Fayose Exposes Speaker, Wife, 25 Others’ Plan To Embark On Foreign Trip Despite Hardship 

… PDP Chieftain Kicks 

… As Speaker, Spokesperson Says Trip Self – Sponsored 

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By Joseph Sunday 

Isaac Fayose, the younger brother of the former Governor of Ekiti State has exposed the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Stephen Aribasoye; Wife, Mrs Aribasoye Adenike Modupe and 25 other members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly over their plan to embark on foreign trip to Canada for a meet and greet visit / leadership retreat despite the current economy hardship confronting the people of the State. 

Fayose revealed the information on  Wednesday through his Facebook wall, condemning the decision of the Ekiti State Assembly members for been insensitive to the plights of the Ekiti people.

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In the same vein, a press statement signed by the media aide of a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  Otunba Peter Obafemi, also kicked against planned retreat / foreign trip to Canada amidst the economic crisis in the State and described it as an unneeded adventure and misplacement of priorities. 

Obafemi also described the move to embark on such trip as not only disappointing but also insensitive. Arguing further, Obafemi queried the Ekiti Assembly why they would at a time when the people of the State are grappling with harsh economic realities, stagnant wages and high living costs, decided to conceive such an idea.

“The former governorship aspirant also questioned why the state’s 2024 budget allocates over 3 billion naira for foreign trips, while there has been little to show in terms of capital inflow or investments resulting from these extravagant expenditures”. 

Meanwhile, reacting to the development, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs for the Seventh Ekiti State House of Assembly, Honourable Babatunde Oke through a WhatsApp call, stated that “I can’t deceive you, unofficially, members are not happy with what is going on, everyone you see on the lists, huzzled for their own money themselves. It’s a self – sponsored programme. I you look at the lists, you will see that my name is not there. This is because I don’t have money for the trip. It is only those who have money that will embark on the journey. It is not a government sponsored programme at all. The government has no contributions for the trip. 

Continuing, he said, “it must have been the Association they are going to visit in Canada that leaked the information, prompting people to be playing politics with it. 

Explaining further, Honourable Babatunde Oke said, “ordinarily, the House of Assembly members are entitled to at least one foreign trip every year. Provisions are made for such int he budget yearly but because of the situation of things, did not allow it to be implemented in the State. 

He reminded how the sixth Assembly embarked on foreign trips to South Korea and South Africa in their own time. Also, he pointed out that, about six of them who went to USA earlier this year, did so on their own. He revealed that he borrowed money from the Assembly to embark on the US trip. 

He however assured that an official statement from the Ekiti State House of Assembly on the matter will soon be out. 

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In an additional reaction by the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Honourable Adeoye Aribasoye Stephen, through his Special Adviser on Media, Babajide Agebeyo, maintained that the foreign trip is self – sponsored by the members of the 7th Assembly.

The Speaker in a statement said the foreign trip, reflective of commitment to  professional development and effective governance, was optional for those who can finance their journey adding that it would be for value addition. 

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