Real facts have emerged on the reason Senator Kola Balogun, the younger brother of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun Alli Okunmade II, was denied a second term ticket to the National Assembly by the Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde.
Contrary to reported claims, it has been discovered that the decision to deny the incumbent senator a second term ticket was informed by the fear of the Balogun family becoming too powerful for the governor to control.
Governor Makinde, about two weeks ago, gave his anointed candidate, Mr Joseph Tegbe, the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to contest for the 2023 senatorial election in Oyo South Senatorial District.
The governor, among some other reasons, reportedly alleged that Senator Kola Balogun had not performed and that he was not taking care of the party leaders in the senatorial district.
However, breaking his silence for the first time since the development, Senator Balogun said Governor Makinde was pressured by some powerful cartel in his Guest House who were afraid that having a Balogun as the Olubadan and another Balogun as a senator would be too strong for the governor to control.
The incumbent senator, in a statement, “Real Facts Why Makinde Denied Olubadan’s Brother A Second Term Ticket”, said that the governor was initially against the idea of dropping him as a senator but later caved in to the pressure.
“At the initial stage of preparation for the coronation of the Olubadan, the governor was unyeilding but a group within his house impressed it on him the implications of having two Balogun brothers as the Olubadan and as a senator.
“He initially rejected the suggestion by this group. A very prominent resident of Ibadan was with the governor on a pressing state matter when this same set of people came back to further convince him to stop my second term ticket.
“He also rejected the suggestion for the second time. But subsequent efforts of these people brought in a former senator from the state and they made him to cave in to their demand.
“Governor Makinde reportedly made some claims that I am not performing and that I am not taking care of the party leaders in the nine local government areas in Oyo South Senatorial District.
“As a Christian, can he swear with the Holy Bible and with his life that those were the real and principal reasons he took that decision?
“I challenge him to publicly swear before the PDP stakeholders; before the people of Ibadan, Oyo South Senatorial District and the entire state that he took that decision solely because of the reasons stated in the report. If he can do this, I will come back to openly apologise to him.
“The allegation of non-performance against me is puerile. The record of my performance and achievements is in the public domain and it is hereby attached to this piece,” he said.
Senator Balogun also challenged the governor to publicly disclose the party leaders in Oyo South Senatorial District who alleged that he was not reaching out to them.
“In Oyo PDP, under the leadership of Governor Makinde, we have two categories of party leadership. We have the formal leaders from the ward to the state levels, plus other recognised leaders.
“We have been relating with this category of party leaders in the course of my duty as a senator, both collectively and individually. The records are there for all to see.
“I made financial contributions to the campaign efforts of Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, both when he was running for the office of the PDP South-West zonal chairmanship and the Deputy National Chairman (North). It was in millions of naira. Some prominent leaders of the party are my witnesses.
“The party leaders in the senatorial district, including the nine local party chairmen, women leaders and youth leaders, among others, are all involved in the various projects, training and empowerment programmes initiated, sponsored or facilitated by me.
“If the allegation is true that I don’t relate with them, why would these party leaders be angry with the governor for denying me a second term ticket? Why would the local government chairmen of the party write to him, asking him to endorse me?
“We however concede to him that there are some informal leaders who are landlords in his Guest House. These people have constituted themselves into a very powerful and influential cartel.
“These informal leaders may be the ones who are complaining because some people who are seeking one favour or the other must go through them in order to get the attention of the governor.
“I don’t think that it is normal for me, as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to have a political relationship with the governor, and having to go through these informal leaders in his Guest House.
“So, they may be the ones complaining that I don’t give them anything. But I have absolutely no apologies to make in that regard.
“Even at that, I don’t part with less than between N100,000 and N200, 000 each time I visit the governor, either at his Abuja residence, Ibadan residence or the Governor’s Office in Ibadan. What else does this governor want from me?
“At the last PDP stakeholders’ meeting that he called, I gave out the sum of N5million; N4.5million at N500,000 per local council for the leaders and stakeholders’ from the senatorial district in attendance at the meeting, while the remaining N500,000 was for logistics for those who handled the money.
“On the same occasion, I gave some of his staff who were around that day the sum of N100,000. The same night, the nine local government chairman in the senatorial district sought to hold a meeting with me.
