The Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, on Thursday, warned local government officials not to drop his name to perpetrate illegality.
He said the advice was necessary as “sometime around December 2023, I learned local government officials in each of the councils deducted N1m out of the money approved for Christmas celebration and claimed they wanted to give it to me.”
“I didn’t ask anybody to deduct any money for me,” the governor said.
“This might be true and it might not be true. If it was true, I didn’t get any money. Let me be clear I didn’t ask anybody to bring any money to me. And I didn’t collect any money. Henceforth, when you hear something of this nature, quickly contact me.
“Nobody should use my name for any fraudulent thing. I have made a covenant with God to be transparent; such will not happen under me. I am not going to touch your money, but I won’t allow you to spend it recklessly,” Oyebanji said.
The governor spoke in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, while flagging off a three-day retreat for the council chairmen and other top functionaries across the 38 local government areas and local council development areas in the state.
The retreat was organised by the state’s Ministry of Local Government Affairs.
Punch / Arafat Ayofe
