Senator Kola Balogun representing Oyo South Senatorial District at the National Assembly has described as mere falsehood and cheap blackmail an online allegation that he under performs, hence, has no business being in the Senate.
One Adedokun Sunday from Eruwa in Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State, in a report published by a blogger, challenged Balogun, saying he did not worth being a senator.
Sunday alleged, “Amidst the three senators we have in the state presently, he’s (Kola Balogun) the least performing figure. Should we agree that inexperience is cogently undermining the better performance of that senator?
“The senator has been underperforming, and also neglected the people of Ibarapa in his administration (sic).”
However, Balogun, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Dapo Falade, described the allegation as coming from a frustrated blackmailer.
The statement read that the senator would have chosen not to respond to the allegations, but he did so “in order to correct the false narratives being spread by one Asiwaju Omo Boboye calling himself Comrade Adedokun Sunday.”
The statement read in parts, “I don’t want to get involved in dirty exchanges with a person who has been seeking for personal favour from me. Why should I respond to a man who had, at various times, acknowledged what I am doing for my people in Oyo South Senatorial District?
“For the avoidance of doubt and in order to clear the false narratives being bandied about, I will like to set the record straight in respect of what I have done so far for my people.”
It quoted Balogun as saying that no sooner was he pronounced the winner of the senatorial election in 2019 than his opponent instituted various litigations challenging his victory.
“These litigations consumed the larger part of the first six months of my assumption of office as an elected senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As if this was not enough distraction from the performance of my legislative duties, the COVID-19 pandemic threw a sudden catastrophic spanner in the wheel of all the planned programmes of action for my district.
“However, in spite of all the distractions, both natural and human, I still ensured my constituents enjoyed the dividends of democracy, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, during and after,” it read.
The statement listed the senator’s initiatives to include facilitation of N60 million continuous revolving loan scheme and capacity building for nine cooperative societies in Ibadan in February 2020; and facilitation of N50 million capacity building programme for 45 youth and women selected from the nine LGAs in the art of film-making and business at Alice Place, Ibadan in February, 2020 in collaboration with the Nigerian Film Corporation, Jos.
It added that the senator facilitated a N50 million Capacity Building and Empowerment on Local Government Councils in Agriculture in nine LGAs at the IAR&T, Moor Plantation, Ibadan between 19th and 21st January, 2021; over N350 million COVID-19 loan to over 450 trade groups, big markets, media and the Ohaneze Nndigbo traders in the district between June and August, 2020.
Balogun’s selfless dedication to the growth and welfare of the constituents, the statement read, were clear testimonies of his sterling quality.
