Date: 2018-01-12

Courtesies

Gentlemen of the press, it is with pleasure that we humbly welcome you to this important media interaction. It is however instructive to note, that the circumstance which gave birth to this gathering stands as a sad commentary on politics and the representatives democracy in the country, we must as a matter of responsibility therefore approach the issue with solemnity.

The framers of the constitution worked with the power of intentionality and alignment with a higher purpose, having the eyes on the horizon and not just near it, they were the social innovators and the change agents that saw the big picture, the thinking was strategic and the compendium presented as the constitution is really all-encompassing. It is therefore irksome that some amateurish politicians have in recent times began to set dangerous precedents by turning the constitution into a mere book of riddles and jokes, their actions and inactions is tantamount to doing violence to the sanctity of a very far-reaching and sensitive provision of the constitution by seeking to invoke it freely without any assignable reason, sadly they have sort of accorded the mentioned provision of the constitution a ‘beer parlour’ matter status.

We deem it important to use this opportunity to call on the lovers of democracy across the nation to find a way of stopping the ugly trend aimed at subjecting the institution of democracy to ridicule. We are of the opinion that members of the public would help in no small measure in getting the dangerous developments discouraged by readily disregarding the ranting of such nature from those who having obviously woken up from the wrong side of the bed would simply resort to toying with the important provision of the constitution.

We read with dismay, the purported recall process initiated by Mufutau Adeyemo and a host of others against the representative of Igbodun/Shaawo/Eesa constituency in the Kwara state House of Assembly, Honourable Hassan Oyeleke, copies of the recall petition were also widely circulated in the social media by the proponents in furtherance of the execution of the mischievous plot to subject the personality of the lawmaker to public ridicule.

In parenthesis, it is important to mention here that the recall process was actually a case of the ‘The hands of Esau and the Voice of Jacob’ we had it on good authority that it was the brainchild of a veteran senatorial candidate who still bellyaches for being made to record just 9000 votes in Offa and losing to the incumbent in the 2015 election, he has also found a willing ally in a National Assembly member who currently entertains fear of unknown over possible second term in the Federal lower house. The man who stands as the megaphone for the Pull-Oyeleke –Down agenda, Mufutau Adeyemo is equally a veteran councillorship candidate who has however been very far away from victory, the decision to move his Ward from Eesa B to Eesa C still failed to get his long time ambition realized.

He is currently warming up and lobbying for a Supervisory councillorship seat and in his usual style, he has engaged in flamboyant display of sycophancy but it is certain that his hope of securing the seat will also in the usual way end a mirage. The decision to hold the press conference was not in any way intended to dignify the inanities spewed by the Mufutau Adeyemo –led gang of sabre-rattling politicians but rather principally designed to get the unsuspecting members of the public that might have been misled in having a wrong impression about the person of Hon. Hassan Oyeleke afforded the opportunity to know the true picture of things. It is gratifying to note that the walls of mischief built by Adeyemo and his ilk’s already gave a crumbling foundation signs as one of those who had the authorship of the recall petition attributed to him, a former Supervisory Councillor in Offa local government, Mr Aminulahi had not only denied involvement but equally threatened to institute legal action against the recall mongers. The first question which any reasonable person ought to ask himself/herself is this. Is there any reasonability or tenable reasons for seeking the recall of Hon. Hassan Oyeleke? Nothing could be farther from the truth; we submit with great respect that reasons for such does not in any way exist.

It is an indubitable fact that Hassan Oyeleke has emerged a shining light from the Offa axis, having under his sleeves the records of being the first indigene of the great city of Offa to hold the position of the Majority Leader of the Kwara state House of Assembly and his performance has not in any way fell short of expectations. He has indeed remained a source of pride to the great people of Offa.

The primary duty of a legislator is to make laws and get the interests of the constituents protected through the initiation of bills and motions, Hassan Oyeleke has a total number of 31 of such to his credit centering on issues pertaining to developments in Offa which had to do with Roads, Water, security and others and a good number of the motions ultimately secured resolutions on the floor of the house. Atari land valued at about N800 million was initially acquired by the government and following the representations made to his office, Hassan Oyeleke not only got a resolution of the house ordering the vacation of the acquisition order by the state government and had the land returned to its original inhabitants and the owners but those who already had transactions effected also had such monies refunded.

Hassan equally influenced the location and the construction of 11 motorized boreholes in his constituency, he also worked for the allocation of four transformers to Offa out of which he personally financed the installation of two, by exploring his contacts, a total number of 27 people in the constituency also got jobs at the federal and the state levels. Hassan Oyeleke championed the cause and joined others in effecting a salutary settlement to the Kwara state Polytechnic tuition fees crisis.

With all sense of responsibility, Hassan Oyeleke belongs to the class of people that believe that contributions should not be limited to debates on the floor of the house as the people are daily confronted by unprecedented challenges and it would thus amount to sheer irresponsibility for a legally responsible political office holder not to create avenue for having direct impacts on the lives of the people. As a lover of education, Hassan Oyeleke instituted a scholarship scheme through which bursary is paid to students in the primary and secondary schools and the tertiary institutions, about 500 members of his constituency have so far benefited from the programme.

As the number three man in the state legislative arm, Oyeleke influenced the early repair of the damaged culvert near late Chief Emmanuel Adesoye’s house while the Anilelerin Road and Alubata Road are already at advanced stage, the Idi-Ogun to ODU Secretariat drainage has been completed and the construction of the Tipper Garage-Adesoye College Road is already listed in the 2018 budget.

Inspite of the economic recession experienced in the country and the shortfall recorded in allocations to the 36 states of the federation occasioned by the fall in oil prices, Hassan Oyeleke has remained accessible, reachable and available, apart from having seven Personal Assistants residents in Offa, he makes frequent visit to the city, attends events and interact with the constituents regularly. He enjoys the confidence and the support of the traditional rulers, religious leaders, party leaders, the youths and the other stakeholders. We wish to state that we not only have confidence in Hon. Hassan Oyeleke but also want to submit that he is committed to scaling all heights, fathom all depths and traverse all horizons to ensure the people of his constituency enjoy the deserved dividends of democracy and he cannot and would not be distracted by the actions of a few misguided elements who considered it necessary to devalue an important provision of the constitution.

We thank you all for sparing time to honour our invitation despite your crowded schedule. Thank You.