Politics
Fayemi Signs N100.7bn 2022 Budget Into Law
Governor Kayode Fayemi on Friday signed the Ekiti State 2022 Appropriation Bill of N100.7 billion into law, promising to consolidate on the gains of the last three years of his administration
While signing bill tagged: “Budget of Legacy and Consolidation” in Ado-Ekiti, Fayemi said it had a percentage ratio of 60:40 recurrent to capital expenditure.
He said it was designed to achieve the goals of handing over an enduring legacy to the incoming administration.
“It has been designed to ensure we complete most, if not all, of our capital projects, while also ensuring the day-to-day operations of government continue to run smoothly.
“The budget will ensure we complete the projects, including the Ekiti Passenger-Cargo Airport, the Ado-Iworoko section of the Ado-Ifaki Road, renovation of township roads, and finally commence our construction of farms roads across the state.
“It will also ensure we continue to construct and renovate schools, while also providing learning materials for students.
“Also, it will ensure we complete the construction and equipping of our Intensive Care Unit at EKSUTH, as well as various ongoing projects in many of our secondary and primary care hospitals.
“We will continue to focus on the environment, by completing our erosion and watershed management project.
He added that “It will also help in consolidating on our gains in agriculture by investing in more Public-Private Partnerships, to deepen commercial agriculture across the State”.
The governor said his administration would also leverage the budget to lay a solid foundation for long terms transformative projects like the Ekiti Knowledge Zone and the Special Agriculture Processing Zone.
According to him, these two projects will eventually deliver large scale opportunities to thousands of young people.
He said it would give them an opportunity to develop exciting careers without having to migrate from Ekiti.
Fayemi said his administration considered it as a mark of responsibility to build on work done by previous governments and also bequeath a legacy for those coming afterwards.
“This budget has been prepared not just to consolidate on the work we have done in the last three years, but with one eye on the future, to ensure our successor government has a clear blueprint of development to follow, with the minimal burden of unfinished projects.
“We are not just keen to finish well, we are even more focused on providing a launchpad for a worthy successor government to lift Ekiti into a period of sustained prosperity,” he said.
The governor said the administration had been able to restore the Ekiti values, and set the state on the path of sustainable growth.
He said the budgets in the last three years had been tailored and aligned with the government’s five-point agenda.
Fayemi said that the administration had utilised the budgets as instruments to deliver on development objectives.
“Budgets, as you know, are important instruments in delivering on the priorities of the government.
“I am pleased to report today that our five main road projects have all been delivered and inaugurated, with the most recent inauguration of the Ado-Iyin Road, earlier in the week.
“These roads reduce the travel time within the state and improve the productivity of our people.
“I am sure over time, we will see the benefits of improving our infrastructure stock with an increase in commercial activities within Ekiti.
“We have also delivered on our plans to renovate and equip our schools and hospitals in fulfilment of our promise to prioritise human capital development.
“Also, even with the challenging fiscal environment, we continue to fulfil our promises to our workers, and only recently defrayed some of the outstanding obligations owed by our predecessors in office.
“This and the constant investment in our people by completing a number of secretariat blocks and office buildings, show our dedication to our engine room of governance, the civil service,” he said.
The Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum expressed his profound gratitude to members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, especially the Speaker, Funminiyi Afuye, for passing the 2022 Appropriation Bill in record time.
“I appreciate the commitment of the members of the Fiscal Coordinating Agencies in driving our annual budget preparation and execution.
“In particular, I commend the Honourable Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning and his team in the Ministry for their dedication, hard work and commitment in the preparation of the 2022 draft estimates,” he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
The commission announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
According to INEC, the decision followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the dedicated online portal.
“The submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the commission said.
In a a related development, INEC announced the suspension of PVC collection in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The commission said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards would have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
The electoral body explained that the deadline was necessary to enable it compile data on downloaded PVCs and produce final statistics on the total number of cards collected ahead of the election.
INEC said PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level and ran from August 1 to 7.
The commission also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of cards during attacks on the two collection centres.
It stressed that the stolen cards could not be used to vote.
INEC reassured Osun residents of its preparedness for the August 15 governorship election.
“The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
“INEC reassures the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August, 2026,” the statement said.
The commission said the deadline, initially set for Saturday, 8 August, has been extended to Tuesday, 11 August 2026, following appeals from political parties for more time.
INEC also announced that the window for voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to download their replacement cards will close at midnight on Sunday, 9 August.
The move is to enable the commission compile final PVC collection figures ahead of the 15 August Osun governorship election.
INEC said replacement downloadable PVCs have also been provided to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas after hoodlums carted away cards from two collection centres, stressing that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
The commission reaffirmed its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in Osun State.
Gov. Kefas made the remarks over the weekend at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, during the flag-off of the second phase of the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach in Taraba State, organised as part of activities marking Prof. Yilwatda’s 58th birthday.
The governor commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing to mark his birthday by providing medical care to people in need.
“What Professor Nentawe did is a powerful demonstration of what leadership should be,” Gov. Kefas said.
He assured that his administration would continue to support initiatives that complement government efforts to improve healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of residents.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Yilwatda called on Nigerian leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to touch the lives of the less privileged.
He said his decision to celebrate his 58th birthday in Taraba State was deliberate and informed by the needs of underserved communities, particularly people who face difficulties accessing healthcare because of distance and financial constraints.
According to him, the intervention followed a needs assessment and was extended across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said the exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital and covered the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
Prof. Yilwatda said the intervention provided medical services to thousands of beneficiaries, including people who required surgical procedures.
He said sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions placed Nigerians at the centre of development.
“Leadership is about service,” he said, urging political and public leaders to make giving back to society an important part of their responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving Nigeria and its people, saying his personal vision was to make every day of his life useful to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
The Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bordiya Buma, commended the initiative, saying it was consistent with the Renewed Hope agenda and efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
Dr Buma said the second phase followed the successful completion of the first phase, which was conducted simultaneously in six local government areas, with two LGAs selected from each of the three senatorial districts.
According to him, more than 10,000 patients were attended to during the first phase, including people with medical and surgical conditions.
He disclosed that 327 general surgeries, 71 eye surgeries and 575 dental procedures were carried out during the exercise.
The commissioner expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach and thanked Prof. Yilwatda for supporting the initiative and choosing Taraba State as a beneficiary.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing Taraba State to mark his 58th birthday through a medical outreach.
Prof. Pate said making healthcare the centrepiece of the birthday celebration was significant because health affects everyone.
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