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The Ekimogun Roundtable Forum has commended a former House of Representatives aspirant in Osun State, Engr. David Ayodele Asalu, for his patriotic disclosure regarding Constituency Project Funds allocated to National Assembly members under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a video currently making the rounds, Engr. Asalu revealed that every Honourable member of the National Assembly is now entitled to no less than one billion Naira in constituency project funding since the removal of the fuel subsidy by the Tinubu administration.

“Quote me anywhere, since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his wisdom, removed the subsidy, both Governors and National Assembly Members have been receiving increased allocations. No Honourable Member gets less than one billion Naira for constituency projects,” he stated.

The Roundtable lauded this bold revelation, describing it as consistent with its long-standing advocacy for transparency and accountability in governance, especially in tracking and monitoring constituency projects.

According to the Forum, Engr. Asalu’s statement was not made in the spirit of vendetta but rather as a sincere call for the judicious use of public funds meant for the development of constituencies.

To buttress Engr. Asalu’s position, the Ekimogun Roundtable stated that the Ondo East/West Federal Constituency has been receiving billions in constituency allocations since 2019 from the National Assembly, much of which remains largely unaccounted for. The group emphasised that constituents must develop the habit of asking questions from their representatives rather than applauding them whenever they throw peanuts at them.

The group said it is out of sheer irresponsibility for a public representative to subject constituents to the rigours of a judicial process over a simple question concerning legislative performance and accountability, as is currently the case between the group and Hon. Abiola Makinde regarding constituency funds, allocations and plenary attendance.

The Ekimogun Roundtable reaffirmed its commitment to sensitising citizens, especially the people of Ondo East-West Federal Constituency, and promoting accountability among elected representatives.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted leave to the Registered Trustees of the Ekimogun Roundtable to apply for an order of Mandamus against the National Assembly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Honourable Abiola Makinde, the member representing Ondo East/West Federal Constituency.

The decision, delivered by Hon. Justice B.F.M. Nyako on March 13, 2025, followed an ex-parte motion filed on March 12, 2025, by the applicant. The motion seeks to compel the National Assembly to fulfill its statutory duty by disclosing information regarding the plenary attendance of Hon. Abiola Makinde, who the group alleged has abandoned his legislative responsibilities, leaving the constituency without adequate representation for an extended period.

Specifically, the group is requesting details of Hon. Makinde’s attendance at plenary sessions as well as records of constituency and intervention funds allocated to Ondo East/West Federal Constituency during the period under review. According to the group, these requests are grounded in Section 68(f) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provides that a lawmaker who fails to attend the required number of plenary days in a legislative year may be compelled to vacate their seat.

Ekimogun Roundtable further claims to be tracking over N4 billion allocated to the constituency through the National Assembly in the last four years, funds they allege remain largely unaccounted for due to misrepresentation.

The motion, supported by an affidavit sworn to by Ogah Blessing Nneku-Ojo, a legal practitioner, emphasized that the respondents had failed to respond to legitimate demands for information, thereby prompting legal action. Represented by lead counsel Timilehin Albert, Esq., who led a team of over twenty other lawyers in the suit, the applicant argued that the requested disclosures were in the public interest and necessary for transparency and accountability in governance.

The court granted the applicant leave to proceed with the order of Mandamus, directed that the respondents be put on notice, and adjourned the matter to May 19, 2025, for mention.

The National Assembly and Hon. Abiola Makinde have since been formally served.

The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of subjecting farmers in the Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A), located in Odigbo Local Government Area, to what it described as inhuman treatment and calculated economic disenfranchisement.

In a strongly worded statement released on Wednesday and signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Leye Igbabo, the opposition party alleged that the state government, after collecting various levies and dues from farmers, had moved to displace them from the farmlands earlier allocated to them.

The PDP said the farmers, who have invested heavily in cocoa plantations over the years, are now facing eviction to make way for private investors allegedly introduced by the government to cultivate palm oil on the same land.

“This action is not only wicked but also, essentially fraudulent in nature,” the statement read. “After paying annual rents, security dues, and identity card levies, the same government is now destroying their cocoa plantations to pave the way for another crop of similar economic value.”

The party questioned the rationale behind replacing already productive cocoa farms with palm oil plantations, saying both crops are of comparative commercial worth and should not be substituted at the expense of poor farmers who have toiled for years.

Describing the move as “self-serving,” the PDP argued that Ondo State has vast arable lands suitable for agricultural expansion without the need to uproot existing plantations and frustrate livelihoods.

“There is no justification for targeting the lands of these hardworking citizens when the state is abundantly blessed with unused fertile land,” the statement continued.

The opposition party warned that the government’s actions could lead to dire socio-economic consequences including hunger, increased crime, violence, and untimely deaths. It urged Governor Aiyedatiwa to reconsider the decision and adopt a more humane approach to governance.

“The Constitution mandates the governor to provide for the welfare of citizens, not destroy their sources of livelihood,” the party said, calling on the government to allow the affected farmers to “breathe and enjoy the fruits of their many years of labour.