ONDO YOUTHS CONDEMN ATTEMPT TO DEFAME HON. ABIOLA MAKINDE, SAY NO PLAN TO RECALL THE PERFORMING LAWMAKER BY HIS CONSTITUENCY
The attention of Ondo Ekimogun Youth Congress -umbrella body of all Youth groups, Forums and Associations in Ondo kingdom, (OEYC), has been drawn to several sponsored press releases on National Newspapers and blogs by a faceless group called Ekimogun Roundtable with the intention to defame the character of our son and performing MHR Hon Dr. Abiola Makinde, PhD. OEYC dismissed reports and campaigns of calumny by this unprogressive and faceless group on plans to recall the lawmaker representing Ondo East/West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chief. Peter Abiola Makinde.
Speculations was rife within and outside the state that the constituents, under the auspices of the Ekimogun Roundtable had began mobilising the people to start the process of recalling the lawmaker.
They asserted that Hon. Abiola Makinde had abandoned the constituency for a long time and had not made meaningful impact in the lives of his constituents since he was voted in to represent them in the National Assembly.
The Round/square/rectangular/ distorted table further alleged massive disparity in constituency fund/projects alloted to the constituency on paper and actual physical projects execution. They also claimed the most recent Zonal Intervention Project of four motor parks is not his project but that it belongs to NBRRI.
The Ondo kingdom Youth leader, Engineer Kayode Folajogun in a press statement released on Tuesday, said no action of recalling the lawmaker was taking place in the concerned federal constituency because Hon. Chief. Peter Abiola Makinde is the only Lawmaker from Ondo East/West Federal constituency with a Score card that is over and above all the other Federal Lawmakers from Ondo Kingdom in the last three decades.
Engineer Folajogun said, ” to begin with, who does the constitution recognizes as constituents? A constituent is someone who lives in a particular constituency and he/she is able to vote in that constituency during an election.”
“Certainly, if constituents are people who live and vote in an area, then Ondo East and West Federal Constituents are our Farmers, Artisans, Civil servants, Iyalojas, Baales, Chiefs and High Chiefs, Youths and Royal fathers and not someone who live outside these catchment areas but create a kangaroo group to malign the character of lawfully elected representatives whose performances are unrivalled.
“Funnily, the said Ekimogun roundtable do not fit into any of the above listed categories. Our checks revealed that the person behind the group is a social media racketeer residing and voting outside Ondo State. He attempts to recruit certain people to buy his lies for political gains.
“I can boldly say that 9,900 out of ten thousand Ondo constituents are happy with Hon. Chief Abiola Makinde because he has positively touched their lives or the lives of their children, friends or relatives since he became a MHR in 2019. Infact, Hon Abiola Makinde had served as a Caretaker Chairman of Ondo West in 2013, about 11 years ago and has never relent when called to serve again and again. While he was a Caretaker Chairman, he created the largest waste dumpsite in Ondo State by acquiring over 500 plots of land for the local govt. All waste of Ondo East and West goes to this dumpsite since 2013. During same period, Hon Makinde created the first Private waste collection system which today has generated lots of revenue to operators, jobs to youths, and have made Ondo environment more cleaner.
“It is also humorous that the roundtable members alleged Hon. Chief Makinde of abandoning his constituency……, the roundtable group should check with the ‘ real constituents to confirm that in the last four years, no single month has passed without Hon. Abiola Makinde engaging his constituents, visiting the nook and crannies of his constituency and presenting laudable live touching projects, especially the monthly free drugs distribution and medical checkup for the youths and elderly.
“Hon. Abiola Makinde in the last four years has assisted over eighty Youth in his constituency to secure federal jobs, and countless others in furtherance of their studies abroad. What more can any reasonable constituent regard as meaningful impacts……?