“I met with them and I also gave them money. So from where did this governor get all these spurious allegations that he is spinning around? The facts are there.
“Our conclusion from all of these is that these allegations are not only spurious, they are also pure lies from the pit of hell.
“Governor Makinde should remember that all power belongs to God and He gives it to whoever He chooses. The battle is still on and the final judgment is of the Lord,” Senator Kola Balogun wrote.
He also mentioned his programmes and projects in Oyo South Senatorial District, among which were:
A. EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMES
•Facilitation of N60 million Continuous Revolving Loan Scheme and capacity building for nine (9 nos) Cooperative Societies in Ibadan in February 2020
•Facilitation of N50 Million Capacity Building programme for 45 (nos) of youth and women selected from the nine local government councils of the district in the Art of Film making and business which was held at Alice Place, Ibadan in February, 2020, in collaboration with the Nigerian Film Corporation, Jos.
•Facilitation of N50 million Capacity Building and Empowerment on Agricultural Entrepreneurship for 100 Youths and Farmers in the nine Local Governments of the District was held at the IAR&T, Moor Plantation, Ibadan 19th – 21st January, 2021.
•Facilitation of over N350 million COVID-19 Loan to over 450 different trade groups, big markets, members of the press, inclusive of the Ohaneze Indigbo traders in the district between June and August, 2020.
•Facilitation of the payment of Federal Government N30,000 each Survival Fund to 434 (Nos) tradesmen and artisans in Oyo South Senatorial District in June, 2020 total N13.02M.
•Facilitation of the payment of N20,000.00 each Palliative Grant of the Federal Government to 100 Women in the District in the Month of February 2021 at the State Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State, total N2m.
•Facilitation of payment of Twenty Thousand Naira (N20,000,00) grant to empower 1,000 women and youths in Oyo South Senatorial District through the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, via beneficiaries’ personal accounts total N20m.
•Facilitation of N14m grant provision to market men and women in Oyo South Senatorial District, paid via Nigeria Prisons Micro-Finance Bank in February 2021, through the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN).
•Facilitation of N11m Continuous Revolving Loan Scheme for fresh eight cooperative societies in Ibadan and Ibarapa in April, 2021.
•Training and Empowerment of people with disability in Oyo South Senatorial District, Oyo State, N40m.
•Training and Empowerment (N50m) of youths on agricultural value chain in Oyo South Senatorial District at IAR&T, Moore Plantation, Ibadan, Nov 2021.
•Training and Empowerment (N130m) of youths on agricultural value chain in Oyo South Senatorial District at IAR&T, Moore Plantation, Ibadan, – Dec 2021
B. INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
B-1 Transformers
•Provision and installation of 300KVA electrical transformer and accessories at Ashi Community in Ibadan North Local Government Area (protected with fence and gate).
•Provision and installation of 300 KVA electrical transformer and accessories at Fagbamila Community in Ibadan North East Local Government Area (fenced with gate).
•Provision and installation of 500 KVA transformer and accessories at Padi, Oke- Ofa, Ibadan North East Local Government Area (fully energized).
•Provision and installation of 500 KVA electrical transformer and accessories at Oke-Offa, Babasale area, Ibadan North East Local Government Area.
•Provision and installation of 300 KVA Transformer with Accessories at Osungbade, Area of Molete in Ibadan South East Local Government Area (properly fenced with gate).
•Provision and installation of 500 KVA transformer and accessories at Falola Street, Osoba Area of Ibadan South West Local Government Area.
•Provision and installation of 500KVA transformer and accessories at Salvation Army Area of Ibadan North West Local Government Area.
•Provision and installation of 300 KVA transformer at Arise Area of Iddo Local Government Area.
•Provision and installation of 300 KVA transformer with accessories at Riverview Estate, Idi-Ishin of Ibadan South West Local Government Area.
•Provision and installation of 300KVA transformer and accessories at Alatere Community of Iddo Local Government Area.
•Provision and installation of 500 KVA electrical transformer and accessories at Aliiwo, Ibadan North East Local Government Area.
•Provision and installation of 300 KVA transformer with accessories at Alesinloye Market, Ibadan South West Local Government Area.
