By Gbenga Ariyibi Ado Ekiti
Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayo Fayose has formally written a letter to President, Mohammadu Buhari asking to be given privilege of nominating a minister who will represent Ekiti State in the federal executive council.
In a letter he personally signed dated 31st May 2015, Fayose said his request was based on the constitutional provision that every state in the federation would have its representative in FEC.
The governor, according to the letter noted that though the PDP had produced all members of the national assembly and House of Assembly seats in the state House of Assembly, noting that if his request is granted that it would assist Buhari in running an all inclusive government.
“I shall be happy to nominate a worthy and competent professional who can always oblige your excellency and your cabinet the benefit of a second opinion in the serious business of governance”
He noted that he wrote the letter based on the declaration made by the President that he would put overall interest of the country above every others particularly political partisanship and biases.
The Governor also hinted that his letter was on the strength of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Section 147 sub (2) and (3) which therefore state as follows: (2) Any appointment to the office of the Minister of the government of the Federation shall if the nomination of any such person to such office is confirmed by the Senate, be made by the President.
(3) Any appointment under sub- section (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provision of section 15 (3) of this constitution provided that in giving effect to the provision aforesaid, the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each state who shall be indigene of such state.
He explained that this is not new to the country’s democracy, saying that late Chief Bola Ige who was the leader of the Alliance for Democracy and the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Abdukadri were made Minister and Special Adviser respectively by the PDP Government of Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007.
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