Ekiti 2022: Buhari's minister speaks up, denies governorship ambition

The minister of industry, trade and investment, Adeniyi Adebayo has faulted reports that he is nursing a governorship ambition in 2022.

The minister said he is not interested and urged groups dragging him to contest for the Ekiti governorship election to stop.

Adebayo who disclosed this in a statement by Julius Toba-Jegede, his special assistant on media, in Abuja on Monday, August 31, was reacting to the recent erection of billboards in some parts of Ado-Ekiti and other locations across the state by some political and pressure groups.

The groups were calling on the minister to join the gubernatorial race in view of what they described as his good leadership traits having governed the state between 1999 and 2003.

Adebayo while appreciating those groups calling on him to join the race, rejected speculations dragging him to contest in 2022.

The former governor went on to note that he would rather be focused on his current assignment as a minister where he is helping President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve his goals for all Nigerians.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the chairman of Ikere local government, Femi Ayodele, has been suspended by the Ekiti state House of Assembly over an alleged unauthorised presidential campaign poster for Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Ayodele had sponsored campaign posters canvassing for Governor Fayemi to contest as a presidential candidate under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2023.

The council chairman was suspended unanimously by the lawmakers at the Assembly’s plenary presided over by the speaker, Funminiyi Afuye, on Friday, August 21.

The decision followed a motion moved by the majority leader of the House, Gboyega Aribisogan and seconded by Tajudeen Akingbolu representing Ekiti West constituency 1.

In other news, five Ekiti state commissioners have been demoted and reassigned new portfolios as Special Advisers following a major cabinet reshuffle on Monday, August 31.

Governor Kayode Fayemi who approved the demotion also relieved the commissioner for health, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade and commissioner of environment, Gbenga Agbeyo of their appointments.