B-2 Solar Light
•Supply and installation of 87 solar-powered street lights in different locations of the local government areas of Oyo South Senatorial District.
Areas that benefited are Oke-Aremo, Aliiwo, Alaatare, Agala Estate, UCH and the University of Ibadan, Alesinloye, Bodija, Agodi Gate Araromi Spare Parts, Sango, Mokola, Sabo, Apata and Adelabu Markets.
B-3 School Classrooms
•A completed block of two classrooms with toilet, office, store and solar-powered light and other facilities at Oje-Igosun Grammar School, Ibadan North Local Government Area (already handed over to UBEC who in turn had handed it over to Oyo SUBEB.)
•Construction and completion of one block of three classrooms at Community Primary School at Itabo, Lanlate at Ibarapa East Local Government Area.
•Construction and completion of one block of two (2) classrooms at Oke-Oba, Eruwa Local Authority Primary School in Ibarapa East Local Government Area.
•Construction and completion of one block of 3 classrooms at Okusehinde Primary School, Aremo, Ibadan North East.
•Construction and furnishing of 1 block of 2 Classrooms at Islamic Primary School, Agugu
•Construction of 2 blocks of 2 Classrooms with furniture at Agbaje Memorial Primary School, Agbaje Ayeye, Ibadan North LG.
•Construction of 1 blocks of 2 Classrooms with furniture at AUD II, PRIMARY SCHOOL, IGANGAN, IBARAPA NORTH LGA .- Ongoing
•Construction and furnishing of 1 block of 3 Classrooms at Islamic Primary School, Agugu – Ongoing.
B-4 Supply of Study Materials
•Supply and provision of study materials to three Community Primary Schools viz:
•NA Primary School , Inalende, Ibadan North Local Government.
•Community Primary School, Olomo, Iddo Local Government
•Community Primary School, Oke-Ayo, Odo-Ona Ibadan South West LGA.
L.A. Primary School 1, Oke-Oba Series, Ibarapa East LGA.
•Plastic Chairs and tables – 30 sets per school
Mathematics Kits – 3 boxes per school
Hardcover Quarto Notebook – 5 copies per school
Hardcover Ledger Notebook – 5 copies per school
80 leaves Exercises Books – 551 copies per school
40 Leaves Exercise Books – 550 copies per school
20 Leaves Exercise Books – 550 copies per school
60 Leaves Exercise Books – 550 copies per school
Marvelous Pry 1 Maths. Textbooks – 100 copies per school
Marvelous Pry 2 Maths Textbooks – 100 copies per school
Marvelous Pry 3 Maths Textbooks – 100 copies per school
Marvelous Pry 1 Eng. Textbooks – 100 copies per school
Marvelous Pry 2 Eng. Textbooks – 100 copies per school
Marvelous Pry 3 Eng. Textbooks – 100 copies per school.
B-5 Boreholes
•Provision of solar powered borehole, with overhead water storage tanks for NECO office in Agodi, Ibadan North Local Government.
Sinking of a new solar powered borehole at Yanko-bi-ororo in Ward 10 Lanlate, Ibarapa East Local Government.
•Provision of borehole, with overhead water storage tanks at Bodija Market, Ibadan North Local Government.
•Provision of borehole, with overhead water storage tanks at Aleshinloye Market, Ibadan South West Local Government.
•Provision of borehole, with overhead water storage tanks at Elekuro, Ibadan South East Local Government.
•Provision of borehole, with overhead water storage tanks at Agodi Araromi Market, Ibadan North West Local Government.
•Provision of borehole, with overhead water storage tanks at Police Qtr, Idishin, Ibadan South West Local Government
•Provision of borehole, with overhead water storage tanks at Gbenla/Aliiwo, Ibadan North Local Government .
•Provision of borehole, with overhead water storage tanks at Ogunmola Compd, Ibadan North Local Government.
•Provision of borehole, with overhead water storage tanks at Laatosa, Ibadan North Local Government .
•Provision of borehole, with overhead water storage tanks at Irefin Compd, Ibadan North East Local Government.
•Provision of borehole, with overhead water storage tanks at Alatare, Ibadan North Local Government.
B-6 Roads
•Rehabilitation Onipasan-Odejayi-Araromi-Spare Part Market Road, Ibadan.
