By: Oluwatosin Adesola
The Minority leader of the Ondo State House of Assembly and lawmaker representing Akoko Northeast constituency, Hon Rasheed Elegbeleye has lambasted some leaders of his party, PDP for working against him from picking his second term ticket ahead of the 2023 general election.
Reacting to recent crisis rocking the Akoko Northeast local government area chapter of the PDP over selection of Lanre Akintola as the assembly candidate, Elegbeleye said he remains one of the best set of lawmakers in the current state assembly despite not collecting any fund for constituency project since he was elected.
The Minority Leader said he had been using his salary and personal resources to impact on his constituents.
The candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akoko Northeast constituency of Ondo State, Lanre Akintola had earlier faulted the claim of the lawmaker representing the constituency, Hon Rasheed Elegbeleye over the conduct of last primary election that produced candidates for the party for next year’s election.
Elegbeleye had reportedly described as a sham the primary that produced PDP candidate for Akoko North East constituency saying some elements in the party used their closeness to National Chairman, Dr Iyorcha Ayu to rob him and others of the chances of representing various constituencies in the state.
Elegbeleye, who is the Minority Leader at the State House of Assembly, also claimed that he lost in the PDP’s primary to those he referred to “favoured children” of the party’s leadership.
However, Akintola punctured the claims Elegbeleye, saying his diatribe against the leadership of the party was his failure to secure a return ticket at the party’s primary.
In his reaction to the lawmaker’s claims, Akintola described Elegbeleye as the architect of his own failure, alleging that Elegbeleye failed in his major responsibility to his constituents at the Assembly.
In a statement Akintola, expressed disappointment in the lawmaker’s allegations in which he blamed his loss on the alleged conspiracy of the party’s leadership against him and tampering with the delegates’ list used for the primary.
However reacting on Sunday 18th September, 2022, Elegbeleye said
“No any of House of Assembly since 1999 that had marched my achievements.
“I don’t need to joining issues with social media baby politicians than to be focused with my good planing to my people in which I have been fulfilling.
“My Achievements are what is intimidating my opponents and that is while they can not come out openly and campaign but instead they will rush to Abuja and meet the ruling party leader to be sponsoring them always against me.
“A person who never won in his ward or unit for PDP will come out and be calling himself a party leader on social media in which we all know as a political alot in our local government and state.
“PDP has no candidate for House of Assembly as at today in Akoko North East but they can be deceiving themselves on social media. After primary election they should come out and tell the world if the opposition party has held a single meeting in the local government.
“If they can mention any House of Assembly that has done Empowerment in AKOKO North East apart from me they should mention one. An empowerment that worth 22millions and cross across the 13 Ward’s of the constituency.
“26 grounding machine, 26 Tailoring machine, Hairdressing machine, 20 generator for Barber, Freezers for womeny health equipment for 13 health center in our constituency, sports Wear for football clubs, a truck of rice for widows and Cash for traders.
“If they can mention one honourable member in AKOKO North East that had successfully done any skills acquisition training for the constituency apart from me. I have trained our people and partner with Obafemi Awolowo University enterprenueship centre Ile Ife.
“I rehabilitated 33 boreholes in the local government without a single constituency project or money from State Government. I will be the first Honourable member to trained 50 unemployed graduates in Ondo state on CCTV, intercom, tracking of stolen property through Oshore skill acquisition center.
“As at today I have helped 30 people from my constituency to secure jobs both state and federal levels. These are intimidating them.
“The pictures never lies. I’m focused not by mouth and I know they can’t come out and talk than going to social media and by special grace of God winning of election is not through mouth but actions.
“My constituency office is there and my skill acquisition training is there. All of them (party leaders and constituents) benefitted through my last Empowerment.
“The pictures were there. An agent of APC in PDP himself called me one day and appreciated me for rehabilitating two condemned boreholes that are in his community upon the bad roles he played during my primary election.
“Instead of them facing the APC it’s me that is there major problems. During covid19 Lockdown I donated three trucks of Beans to my constituency apart from sanitizer and nose cover with cash. Pictures were there for evidence.
“In total, 35 condemned boreholes had been repaired by me with my monthly salary and no constituency project allowance from the state government.
“They should come out and mention one Honourable members (currently at the House of Assembly) apart from Hon Festus Akingbaso from Idanre (an industrialists), who has done more than me.
“I have also helped 13 people from my constituency for paramilitary employment. Seven for federal jobs; four for state jobs and three for Army recruitment.
“All the name’s and record are at Hon Elegbeleye Rasheed Olalekan constituency office beside St Stephens cathedral church Ikare for verification, 35 boreholes rehabilitated and still going on, without any constituency project allowance,” the Minority leader said.
