Ondo Community Hires 30 Lawyers To Recall Reps Member Over Non Performance

By Ayodele Oni

A Community in Ondo State has secured the services of 30 lawyers to assist in legal processes to recall a member representing the people at the lower chamber of the House of Representatives.

The people of Ondo East/Ondo West Federal Constituency pointed out that the move became necessary in view of the continued absence of Abiola Makinde from his legislative duties.

The constituent, under the Ekimogun Roundtable, alleged that Makinde, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) has abandoned its legislative duties for several months and relocated abroad for unknown reasons.

The group, in a statement by its Acting Secretary,  Ms Christiana Ayodele, made available to newsmen on Monday in Akure, alleged that the National Assembly office of the lawmaker has been under lock and key, while the constituency has being without any representation at the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

According to the statement, the 30 legal practitioners have agreed to offer free legal services to challenge the action of the lawmaker.

The statement reads, “In a massive show of solidarity to what they described as audacious leadership and legislative accountability project embarked upon by the Ekimogun Roundtable aimed at strengthening the country’s struggling representative democracy, 30 legal practitioners from across the country have indicated interest to offer free legal services to the Roundtable in order to assist in legislative enquiry and likely judicial processes.

“The Ekimogun Roundtable, a socio economic group of all Ondo indigenes from across the world, alleged that Honorable Abiola Makinde, the House of Representatives member representing Ondo East/West Federal Constituency in the 10th National Assembly abdicated his legislative duties for months.

“He has relocated abroad with his National Assembly constituency office under lock and key, thereby rendering the entire constituency without representation for the period under review.”

The Roundtable further alleged massive disparity in constituency fund/projects allotment to the constituency on paper and actual physical projects execution.

“This has further put question marks on the integrity of those around the community’s constituency projects procurement process at the green chamber of the National Assembly.

“The Ondo East/West Federal Constituency has never had it this bad in terms of legislative performance since the advent of democracy such that critical issues of great national importance like the National Budget, the National Anthem Act, among others will be discussed at the hallowed chamber without the input of the good people of the constituency.”

The statement added that the group has written to the National Assembly requesting the plenary attendance record of Makinde to ascertain his compliance with the relevant sections of the Nigerian Constitution and the House of Representatives Standing Rules on plenary attendance.