Rehabilitation of 1 kilometre Road at the BCJ to the Railway line in Ibadan South West Local Government.
•Construction of bridge and rehabilitation of Odo Eran road at Igboora in Ibarapa Central Local Government.
•Rehabilitation of one-kilometre road at the Gbekuba, after Railway line in Ido Local Government
Construction of Township road in Felele Area of Ibadan South East LG, Ibadan
Rehabilitation of a Street in Samonda Aerodrome Estate, Ibadan. Ongoing.
B-7 Palaces Under Renovations – Ongoing.
Renovation of Ogunmola Palace, Ibadan South East LGA in Oyo South Senatorial District.
Renovation of Irefin Palace, Ibadan South East LGA in Oyo South Senatorial District
Renovation of Aliiwo Palace, Ibadan South East LGA in Oyo South Senatorial District
Renovation of Aare Latosa Palace, Ibadan South East LGA in Oyo South Senatorial District
Continuation of the construction of Olubadan Palace, Ibadan, in Oyo South Senatorial District
B-8 Facilitated Relief Assistance to persons affected by massive fire incident at the Agodi Araromi Automobile Spare Parts Dealers Markets.
The Relief Materials are:
350 bags of 10kg rice
350 bags of 10kg Beans
350 Bags of 10kg Garri
150 Kegs of Vegetable Oil
150 Cartons of tin tomato ( 24/48)
300 Bags of Cement ( 50Kg)
300 pces of Ceiling Board
300 bundles of Roofing Sheets
150 Bags of 3inches nails (25kg)
150 Packets of Zinc nails
C. LEGISLATIVE DUTIES
C-1 BILLS:
The Bills sponsored by me are as follows:A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Health Act, 2014, TO Regulate Medical Treatment Abroad and for other Matters Connected Therewith, 2020.
A Bill For An Act To Alter The Provisions Of The Constitution Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999 ( AS AMENDED), To Make Provisions For A Periodic Conduct Of National Population And Housing Census In Nigeria.
A Bill For An Act To Develop A Decentralised System Of Vigilantism Peculiar To Every Local Community In Nigeria, Facilitate Community Policing, Neighbourhood Watch, Local Intelligence Gathering And For Other Related Matters.
A bill for an Act to amend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act.
Memorandum for the creation of Ibadan State was submitted to the Constitutional Amendment Committee.
C-2 CO-SPONSORED BILLS AND THE ONES I SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF.National Primary Health Care Development Agency Act Amendment Bill.
South West Economic Development Commission Bill.
Bill for Act for the Establishment of Federal University of Technology Yaba. Moved by Senator Olamilekan Adeola Solomon of Lagos West.
Bill for an Act to Establish a Commission for Electoral Offences.
He supported the Bill for The Establishment of North Central Development Commission; Sponsored by Sen. Abba Moro.
C-3 MOTIONS.
Urgent need to upgrade the status of the Ibadan Airport from local to International Airport.
Need to immortalise Late Chief Richard Akinjide SAN due to his Contribution towards national development.
Petition was submitted at the floor of the senate against the Nigeria Custom for invasion of the Bodija and Orita Merin Market.
C-4 MOTIONS SUPPORTED.
Supported motion for the revitalization of Textile industry in Nigeria.
I spoke in support of the appointment of Hon. Sunday Dare’s appointment as a minister.
I contributed during the 2020 appropriation debate wherein I spoke on the need to increase budgetary spending on Education, Healthcare, Power, Road and Rail infrastructure and Agriculture.
C-5 OVER SITE FUNCTIONS.
I attended various over site of the following senate committees to which I belong:
Anti-Corruption and Financial Crime
Army
Culture and Tourism
Youth and Sports development.
Education (Primary and Secondary).
Power
Public Procurement
Water Resources
Science and Technology.
Trade and Investment.
He was always punctual at the various senate committees meetings where he is a member thereof and he makes meaningful contribution.
D PERSONAL EFFORTS
Dugbe Market Fire Disaster Interventions:
On April 15th, 2020 there was an outbreak of massive fire incident at the popular Dugbe Market and Araromi Spare Part Market. Even though I was not around, but the moment the sad news reached me, I directed my District office team to visit the place immediately and I was able to relate and sympathise with the traders. At the end of the inspection conducted on my behalf by my home team, I donated the sum of One Million Naira to each of the markets.
