We have no confidence in your representation, constituents tell Ekiti Senator

The people of Ekiti North senatorial district of Ekiti have said they have lost confidence in the representation of the senator representing the zone, Olubunmi Adetumbi for his alleged poor performance and neglect.

The constituents, including monarchs, traders, youth and others, had in a report of performance index compiled by the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti-powered Justice Development and Peace Initiative (JDPI), slammed the All Progressives Congress Senator, for allegedly failing to perform his duties effectively in Ido/Osi, Ilejemeje, Moba, Ikole and Oye local governments, where he was elected to represent in 2019.

In the JDPI’s report signed by its Coordinator, Rev Father Emmanuel Akingbade, made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Wednesday, the constituents accused the lawmaker of not doing enough in his service to the people in the execution of N222 million cumulative projects earmarked for the district in 2020 federal budgetary provisions.

JDPI in the report broke down the projects estimate as; N10 million naira for provision of 10-lockup shops in Ikole-Ekiti, N20 million to empower youths, N170 million for erosion control, and N60 million naira for completion of erosion control project phase II, Oke-Alewu, Ikole Ekiti.

The budgetary provisions included: N48.77million for research on creative industry and workshop, N47 million naira for the workshop, N15 million naira for construction of 22- hand pump boreholes, as well as N10 million for Provision of motorized boreholes in Ayodeji Adeyemi Ajebandele street, in Otun Ekiti.

Others were: N155 million for Training and supply of empowerment items: grants for farmers, artisans and youths, 50 million naira designated for Provision of ICT hub and N17 million naira Grant for a scholarship for indigent students in secondary and tertiary institutions in Ekiti North senatorial district

The JDPI coordinator said as of September 2021, when the team visited the district, 75 per cent of the funds for the 2020 projects had been released to the ministries, departments and agencies, but saw no remarkable performances to justify the monies collected.

JDPI report showed that the residents, complained bitterly about total neglect of the area in terms of erosion control projects, particularly in Otun Ekiti that is more prone to degradation, adding that “The constituents confirmed that despite public reports on the damage caused by the overflow of Odo Oranyan and Odo Iwesu, not much had been done to assuage the situation. In Oye-Ekiti, a constituent confirmed that the only erosion work being carried out is situated along Ayegbaju road and nothing indicated that it was a constituency project.”

JDPI revealed that the only skeletal constituency project on erosion control done by Adetumbi was at Ikole- Ekiti, while he also built an ICT hub in Ifaki Ekiti.

But in his reaction, the senator described the verdict passed on him by the residents as frivolous and incredible, adding that those making such damaging ratings about him exercised such venom and hatred by deciding to undermine his contributions in terms of service delivery.

“I have done my best to represent my people. Though I am compiling my own document regarding those projects I had executed, which I will make available to the public soon, particularly the journalists,” he said.

(Nigerian Tribune)