Why appointees, friends, government officials shunned Fayose’s dinner

A dinner organised on Friday night by the outgoing Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose was boycotted by the guests, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

The dinner was put together by the Governor as a way to round off his tenure in office but was shunned by the anticipated guests consisting of party faithful, friends and political appointees.

Fayose’s Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, however, insisted that the dinner was not boycotted.

Adelusi said, “The dinner was not boycotted. The committee in charge of the end-of-tenure programme of activities sent out messages on Thursday cancelling the dinner.

“The information did not circulate round because the Ekiti Radio Station, which was supposed to help disseminate the information effectively, is still closed down by the National Broadcasting Commission.

“It was those who did not get the information that came.”

However, NAN reports that 20 per cent of the expected guests for the dinner, which ought to have started at 7pm, did not show up.

According to the report, only journalists, armed security men, protocol officers and band members of a musical were present as of 11pm.

Among the absentees at the dinner were members of the state House of Assembly and political appointees of the governor, commissioners and permanent secretaries.

The development resulted to the wastage of food and drinks meant for the guests.

A Government House source told NAN that many of those invited were unhappy with the departing governor for various reasons.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that aside from the governor, who paid himself and his deputy lump sums as severance packages, including vehicles, none of the appointees was paid a dime.

He said besides, all the 16 Local Government Chairmen were battling to save their jobs in court.