It was like another jamboree galore on Monday 7th October 2024, as residents of Ikeja Federal Constituency trooped out in their numbers to partake in another food Palliatives doled out by Rt. Hon James Abiodun Faleke, the Second in two months, at the Blue Roof, LTV, in Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos State.
Faleke again distributed 5kg of rice and 2kg of semovita to each constituent who were able to produce their voters’ card from Ikeja Federal Constituency devoid of any political party, religion or tribe affiliations in the well coordinated and seamless event.
The amiable Federal Lawmaker in an interview with journalists at the event said “the essence is to support families of Ikeja Federal Constituency that actually needs it, the less privilege people who sent me to represent them”.
“What we are here to do is a continuation of our palliative distribution. We started in April when we handed over 10kg of rice and 4 kg of semovita to each of 11,000 residents of Ikeja.
“Today, we are determined to give 10,000 people who reside in Ikeja Federal Constituency, perhaps we’ll finish by 7 pm”.
“We are giving them five kilograms of rice and two kilograms of Semovita, we will continue to do it next month. It should be bigger than this”.
“We expect that our less privileged people will continue to benefit, we need to support and help our people”.
On using the voters’ card as a criterial “The only criteria is to be a voter, you must be a registered voter, your political affiliation does not matter, just have a voter card,” he alluded.
“I would have said the Lagos Residents Permit (LASSRA), but you know I represent Ikeja Federal Constituency, the people who are benefitting today are the less privilege people who sent me to Abuja to represent them, the privileged won’t be here because they are able to provide for themselves and family”.
“Meanwhile, we have had series of other interventions that include several empowerment trainings and grants, recently we had for 2,166, another one is coming soon for another 2,100, we will continue to do this on behalf of President Bola Tinubu”.
Highlights of the event was the Presence of the MHR, himself to assists in the orderliness and presentation of the food items.
“These are my little ways of supporting them, government alone cannot do it, economy develops through medium enterprises, if you have little businesses that are thriving and our government is also saying no more taxes for the medium and small-scale businesses from January, for me and I keep on saying it, I think we are lucky, this is my forth term in the Assembly, I’m opportune to know the situation we found ourselves financially, as the Chairman Committee on Finance I knew quite well that former President Buhari’s administration we were borrowing to pay salaries, crude-oil had been sold in advance.
Faleke commended President Tinubu economy policies for reviving the already collapsed economy before he resumed office last year.
Some of the recipients interviewed by Lagos Panorama at the event were full of enthusiasm and prayed for Rt Hon Faleke, for deeming it necessary to remember the masses at this critical period of high cost of food.
The Executive Chairman of Onigbongbo LCDA Hon ‘Oladotun Olakanle described the event as monumental and averred that Rt Hon Faleke should be commended for his continuous support to his constituency.
Hon Olakanle noted that “either you like it or not this will be felt by people in Ikeja and its environ”.
The Executive Chairman Ojodu LCDA Hon Segun Odunmbaku described the pioneer Chairman of his council as a worthy representative of the people who should be commended for his continuous support for the people of Ojodu LCDA and the entire Ikeja Federal Constituency.
Speaking in the same vein the event Alhaja Olusola Kokumo, the Chairperson of All Progressives Congress (APC) Ojodu Local Council Development Area, in an interview with Lagos Panorama described Faleke’s gesture as commendable.
She said that Hon Faleke in his usual manner always remember his people.
She noted that Ikeja being the political base of his Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that this is the legacy that he laid down that Rt Hon Faleke is treading on.
“He has been doing this even before he got elected into the House of Reps, he keeps assisting members of his constituency,” she said.
She concluded that Nigerians should give President Tinubu enough time to fix the economy.
Also, one of the political leaders interviewed by Lagos Panorama from Ikeja, Princess Toyin Obaseki said that this is not the first time that Hon Faleke is bringing smiles on the faces of his constituents, she affirmed that he has severally distributed food palliatives, empowering and training people in different vocations like fishing, farming, other small-scale businesses.
She prayed that the Almighty God continue to strengthen and preserved him for the Ikeja People.
Mrs Adesike Ojobaro, a businesswoman, who also benefitted, told Lagos Panorama that she would continue to pray for Faleke for his assistance over the years.
“This is not the first time. Even before he became a politician, I benefitted from many of his empowerment programmes.
” I pray that God continues to keep him in good health. He is a good man,” she affirmed.
The Member House Representatives for Ikeja Federal Constituency have also facilitated medical outreach where over 2,000 constituents have benefited in medical consultancy, treatments and series of medical surgeries.
