Being the continuation of interview with the former Majority leader of Kogi State House of Assembly, Friday Sani Makama on the alleged Igalamela/Odolu Constituency projects fraud involving the Kogi State Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja.
The former lawmaker also pointed out that the Deputy Governor is too ambitious to unseat his principal, Yahaya Bello, while insisted that the project was back firing with the governor surrounding himself with his kinsmen that understands the political game.
Q. How was it possible for a Constituency funds meant for you be diverted to another person who does not represent a Constituency?
A. Again, Kogi State House of Assembly has denied that they never pay me an advance of N5 million for for 2017.
I was able to bring out the payment voucher when the then Cashier of the State House of Assembly had my mandate to collect the N5 million.
The five million Naira which I have since explained how I utilised it. I have built a health clinic in Egbolo community. How I also rebuilt Ajaka central market. Come to think of it, how Edward Onoja and his cohorts displayed fraud.
How can a borehole of N250,000 be executed for N10 million? A borehole that can ordinarily be sank with GP tank for N500,000 became N10 million. Assuming, the purported borehole is anything to go by, one can discover between the man who has the mandate of the people and the man who arrogate powers for the purpose of committing fraud. Because if I am to use N10 million, I should be able to provide ten borehole with that amount for the people.
As a matter of fact, the advance of N5 million that was given to me as Constituency fund for 2017, I built Egbolo community clinic, equipped it; employed people including a nurse and they are still working there till today and up to the time I left the State House of Assembly, I was paying their salaries which can be verified.
Then I rebuilt fifteen blocks of Ajaka Central market with N5 million. There are all there and it can be verified.
Now, we have an appointed representative of Ogalamela/Odolu, Mr. Edward Onoja who used N10 million for a borehole, assuming it is true.
Constituency fund is meant for a member representing a local government to decide priority projects or needs of the people. Edward does not know the priority projects of my Constituency because the mandate given to me was to represent the people of Igalamela/Odolu for four years. The mandate placed me to know the priority projects of my people just as it is done for other lawmakers, not just me alone.
It is not that an appointed representative sit in government house to do what is illegal. That doesn’t mean that there was a project like that in Igalamela/Odolu. There is no project like that anywhere. That is criminality and they want to defend what is illegal.
Q. The Supreme Court granted judgement in your favour for your entitlements to be paid. Between the Deputy Governor and the governor, who is stopping the payment?
A. Well, it is pertinent to know that the frivolous application that was brought by Kogi State government and Kogi State House of Assembly sometime in 2018 to frustrate the enforcement of the Supreme Court judgement that was delivered in my favour. The judgment of the Supreme Court has again been affirmed by the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court said, the application to upturn the judgment in my favour was frivolous and the cost of N2 million each was awarded against them in my favour and they have graciously paid since December, 2019.
The same Kogi State government which was fined since the 9th December, 2019, claimed not to know the existing and substantive judgement of the Supreme Court.
They are only trying to be arrogant to the law. They are only trying to be adamant and not to respect the rule of law and am sure that the Supreme will not allow itself to be ridiculed by a man who is over ambitious to take over government that he never knew how it came.
Mr. Edward Onoja would have concentrated more on how to unseat Yahaya Bello and take over his seat like he is planning than facing a member of the House of Assembly who is representing the poor; the less privileged; motherless and the homeless.
The project of unseating Yahaya Bello is back firing with the calibre of Ebira men and women that Yahaya Bello has surrounded himself with and Edward is suffering from that frustration and is transferring the frustration on that press release which he is insulting and indicting my person.
