The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has expressed shock over Governor Ayodele Fayose’s media chat statement that Ekiti State workers should forget their September salary on the grounds that it was former Governor Kayode Fayemi who owed them.

The party also reacted to Fayose’s aide, Lere Olayinka, who said former Governor Fayemi lied on his claim that the debt profile of the state and projects execution during his administration had put Ekiti State ahead of its peers in the country.

The Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr.  Taiwo Olatunbosun, described Fayose’s refusal to pay workers’ salaries as wicked, and insensitive, coming from a governor to workers who are the engine room of government policy and programmes.

He said records would show Ekiti people the debts profile of Ekiti State during Fayemi’s administration, adding that the experience of Ekiti people in Fayose’s tenure during Christmas would convince the people who are a liar between the two leaders.

The party noted that since the federal allocations are paid in arrears, it was incumbent on Fayose to pay September salaries with September federal allocation that he collected in October after Fayemi had left office.

“It was Fayose as governor-elect who went to harass the banks that had overdraft arrangement with the Fayemi administration to stop granting such facilities to Fayemi even though it is the same facility Fayose is currently using to pay salaries as admitted in his media chat.

“We wish to remind Governor Fayose that even if it was Fayemi that did not pay September salary, government is a continuum and whoever assumes office inherits both assets and liabilities of that state. It is therefore a misnomer for Governor Fayose to declare on state radio and television that Ekiti workers should forget September salary,” Olatubosun said.

He added that Fayose’s declaration had confirmed speculations and   fears that he had misapplied the September salary amounting to over N1. 5 billion.

“If he paid December salary with November allocation that he received in December, what stopped him from paying September salary with September allocation that he received in October?   Why skipping September salary only to pay October salary with September’s allocation?”