Moshood Alli, media aide to the lawmaker representing Ondo East and West federal constituencies in the green chamber of the National Assembly, Honourable Dr Abiola Makinde, has described the recent request for his boss’ plenary attendance by a group of people as a mere political fallacy.
Alli, in a statement he personally signed, copies of which were made available to journalists on Thursday, noted that such requests connote ignorance of how committed Honourable Abiola Makinde is to his constituents.
He noted that the records of the attendance and proactiveness of Hon. Makinde as a Federal legislator at the House of Representatives are easily obtainable on request.
The closeness he shares with his constituents back home has never been called into question either.
“The performance of Hon. Makinde, both in his primary and oversight functions, is all on social media and easily verifiable. He has constantly shuttled Abuja and Ondo State almost every weekend in the past six months before the National Assembly recently went on recess.
“On March 27th, Hon. Abiola Makinde paid an unscheduled visit to the Ondo City Children’s Park and Zoo, which is currently under construction and due for commissioning soon.
“On April 1st, the MHR unveiled “Ekiwood Movie Village,” which, when completed, will be the biggest movie village in Ondo State.
“On April 5, Hon. Makinde was also seen distributing welfare packages to the elderly in his constituency, tagged “Let the Old Rejoice 2.0.”
“On April 8th, Hon. Makinde was seen receiving Prof. Damilola Olawuyi SAN, Chairperson of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, as part of his oversight function as Chairman of the House Committee on Human Rights.
“Also on May 11th, Hon. Makinde joined other well-wishers at the birthday of Pa Reuben Fasoranti in his Akure home. On May 12th, he paid another visit to check on the progress of the Ondo City Children’s Park and Zoo.
“On May 15th, he attended the Defence Space Administration Abuja Seminar 2024. On May 22, the Fellowship of Adeyemi Federal University of Education was conferred on Hon. Makinde.
“On May 30th, Hon. Makinde was seen hosting Children’s Day with the children of his constituency, distributing books and educational materials to them.
“And finally, just before the House went on recess, Hon. Makinde was a discussant at the YemiFash Online News Platform interactive session and dinner on June 2nd, 2024. All of which now begs the question of how Hon. Makinde has relocated to the US as alleged by the group.”.
Chief Johnson Akinlosotu, a traditional chief in Ondo, said: “All these groups are not known to the constituents; we have never heard of them, and we do not know what they represent.
“We have not authorised them to speak on behalf of Ondo East and West Federal Constituencies. Members of the public are assured that these allegations are for sinister or political motives.
“They have not carried out any progressive cause in this constituency at any point in time, nor do they have any antecedents in the constituency.
“We are proud of the representation of Hon. (Dr.) Abiola Peter Makinde, PhD, which has been the best form of representation in the history of this city.”
Also reacting, the leader of the Student Union Government of Adeyemi, Comrade Okunade Ibrahim, while condemning the group pushing the false narratives, said, “Where were they when Hon. Makinde successfully pushed the bill to change the status of Adeyemi from a college of education to a federal university?
“Did they commend him anywhere? Where were they when Hon. Makinde annually distributed instructional materials to students in his constituency?
“Where were all these people when Hon. Makinde also constructed a public library for Ondo students? Where were they to commend Hon. Makinde when he sponsored over 25 people for overseas study in the UK, Sweden, Norway, Canada, and many more? We are proud of our MHR in all ramifications.”
Chief Mrs Fayehun, Ondo West APC woman leader, said the publications were the handiwork of desperate politicians who started 2027 politics too early.
She urged them to, instead of attacking a working House of Representatives to accelerate their political chances, rather put in the hard work at the grassroots level.
Comrade Kayode Folajogun, President of Ondo Ekimogun Youth Congress, a recognised youth body in Ondo Kingdom, also said: “As a youth body, we do not recognise Ekimogun Roundtable as well as its destructive allegations against the person of the MHR while masquerading it as advocacy for the good people of Ondo East and West.
“They are a group of disgruntled opposition whose formation is being sponsored solely to commence a political round of propaganda against Hon. Makinde.”
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