“it is reprehensible, that the financier of the roundtable group could not distinguish between ERGP and ZIP projects after decades of being a stenographer in the corridors of power. For the benefits of the public, ERGPs (Economic Recovery Growth Plan) are executive capital projects to be executed by the Federal Government in any fiscal year while *ZIP (Zonal Intervention Projects, also referred to as lawmakers constituency projects are nominated by Federal legislators on behalf of their constituencies, inserted into the budget and executed by the federal government MDAs. (Ministries, Department and Agencies). It is noteworthy that all projects in the budget are implemented by either a Ministry, Department or Agency with procurement officers stationed in each of them. Some projects could even be demonstrational.
“Therefore, we wish to further educate the ‘educated illiterate members’ of the roundtable group that not all Federal Government projects in Ondo East and West Federal Constituency are” Federal lawmakers constituency projects.”
“Should the roundtable group have any need to clarify or investigate projects in our constituency, visitation should be done to the appropriate quarters instead of chasing shadows, slandering and attempting to incite the good people of Ondo Kingdom in the National dailies against the performing MHR. Such bad actions could lead to violence, most especially amongst youths.
“On Friday, 10th of November, 2023, Hon. Abiola Makinde was decorated as the Atunluse of Ondo Kingdom by the Osemawe and Paramount Ruler of Ondo Kingdom, His Imperial Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo, Jilo III, CFR.
“According to the first class Ondo Monarch, Hon. Chief Abiola Makinde was honoured because he (Oba Adesimbo) recognised his innumerable contributions to the development of Ondo kingdom through his gallant performances in the Federal House of Representatives which had positively influenced the kingdom and lives of its inhabitants
“Few of the many intervention and achievements of the performing MHR in his constituency are:
*rural electrification/connection to the national grid of communities
*provision of tractors and farm implements to farmers
*provision of boreholes to selected communities
*provisions of instructional materials and equipment to primary and secondary schools
*construction of several classroom blocks in different communities across Ondo East/West
*facilitation of multi million naira ultra modern library
*facilitation of multi million naira skill acquisition centre in Adeyemi Federal University of Education
*Facilitation of the upgrade of Adeyemi College of Education to the first Federal University of Education in Nigeria
*Road and bridges reconstruction
*Construction of Ondo City Parks and Zoo with swimming pool, lake and many more added.
*monthly distribution of free drugs and medical care to constituents
*coverage of the constituents in the NHIS enrollment scheme
*Several rounds of food Pallative by himself and his darling wife Dr Mrs Rhoda Makinde, a medical doctor who is also the CEO of Dromi World.
*Youths and women empowerment
*And many more
“In a communique recently published to the public by the Osemawe and Paramount Ruler of Ondo kingdom, Oba Dr. Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo Jilo III, CFR affirmed that he remains the father of all Ondo Youths but clarified that the only recognized Youth body which is also the umbrella body for all other Groups/Forums/Associations/ Clubs of Youth in Ondo kingdom – Ondo East and West Federal Constituency is the Ondo Ekimogun Youth Congress.
“On this note, I, Engineer Kayode Folajogun, President of the Ondo Ekimogun Youth Congress (OEYC) hereby dismiss all the claims and insinuations being circulated in the newspapers/ social media handles and any other fora to recall our ‘Working’ Ondo lawmaker and advise the general public to ignore all negative reports and rumors being peddled by the Ekimogun Roundtable because they are‘Distortedtable’ They are sponsored by some politicians.
“The president concluded that the Ekimogun roundtable is a faceless group of jobless, uncultured, unprogressive online wordsmith who wanted to reap where they haven’t sown.
“Hon. Abiola Makinde is performing excellently well and will not be recalled, their snide remarks was because he refused to feed their entitlement mentality or honour indecent influence peddling.
“The people and Youths of Ondo East and West Federal Constituency will not tolerate further attempts to incite them against Hon. Abiola Makinde or any other Ondo Sons and daughters who are committed to the progress and development of our dear kingdom
“Ondo kingdom is a peaceful place, our Youths are peace loving people. We condemn every attempt to defame our leaders, misform the public and incite gullible constituents against themselves” he said.
Signed
Engineer Kayode Folajogun
OEYC President
August 27, 2024
