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Gbajabiamila Advises Epe Constituents On Rotational Representation, Hails Raji For Education Projects

Published

3 years ago

Mar 7, 2022.

Otunba T.J Abass

Gbajabiamila Advises Epe Constituents On Rotational Representation
Hails Raji For Education Projects

By Otunba T.J Abass

Eko Hot Blog reports that Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, has urged constituents of Epe Federal Constituency to reconsider the unwritten convention of “one term” window in the interest of continuity and fluidity of political representation.

The Speaker, who was in Epe to commission a number of projects executed by Member representing Epe Federal Constituency, Hon Wale Raji, said:

“I know it is the tradition of the people of Epe to term-limit their elected representative, but if the tradition does not augur well for the progress of the community, it is time to jettison such tradition and embrace ideas, the ideology that is tantamount to the progress of the community as witnessed in Epe Federal Constituency 1 in the last four years.”

“The tradition will not engender positive transformation as productivity, performance, quality representation, and accountability will be inconsequential. The elected representative, not oblivious of the restriction of the tradition, will now sit on his laurels rather than articulate the interest of his constituents. He will be more interested in his gratification than the interest of the electorates,” the Speaker said.

“Let me talk politics; we can not run away from it; just a few days ago, the president signed into law the new electoral act that has astounding provisions that will make our elections free, fair and credible. One thing that has been done by INEC, which concerns everybody here in Epe, is that our Primaries select who represents our great party, unlike never before, the primaries will take place very early, and that’s in the next six or eight weeks there about.”

Gbajabiamila further cautioned on the need for Epe people to embrace dynamism in its political philosophy as against holding on to old and unproductive ideologies.

He said: “Let me now reiterate, I want to charge the people of Epe to do what is right, and I will tell you what in my opinion is right. I was here towards the end of Hon Wale Raji’s 1st term, and I made a public statement here in Epe. I said Epe has a tradition, a tradition of moving from one rep to another rep after four years. We all respect that tradition, but when a tradition does not bring progress, you rescind that tradition,” he said.

“The job of an elected member of the House of Representatives varies. Besides the legislation process, participation in debates and holding the executive branch of the government in check, the representative, in most cases, steps outside the legislative boundaries to serve his constituents with an array of life-changing initiatives just like what we are witnessing today.“

He said coming to grips with the job (lawmaking) was a gradual process that involved a steep learning curve. As such, it is counter-productive to abort this process before allowing it to yield the expected return on investment.

“All the programmes assembled today by Honorable Wale Raji for commissioning typify the enormous responsibility placed on the shoulder of an elected representative.”

“The cost of training them is considerable, and the learning curve is gradual and steep. It takes several years to get to grips with these responsibilities; it is, therefore, counterproductive to harp on the tradition. Instead, the performance should be precedence.”

‘I am appealing to all Epe residents to seriously ponder that and allow the continuity of the collaboration between the Speaker’s office and Hon Wale Raji, which I believe will attain a new crescendo in the next legislative session,’ he continued.

‘I also had a meeting with all the Traditional rulers in Epe Federal Constituency 1 today. I was given a letter of unequivocal endorsement of Honorable Wale Raji for another term, signed by traditional rulers. I promise to discuss the letter’s contents at the top echelon of the party,’ he concluded.

As gathered by Eko Hot Blog, Hon Gbajabiamila commissioned four out of fifteen educational projects across Epe Federal Constituency.

The 13 Educational projects facilitated are:

A Fully Equipped ICT Centre of 81 capacity at Ogunmodede College, Epe.
100 Bed fully furnished Hostel in Epe Grammar School)
Teachers Staff Quarter at Orugbo
A Block of Six Classrooms with furniture and VIP Toilets in the following Schools
Agbowa Community Grammar School,
Odomola Secondary School,
Army High School,Epe.

*A Block of Six Classrooms with furniture in the following schools.

LG School Noforija
Odo-Obara High School
The proposed Community High School, Temu
A Block of 3 Classrooms with furniture at LG Primary School, Oriba
A Block of 2 Classrooms with furniture at Community Senior Academy, Ayandelu-Onosa
A Block of 3 Classrooms with furniture, borehole and toilet at LG Primary School, Aboriji

Other projects executed by the charismatic lawmaker include: Click Here To View

Aremo of Epe land, Otunba TJ Abass, in an interview with Eko Hot Blog described the intervention projects as a historic event that will end the perennial trend which once made education an exclusive reserve of the wealthy.

“I went to the history books, and there was never a time when a sitting Speaker of the House of Representative visited Epe to commission such a plethora of landmark achievements that cut across all economic spheres. Nor there was ever a time a member of the House of Representatives would put together such a laundry list of impactful projects.”

“He represents a paradigm shift in Epe polity, where the unbroken chain of quality representation becomes a litmus test as opposed to the politics of the past when education was weaponised to keep the underprivileged in a perpetual box of poverty.”

He further described Hon Wale Raji as a dealer of hope and a tremendous asset to the community.

Barrister Olayinka Oladunjoye, the APC State Vice-chairman, described Honorable Wale Raji as an epitome of hard work and has represented his constituency creditably well with an array of life-changing projects. I am indeed very proud of his sterling records.

Some of the beneficiaries at Ogumodede College that Eko Hot Blog interviewed were full of praises for the lawmaker

Pictures from the event:

Epe Obas alongside APC leaders and stakeholders in a group photograph with Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.

From Left, Lagos APC Chairman, Pastor Cornellious Ojelabi, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Hon Wale Raji and his counterpart, Prince Bayo Balogun at the commissioning of blocks of classrooms at Odo-Obara High School, Epe.

Hon Wale Raji addresses the Epe Obas headed by Oloja of Epe at the Royal Palace of Oloja of Epe.

Hon Wale Raji flanked by party stalwarts addressed the gathering during the commissioning.

Hon Wale Raji, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and Epe Snr. Grammar School Principal, Mrs Oduwole.

Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila unveiling the commissioning of 100 Bed Capacity at Epe Grammar School.

Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila received the letter of endorsement for Hon Wale Raji from the Chairman of Epe Council of Obas & Chiefs, HRM Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun, the Oloja of Epe Land alongside Aladeshonyin of the Odo-Noforija Kingdom and Elejinrin of Ejinrin Kingdom.