GROUPS BERATE FAYEMI OVER SALE OF IKUN DAIRY COWS
For ordering the sale of the remaining cows at the Ikun Dairy Farm, Ikun-Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State, the State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has been warned of the implications of the hasty decisions he has been taking since he assumed office.
Rising from its emergency meeting in Ado-Ekiti today, a coalition of Non Governmental Organisations in Ekiti State, the Movement for Peace and Good Governance in Ekiti State (MOPEGO) said there was no how Fayemi or anyone could justify the sale of the cows.
The groups, comprising of the Ekiti Justice Group (EJG), Ekiti Justice and Equity Movement (EJEM), Ekiti Patriots (EP) and other groups, in a statement jointly signed by the its Protem Chairman, Comrade Kunle Ologunodo, Secretary, Comrade Ebenezer Olaleye and Director of Communications and Strategy, Gbenga Babawibe also described the reported invitation of former Governor of the State, Chief Olusegun Oni on the Ikun Dairy issue by the Fayemi-led government as self-serving, ridiculous and a show of political idiocy and intolerance.
It said; “No one is saying inquiries should not be carried out on what we did while in government but inviting a former governor over missing cows is to say the least idiocy!
“If we may ask, have they invited the manager of the farm and the workers? Have they found out that the cows were butchered and eaten by Oni and his children? And above all, what is the level of competence of the Ranti Adebisi-led committee in investigating highly technical matter like the Ikun Dairy issue?”
Describing Fayemi's order that all the remaining cows at the farm be sold as a show of administrative incompetence on the part of the ACN government, MOPEGO said; “If all that Fayemi, who has made Ekiti people to believe that he had the magic wand to turn stone to gold could do to salvage Ikun Dairy farm was to sell the remaining cows, then we are in trouble in Ekiti state.
“What Fayemi has simply exhibited was admittance of failure. He has just told us that if tomorrow, there is a problem in the State owned University of Ado-Ekiti , he will simply order that the school be sold? Or as a father, if he returns to his house and discover that his children were not well taking care of by the person under whose care he placed them, would selling the children to another father be the decision of a responsible father?
“Ikun Dairy Project was initiated 30 years ago with no step taken by successive government to make it operational except the Oni-led government. Even if there were mistakes in the handling and management of the farm, does selling the cows an antidote to the problems? And where does all these politics place the people of Ikun-Ekiti, whose hope had been raised by the efforts made by the Oni's government to resuscitate the dairy farm? And now that the cows are going to end up in the pots of Fayemi and his cronies, what is going to happen to the dairy farm?
“It has therefore become pertinent that we once again warn Governor Fayemi to stop running government based on sentiments and political vendetta. He should make the collective interest of Ekiti people his priority not how best he can humiliate his predecessor, Chief Segun Oni, whose achievements he must labour very hard to surpass.”