Date: 2018-01-13

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara state yesterday described the recent move to recall a member of the state House of Assembly, Hassan Oyeleke as amateurish.

Alhaji Oyeleke is representing Eesa/Shaawo/Igodun constituency of Offa, at the state House of Assembly.

Some politicians from Offa, Offa local government area of the state early this week threatened to initiate the recall of the legislator alleging poor representation.

Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the state capital Spokesperson of Kwara South APC, Chief John Ogundiran said "we wish to state that we not only have in 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.

Chief Ogundiran added the the legislator "enjoys the confidence and the support of the traditional rulers, religious leaders, party leaders, the youths and the other stakeholders."

Said he: "It is therefore irksome that some amateurish politicians have in recent times begun 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 some politicians against the lawmaker, 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."

He asked "is there any reasonability or tenable reasons for seeking the recall of 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."