By Editor
Against the backdrop of recent post in some online platforms alleging that the Senate Leader, Sen. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele has concentrated the distribution of constituency projects in his home town, the Senator’s Media Office has debunked the claim saying the said publication was far from the reality on ground adding that the distinguished Senator was committed to the welfare of all communities within his central senatorial district.
According to a press statement signed by Mr Olubunmi Oguntuase, Senior Legislative Assistant to the Leader of the Senate:
“Our attention has been drawn to a recent post on some platforms by an unnamed Author alleging that the Distinguished Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (MOB), had concentrated all his projects in his home town of Iyin Ekiti at the expense of other towns and Local Government Areas of the Senatorial District.
In short response, we want to posit unequivocally that Senator Bamidele is not being nepotic in projects distribution and what was reported in the TVC News report being quoted by the unknown writer was only a report of an early morning community inspection and monitoring tour undertaken by the Senator on the 24th day of December, 2023 when he arrived home for Christmas. He could not go anywhere else for project inspection at that time because he only managed to take two days off to come home for Christmas and speedily return to Abuja where the Natiinal Assembly was still busy trying to pass the Year 2024 Budget (Appropriation Bill), which Mr. President would need to sign into law by the 1st of January. 2024.
“Senator Bamidele has always been guided by the principles of equity, justice and fair-play in his manner of representation and community engagement. Far from the insinuation being peddled around in some quarters that he was concentrating all his projects only in his Iyin Ekiti country home, the Distinguished Senator is currently executing several verifiable projects spread across the five Local Government Areas of Ekiti Central Senatorial District.
“To further set the records straigt and corroborate Senator Bamidele’s spirit of fairness and equity, let it be known that Senator Bamidele is currently erecting Solar streetlights in strategic locations in Okemesi, Aramoko, Ijero, Efon Alaye, Ado Ekiti, in Ekiti West, Ijero, Efon and Ado Local Government areas of the Senatorial District.
“The projects are targeted at bringing an upswing in nightlife in the benefiting towns while reinforcing their security measures and adding aesthetic values to these communitues in terms of ownership of public facilities.
“More importantly, Senator Bamidele’s intervention by way of construction and furnishing of Female and Male Hostels respectively for Medical Students of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti , had propelled the National Universities Commission as well as the Nigerian Medical amd Dental Council to exponentially increase the University’s admission quota into the Medical School from 50 Students to 150 Students annually. This is a feat celebrated by the University Council and in respect of which it had also written to celebrate the Distinguished Senator. This is one of the ways he is silently impacting on our growth and community development by complementing the giant strides of the State Government under the able leadership of His Excellency, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO).
“In the area of Road Infrastructures, Senator Bamidele is currently undertaking 2.2kms of inner road reconstruction in Ijero Ekiti and another 1.7kms of new road projects in Ado Ekiti, while efforts are in top gear to complete the Motorized boreholes being constructed at Aba Osun, Ikogosi in Eka Meta LCDA and Ayegunle, in Eka Marun LCDA.
“The road under construction in Ado Ekiti, is the one linking the Alumni Village to the Medical Students’ Hostel at EKSU.
“Senator Bamidele has always considered criticism as part of democratic tenets and we are not in any way aversed or allergic to it. But we solicit for fairness in the manner of interrogation of our work and encourage Critics (who we recognise as Catalysts) to engage us and get the right information and update before resorting to the social media.
“Just about a month ago, Senator Bamidele distributed over 10,000 textbooks to Secondary School students in Ekiti Central Senatorial District, which went across all the secondary schools without bias.
“In retrospect, record has it that through his instrumentality and rabid love for development, Hon. Bamidele (as he then was) attracted 89 projects in his four years as an elected Member of the House of Representatives and all were evenly distributed across Ado and Irepodun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency. If he was that fair then, there is no reason why he would exhibit any posture suggesting an act of nepotism now with his present status as the number three Senator in the hierarchy of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, considered to be more influential and exalted in ranking, by the Grace of Almighty God and the mandate of the people.
“Democracy grows better and faster when Critics engage in intellectual discourse. But let the criticisms be constructive and well informed so that they can help us and other public office holders to do better rather than discourage and disparage us. MOB means business; BAO is providing the right leadership and enabling environment; and Ekiti, from the North, through the Central, to the South is working. Let all hands be on deck to take advantage of this unity and new found love among our leaders to move the State forward. For the things that unite us are much more than the things that divide us.
Happy New Year to one and all”
