Group to rep: Ondo motor park solely funded by building institute… it’s not partnership

Ekimogun Roundtable, a socio-economic group of Ondo indigenes, has chided Abiola Makinde, a member of the house of representatives, over claims of co-sponsoring the funding of a motor park project in the state.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Christiana Ayodele, acting secretary of the group, said Makinde, who represents the Ondo east/Ondo west federal constituency, claimed to have partnered with the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NIBBRI) to build a motor park in Ondo city scheduled for inauguration on August 24.

Ayodele said there is a distinction between government-funded projects and private or joint ventures.

She said the motor park is entirely funded by the federal government, which holds 100 percent of the project’s equity.

She added that Makinde’s role in the project should be limited to his legislative duties, adding that any claim of partnership or stake is inappropriate and misleading.

“Before a conjunctive or partnership stake can be announced, parties must come with equity contributions in an agreeable form,” the statement reads.

“We, as a people, are more interested in the entire procurement detail in terms of source of funds, cost implications, scope of work, bill of quantity, and other contract details rather than such an inexistent stake announced by Hon Makinde.

“Politicians should stop acting in a manner suggestive of rendering favour to the people, and hon. Makinde should be reminded that legislators are not empowered to engage in executive functions in a manner that arrogates project sponsorship or procuring entity functions to them, as this amounts to clear misinformation.

“The only entity recognized in an entire procurement process under the country’s Public Procurement Act, and as far as this motor park project is concerned, is NIBBRI; any other conjunctive/partnership arrangement with any person becomes a procurement infraction.”

The group had announced plans to recall the lawmaker, alleging that he has relocated abroad and abandoned his constituency.