Ministerial Appointment: Opposition mounts against FCT Minister

 
As the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) collates list of would-be Ministers in the new government of President Goodluck Jonathan, a stalwart of the party in Ekiti State has petitioned the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Haliru Mohammed on why the incumbent Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) , Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (Rtd) should not be re-appointed.

The PDP leader, Mr. Ojo Babatope, who is also the coordinator of Ekiti Restoration Group (ERG) and an indigene of Igede Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the State in a petition entitled “Why Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade should not be re-appointed minister”, dated 17th May, 2011 stated 14 reasons to support his opposition to the consideration of the minister.

The petitioner also deposed to eight paragraph affidavit in support of his averment in the High Court of Ekiti State, holden at Ado Ekiti, dated May 17,2011, maintaining that his petition was not borne out of mischief but rather in the interest of the good people of Ekiti State and the Nation.

Some of the reasons listed in Babatope's petition, a copy of which was made available to the press, are that: “Navy Captain Olubolade while in office does not make himself accessible to Ekiti indigenes; fails to facilitate the employment of Ekiti youths in Federal appointments; polarizes the Ekiti State chapter of the PDP; spends funds meant for the party irrationally; causes decampment of PDP members to the rival parties in his Ijero Local Government Area and worked against the PDP senatorial candidates in the just concluded general elections.”

Other reasons canvassed for the ineligibility of Captain Olubolade include his romance with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, irrational disbursement of campaign funds and selfish pursuit of his 2014 governorship ambition, among others.

Captain Olubolade's name is however among the 10 names sent from Ekiti State to the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Mohammed at Wadata House, Abuja for consideration for plum jobs, including ministerial.

Others on the Ekiti list are the state chairman of the party, Chief Bola Olu-Ojo, former deputy governors, Dr. Sikiru Tae Lawal and Chief (Mrs) Biodun Olujimi; Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Ambassador Dare Bejide, Hon. Tope Ademiluyi, Hon. Femi Akinyemi, Princess Titilayo Owolabi and Senator Ayo Arise.