Community Supports:
On a similar note, I have donated cash in support of many Communities and Associations across the District to assist self helps projects initiated by landlords associations and others.
Industrial Mediations:
Even though the Oriental Foods Industry Limited located at Kilometre 14, Ibadan-Lagos Expressway Ibadan was outside my District, a distress call by the Management of the industry was taken up with seal to forestall imminent closure of the milk producing industry with a staff strength of close to five hundred employees. The matter was taken to the Senate, the CBN Governor, the Minister of Commerce, Trade, and Industry where I had pleaded that the company be given a lifeline of 4 years import licence concession to import dry milk powder to enable it continue in operation during which it promised to comply with the backward integration directives stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
CCII
•I have, since assumption of office as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, been pursuing in collaboration with the executives of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), the matters relating to the creation of Ibadan State from the existing Oyo State. We have presented our memorandum at the zonal meeting of the National Assembly Constitution Amendment Committee in Ikeja in May 2021 following the submission of same earlier to the House Committee at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Bodija, Orita Merin & Oja Oba Markets Support
In my quest to ensure free conduct of business by traders in my District, I have stood up stoutly against the recent invasion by midnight and in the absence of the traders of the Bodija International Market, Orita-Merin and Oja-Oba Markets in Ibadan, by men of the Customs from Ikeja Unit in Lagos who had carted away thousands of Bags of Rice, Millions of Naira, Gari, and Vegetable Oil on suspicion that the items were imported. Following my presentation of their petitions to the leadership of the National Assembly, the House Committee on Ethnics took it up and brought both the Customs and the traders face to face. Today the locked up shops had been opened for the traders by the Customs and efforts are on-going for the return of their products.
It’s an economic sabotage and will be resisted at all times for as long as I remain their representative at the National Assembly.
Araromi Agodi Spare Parts Dealer Markets Intervention
I have also visited and identified with the traders at Araromi, Agodi, Sparte Parts Market in Ibadan that got burnt overnight in May 2021. I have invited the leadership of the National Emergency Management Agency to the market and together we decided on what steps we needed to take to provide reliefs for the traders. I have done same for Gbaremu Ijokodo and Mammy Markets in Ibadan
Covid19 Interventions:
From the period I was announced the Winner of the February 23, 2019 National Elections to the Senate, I have embarked on the provision of relief materials for my Constituents during the Covid 19 pandemic and after as well as food items and cash gifts to my people during major religious festivals.
Contract Interventions:
•I have also stood up to assist some indigenes of the Districts who were owed large sums of money by the Federal Agencies after the completion of their contracts. These were contracts that had been executed before the commencement of my tenure.
Employment:
•But for the various crisis confronting the Federal Government, quite a number of our Youths who had been slated for employment at the Federal level would have resumed. The Covid 19 Pandemic and the prevalent insecurity challenges across the country had seen fund mobilization priority into only these two areas as against where the Youths would have benefitted immensely. As tight as it were, a handful of them have been lucky to secure employments through my efforts.
Social Event Sponsorship:
•In response to the organisers of the yearly beauty pageants competition in Oyo State, I have donated a car and reasonable sum to the contest just to ensure we make our Youths happy.
Admissions to Tertiary Institutions:
•My District Office has been besieged by parents seeking admission for their children at both the Secondary and Tertiary Institutions of learning in Nigeria. Quite a handful of such requests were attended to promptly and admissions were secured for them through my intervention.
NYSC Support:
•Over 1000 students of Oyo State origin have been assisted for redeployment to a more secure choice of states of their own for their NYSC primary assignments.
Support to Adegoke Timothy’s Family
•Instant action on the gruesome murder of Timothy Adegoke from Eruwa who was killed at Hilton Hotel in Ile Ife. I also supported the family with scholarship to the two of the children as well as petition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for diligent investigation and prosecution of the case.
It should be noted that all the above-listed achievements were within two years of the post-COVID-19 pandemic. And as at the time of this response, the implementation of the 2022 Budget had yet to commence.
