Asides being in the media only for the right reasons and projecting the vast and numerous achievements of our principal, the media office of the Ranking Member, House of Representatives,Hon Dr. Abiola Makinde PhD often leave ignorant people to their own ideals but for the uninformed observers, I have taken it upon myself to enlighten them lest they be swayed by project-marauders masquerading as facilitators.
It Infact suffices to note that it is the office of Senator Adegbonmire that started making false claims over the Ore-Ondo-Akure road claiming that they “facilitated it into the 2024 appropriation budget” as far back as June 2024, they had more than enough time to acknowledge all relevant stakeholders. These are the links by his SLA making such claims.
“He listed other achievements of the Senator, including “influencing the dualization of the Akure-Ondo-Ore Highway into the 2024 National Budget, which was signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
thenewstrack.com.nghttps://thenewstrack.com.ngSenator Adegbonmire facilitates inclusion of Akure-Ondo-Ore Road Dualisation in …
Hon Makinde, seeing that there was a deliberate attempt to sabotage his contributions, that of his colleague, Hon Adefiranye Festus who also moved similar motion in 2023 and even that of the Governor of Ondo state, His Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa, and even His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr Victor Kiladejo Adesimbo Ademefun, Osemawe and Paramount Ruler of Ondo Kingdom who,several times, met with H. E. Raji Fashola, Fmr Minister of works, that was when he decided to speak up about the project.
It’s untoward to see a release from Senator Adegbonmire’s office painting the name of Hon Abiola Makinde in a bad way even though our Ranking MHR never spoke ill or mentioned his name in bad light in his official writeup.
Hon Makinde, a humble and gentleman, would rather not join issues with Hon Adegbonmire out of respect, but his office had raise some false allegations and words against his person that need to be cleared: The ongoing dualization is a contract of N139billion naira approved by FEC, led by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and not N250m as shown in his paper. Project description shown in the paper emanating from Senator office doesn’t make any sense. There is a huge discrepancy that doesn’t make any meaning or have relevance to the case being discussed.
For example, In the documents presented by the office of Senator Adegbonmire, what can be clearly seen in the project title in his letter to the Senate President is “a request for a 600m grant for the DESIGN of the dualization of Ore-Ondo-Akure road not construction” emphasis on design. 2024 appropriation shows 250m.
It is surprising that his office doesn’t even know that the Ministry of works had done their design themselves, not today. Ore-Ondo-Akure dualization design has been done many years before this 10th Assembly which the Senator became a part.
This buttresses what Hon Makinde stated in his motion on Dec 14, 2021 that “despite being earmarked by the Ministry of Works and Housing long ago, a contract for dualisation of the road is yet to be awarded.” This simply implies that the next thing should be the award of contract and that’s exactly what the H.E Minister Dave Umahi stated when he said:” It is 24 months long and has a total contract sum of N134bn in favour of CBC Nigeria Limited, which will use concrete because of the terrain.”
If the design was not already done, Minister Umahi wouldn’t have given CBC 24 months to complete construction. It will interest us to note that designing a 88km federal road can take more than two years to complete. H. E. Raji Fashola completed the designing of Ore-Ondo-Akure and kudos to Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom Oba Dr Victor Kiladejo Jillo III for his effort in facilitating this design stage with Fashola.
CBC has been awarded the dualization contract. CBC is not at the “designing” stage that the documents from Senator Adegbonmire’s office show because that has been done during Raji Fashola’s tenure. CBC is constructing the road right now, not designing.
Senator Abiru moved a motion in April 2021 for Ikorodu-Itoikin road, and execution of the project started in 2024. Similarly, Hon Abiola Makinde moved a motion in Dec 2021, and Hon Adefiranye moved similar motion in 2023 and execution of Ore-Ondo-Akure started 2025. This is a clear example of the Powers/ Resolves of the Parliament. It is absurd for a Senator or his aide to undermine the resolution of the House and Senate as irrelevant. Motions don’t die like bills at the end of an assembly. Motions and Bills are the two ways House communicates decisions to the Presidency.
A motion in parliament is a formal proposal to take action or express an opinion on an issue of public importance. Motions are a key part of parliamentary proceedings and are used to address issues of public importance. Motions don’t die, it’s a call for action. Only bills die at the end of an Assembly.
On their claims that nothing was done after the motion was moved,”Despite Hon. Makinde’s efforts in the 9th Assembly, the project was neither approved nor implemented at that time” This is an insult on the person of Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila who was the Speaker at the time and now the Chief of Staff to the President. Mr Speaker’s gavel is an approval and an authorization instructing the Minister of Works to do exactly what’s requested by the generality of the House. This was why the then Speaker called it a “very important infrastructural motion” and asked for a seconder before putting the question before all members who responded “Aye” in affirmation. Hon. Makinde’s second prayer was to “Mandate committee on works for compliance”. Which means to follow it up.
Projects being executed today must have been in the pipeline of the Executive for many years waiting for funding. Senator’s SLA cited 2024 appropriation budget – This budget is yet to see the light to the day as we speak. Most federal contractors are yet to be mobilized to site as at now due to cash plan system. So it’s false to use 2024 appropriation as a way to justify the current source of funding of CBC. CBC is strictly funded by the use of Special intervention fund for flooding as approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
To address the SLA’s claim where he alleged a dispute over Adeyemi bill. In his words,”A relevant example is the upgrade of Adeyemi College of Education to a University of Education. The bill was first sponsored by Hon. Iranola Akinlaja, a former House of Representatives member representing Ondo East and West Federal Constituency. The bill, however, didn’t receive the assent of the president before the end of the term of Honourable Akinlaja. It was only when Hon. Makinde reintroduced and championed it in the 9th Assembly that it succeeded.”
In a desperate attempt to muddle facts, it is dumbfounding that a supposed SLA cannot differentiate between a bill and a motion. Hon Iranola Akinlaja never claimed to have sponsored the bill upgrade Adeyemi College to a Federal University of Education. Baba is alive and well as you can easily crosscheck this fact with him.
Conclusively, I read where the SLA urged Hon Abiola Makinde PhD, a ranking Member House of Representatives who has been adjudged to be the best Federal Lawmaker of Ondo state extraction to focus on his legislative duties. I can’t but laugh at such short-sighted admonition,because it is actually him that should refrain from publicly calling out Hon Abiola Makinde if his principal, Senator Adegbonmire has yet to attain the legislative excellence, constituents welfarism and developmental strides that the Ranking Member has achieved in the last 6 years. Hon Makinde has been and will continue to be an outstanding politician with impeccable character and extreme love for his constituents. Hon Makinde is also not in politics for personal gains but motivated by the will to serve.
Alli Moshood Abiodun
Special Adviser on Media & Publicity to Ranking Member House of Representatives, Hon. Abiola Peter Makinde PhD
February 6,2025.
