A socio-cultural group, Ekimogun Development Association has described as false and cheap blackmail the unsubstantiated claim by some faceless group who stated that a member representing Ondo East/West Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Abiola Makinde, has relocated to the United States, thereby abandoning his constituency.
The group described the claims as not only false and unfounded but described the publication as an insult to the entire people of Ondo kingdom who are constituents of the lawmaker, saying the group behind the publication is not known to the people of the area.
The Ekimogun group in a statement jointly signed by the President of the Association, Christopher Akinkugbe, Secretary, Dr Mojibola Oyebade and Publicity Secretary, Boderin Akinnubi, expressed dismay over the malicious report.
The statement read: “We found the content and the baseless allegations in the publications as laughable.
“They asserted that this group has no legal standing to address the National Assembly regarding the attendance of its members.
“Hon. Makinde is lauded by his constituents for his grassroots engagement and the significant developmental projects he has initiated and completed over the past five years.”
Highlighting that Makinde has continued to fulfil his constitutional duties and legislative oversight functions diligently, the group said “Hon. Makinde has been a grassroots and result-driven representative who is loved by his constituents and popular in his constituency based on the tremendous developmental projects he has continued to initiate.
“Aside from his constitutional duties of representing his people and numerous legislative oversight functions, the MHR has always been with his constituents in Ondo.
“The recent travel of Hon. Makinde to the United States was during a recess of the House of Representatives, which followed a period of intensive plenary sessions, adding that he took the opportunity to visit his family abroad briefly.
“We urge the National Assembly and the people of Ondo East and Ondo West to disregard the publication, emphasising the representative’s achievements and ongoing commitment to his constituents.”
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