic recession and high exchange rate of dollar.
Fayose, while appraising the 2016 Budget, said the state only recorded 89 percent performance due to unfavorable economic climate in the country, which according to him, negatively affected the state government.
He said out of proportional estimated revenue of N58.7bn for 2016, only N52.4bn was realised as actual revenue.
However, a mild drama ensued during presentation when Fayose said he was the one in charge at the State House of Assembly, asserting that the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole was only holding brief for him.
“I’m the speaker, he (Oluwawole) is on that seat on my behalf. He is the Acting Speaker; therefore he cannot be wrong. If he is wrong, we will take it to the government house and resolve it. Therefore, I will pass the budget myself,” Fayose said to a less amused lawmakers and visitors to the assembly.
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Every thing in Nigeria is spiritual, while those who profess such spiritual declaration are criminal minded people