The Senator representing Ondo Central Senatorial District, Distinguished Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN, has reacted strongly to a viral video accusing him of neglecting Idanre Local Government Area, describing it as a “malicious and poorly-scripted campaign of calumny.”
In a press statement issued by his media office on Saturday, Senator Adegbonmire dismissed the video, allegedly circulated by one Henry Blessing, as a desperate move by faceless political elements unsettled by his steady and people-focused leadership.
According to the statement, Henry Blessing, identified as a self-styled activist with a questionable past, is notorious for blackmail-for-hire antics and had, in the past, orchestrated similar smear campaigns against notable political figures in Ondo State.
“This malicious video, which attempts to paint a false picture of neglect in Idanre, is nothing more than a desperate act of political ventriloquism, orchestrated by faceless political jobbers threatened by the Senator’s rising profile,” the statement read.
The Senator’s office further explained that it is not within the constitutional duties of a Senator to construct roads or build hospitals, but rather to make laws, perform oversight functions, and attract federal projects to their constituencies. It noted that infrastructural development remains the primary responsibility of the executive at both state and federal levels.
Reacting to claims of neglect, the media office listed several projects and initiatives Senator Adegbonmire has facilitated in Idanre, including:
- A bill currently before the National Assembly for the establishment of a Federal College of Vocational and Technical Studies in Idanre.
- Distribution of thousands of school bags, exercise books, and magnetic boards to local schools.
- Donation of laptops to the National Association of Idanre Students and provision of modern projectors to churches, schools, and institutions.
- Free JAMB forms for indigent students in 2024 and 2025, with scholarships awarded to the two best-performing Idanre candidates.
- Youth and women capacity-building programs in ICT, solar energy, cassava processing, and oil palm production, with beneficiaries provided with starter kits.
- Distribution of free fertilizers and liquid agro-inputs to local farmers.
- Installation of solar-powered streetlights and boreholes in multiple communities within Idanre.
Senator Adegbonmire reaffirmed his commitment to equitable representation, assuring that no local government under his district would be left behind.
“While administrative and logistical delays may affect rollout timelines, our resolve to deliver the dividends of democracy to Idanre remains unshaken. More projects are underway,” the statement assured.
The Senator’s media office urged the public to disregard what it described as the antics of a failed blackmailer seeking cheap relevance, emphasizing that “Nigeria needs builders, not noise-makers.”
