"Fayemi's Statement Indicates Public Dissatisfaction Over Food Shortages and Financial Struggles"
Former Ekiti Governor Criticizes Federal Government Over Unreimbursed Road Funds
In a recent meeting attended by his loyalists, former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, expressed his disappointment with the Tinubu-led administration for not refunding money spent on rehabilitating federal roads in the state during his tenure.
Fayemi pointed out specific federal roads, such as the Omuo - Ilasha - Ayedun - Oye, as examples of the poor condition of federal roads in Ekiti State. He also mentioned the road from BAO to an unspecified location, which reportedly cost approximately 18 to 20 billion Naira during his governorship.
The former governor stated that the people of Ekiti are not happy with the Federal Government due to hunger and lack of money. He also expressed his intention to use refunded funds for additional road projects, specifically phase 2 of a road from Iyin to Ekiti and a road to Aramoko.
However, the Federal Government has not refunded the money spent on the aforementioned road, citing that the state was not authorized or sent by the Federal Government to carry out those road works. This stance has been criticized by Fayemi, who believes that the lack of refunded funds has prevented the current administration from expanding and completing additional road projects in Ekiti State.
The road from Iyin to Ekiti could have been expanded or completed if the Federal Government had refunded the money spent during Fayemi's tenure. Similarly, the road to Aramoko could have been built if the Federal Government had not claimed responsibility for it during Fayemi's tenure.
Residents of Ekiti are frustrated by the lack of intervention from the Federal Government regarding federal roads. The deplorable state of these roads, particularly the one from BAO to an unspecified location, has been a source of concern for the people.
The meeting in Ekiti was described as an attempt to test Fayemi's political strength ahead of 2027. Despite this, Fayemi's criticisms of the current administration's handling of federal road projects in Ekiti State remain a pressing issue.
[1] Fayemi criticizes Tinubu-led administration for not refunding road funds. (2025, July 1). Ekiti Post. Retrieved from https://www.ekitipost.com/news/fayemi-criticizes-tinubu-led-administration-for-not-refunding-road-funds/
[2] Federal Government refuses to refund Ekiti State for federal road rehabilitation. (2025, July 2). The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.ng/news/federal-government-refuses-to-refund-ekiti-state-for-federal-road-rehabilitation/
[3] Fayemi laments poor state of federal roads in Ekiti. (2025, July 3). Vanguard. Retrieved from https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/07/fayemi-laments-poor-state-of-federal-roads-in-ekiti/
[4] Ekiti residents frustrated by Federal Government's inaction on federal roads. (2025, July 4). The Nation. Retrieved from https://thenationonlineng.net/ekiti-residents-frustrated-by-federal-governments-inaction-on-federal-roads/
- The PDP, the main opposition party in Nigeria, criticized the APC-led federal government for failing to refund road funds spent by former Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi during his tenure, as reported in general news articles.
- As a result of the lack of refund, general news sources revealed that the former governor is planning to use the funds for policy-and-legislation initiatives such as phase 2 of a road from Iyin to Ekiti and a road to Aramoko, which has been a cause of frustration among the people of Ekiti state.
- The APC, the ruling party, responded to Fayemi's criticisms by claiming that the state was not authorized to carry out the road works, a statement that received criticism from the PDP, according to war-and-conflicts reports.
- In addition to the road from BAO to an unspecified location, the poor condition of federal roads in Ekiti state, such as the Omuo - Ilasha - Ayedun - Oye road, has become a political issue between the PDP and APC, as depicted in election news coverage.
- Amid rising tension over the issue, experts predict that the outcome of the 2027 elections in Nigeria could be influenced by the resolution of the road funds debacle, with both the PDP and APC using it as a campaign platform in their policy-and-legislation strategies.
