By Emmanuel Onwusoro, Ado Ekiti
Wednesday September 3, 2025
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Contributions and execution of projects by lawmakers representing Ekiti North in both the upper and lower chambers of the National Assembly to their constituencies will be better appreciated if they are in tune with the needs of the people.
This observation was made by the Justice Development and Peace Initiative (JDPI) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti State Chapter, during the September edition of the citizens’ report presentation on the performances of the members of the National Assembly, representing Ekiti North Senatorial District of the State, held at the Secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The Director of Programmes, Justice Development and Peace Initiative in Ekiti, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Akingbade, noted that Citizens’ Watch Programme is an activity of the Justice Development and Peace Initiative (JDPI) of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti Council aimed at holding elected representatives accountable to their constituencies.
The report focused on the representatives of the people of Ekiti North in the National Assembly which includes Hon. Akintunde Rotimi, representing Ikole/Oye Federal Constituency I, Hon. Kolawole Akinlayo, representing Ido-Osi/Moba/Ilejemeje Federal Constituency II, and Senator Cyril Fasuyi, representing Ekiti North Senatorial District comprising Ikole, Oye, Ido-Osi, Moba, and Ilejemeje LGAs, had representatives of each of the National Assembly Members in attendance.
Rev. Fr. Akingbade pointed out that a team of eight persons was dispatched to the district to randomly interview the people concerning their rating of their representatives as well as the Federal Government projects nominated for execution in their district.
“The people interviewed were randomly selected and engaged in one- on-one basis, and their responses were carefully collated and analysed with Pivot Table, and interpreted using Likert Scale tool”.
The report also stressed that representatives need to put a clearly defined methodology in place as regards how they connect with the people they represent in an inclusive manner. Adding Periodic Citizens’ Engagement is non-negotiable.
It underlined that the people need to be more concerned with the projects being nominated for their Senatorial District and Federal Constituencies, considering that a Senator is now entitled to nominate constituency projects worth Two Billion Naira yearly for his/her Senatorial District, and a Member of the House of Representatives is entitled to nominate constituency projects.
Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Kayode Babatuyi, said the programme was an enforcement of the constitutional right of the media and that of every citizen, upholding government and those in power accountable.
“We have not come here to embarrass anybody. Our aim is to ensure that we have a society that we can all be proud of, and in which those that have been elected to represent the people are actually representing well”.
It was the consensus of the JDPI, NUJ and other stakeholders that the lawmakers be advised to always keep in touch with their constituents in terms of projects execution and empowerment programmes which would enable them meet the people’s needs.
FULL REPORT
CITIZENS’ WATCH REPORT PRESENTED ON THE 2ND OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 BY JDPI AND NUJ ON THE PERFORMANCES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS REPRESENTING EKITI NORTH OF EKITI STATE
INTRODUCTION
Citizens’ Watch Programme is an activity of the Justice Development and Peace Initiative (JDPI) of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti Council on holding elected representatives accountable to the people they represent.
This report is on the representatives of the people of Ekiti North in the National Assembly in the persons of Hon. Akintunde Rotimi, representing Ikole/Oye Federal Constituency I, Hon. Kolawole Akinlayo, representing Ido-Osi/Moba/Ilejemeje Federal Constituency II, and Senator Cyril Fasuyi, representing Ekiti North Senatorial District comprising of Ikole, Oye, Ido-Osi, Moba, and Ilejemeje LGAs.
A team of 8 persons was dispatched to the district to randomly interview the people concerning their rating of their representatives as well as the Federal Government projects nominated for execution in their district. The people interviewed were randomly selected and engaged on one-on-one basis, and their responses were carefully collated and analysed with Pivot Table, and interpreted using Likert Scale tool. The report of this exercise is here below presented.
A. On Senator Cyril Fasuyi representing the Senatorial District:
550 persons were randomly interviewed.
• 220 were women (40%).
• 330 were men (60%).
• 63% were Farmers/Traders/Artisans.
• 21% were Self Employed/Private Sector Employed.
• 6% were Civil Servants/Public Officers/Government Employed.
• 6% were Traditional Rulers/Clergies/Retirees.
• 1% were unemployed.
• 4% were students.
• 64% do not belong to any political party.
Awareness and accessibility of the people to the representative
• 23% do not know the Senator.
• 90% do not know any contact with which he can be reached.
• 80% do not know whether he has a constituency office.
Engagement with the constituents
• 92% do not know whether the Senator has held any town hall meeting with the people of the district.
• 97% do not know whether he has at any time interacted with the people of the district to explain any policy of the government to them.
Constituents’ awareness of the bills sponsored by the Senator
• 97% were not aware of any bill sponsored by the Senator.
Performance rating
§ On closeness to the people of the Senatorial District:
o 2% rated the Senator excellent.
o 3% rated him good.
o 18% rated him fair.
o 22% rated him poor.
o 55% rated him very poor.
Using Likert Scale tool to find the average, he is rated POOR.
§ On overall performance:
o 1% rated the Senator 5 over 5.
o 4% rated him 4 over 5.
o 12% rated him 3 over 5.
o 7% rated him 2 over 5.
o 25% rated him 1 over 5.
o 51% rated him 0 over 5.
Using Likert Scale tool to find the average, he is rated 1 over 5.
B. On Hon. Akintunde Rotimi representing Ikole/Oye Federal Constituency I:
280 persons were randomly interviewed.
• 105 were women (38%).
• 175 were men (62%).
• 64% were Farmers/Traders/Artisans.
• 23% were Self Employed/Private Sector Employed.
• 3% were Civil Servants/Public Officers/Government Employed.
• 3% were Traditional Rulers/Clergies/Retirees.
• 4% were students.
• 1% were not employed.
• 63% do not belong to any political party.
Awareness and accessibility of the people to the representative
• 15% do not know the Honourable.
• 69% do not know any contact with which he can be reached.
• 79% do not know whether he has a constituency office.
Engagement with the constituents
• 71% do not know whether the Honourable has held any town hall meeting with the people of the district.
• 80% do not know whether he has at any time interacted with the people of the district to explain any policy of the government to them.
Constituents’ awareness of the bills sponsored by the Honourable
• 86% were not aware of any bill sponsored by the Honourable.
Performance rating
§ On closeness to the people of his constituency:
o 19% rated the Honourable excellent.
o 21% rated him good.
o 25% rated him fair.
o 14% rated him poor.
o 21% rated him very poor.
Using Likert Scale tool to find the average, he is rated FAIR.
§ On overall performance:
o 10% rated the Honourable 5 over 5.
o 15% rated him 4 over 5.
o 26% rated him 3 over 5.
o 15% rated him 2 over 5.
o 5% rated him 1 over 5.
o 27% rated him 0 over 5.
Using Likert Scale tool to find the average, he is rated 2 over 5.
C. On Hon. Kolawole Akinlayo representing Ido-Osi/Moba/Ilejemeje Federal Constituency II:
360 persons were randomly interviewed.
• 175 were women (48%).
• 185 were men (52%).
• 58% were Farmers/Traders/Artisans.
• 25% were Self Employed/Private Sector Employed.
• 7% were Civil Servants/Public Officers/Government Employed.
• 6% were Traditional Rulers/Clergies/Retirees.
• 4% were students.
• 68% do not belong to any political party.
Awareness and accessibility of the people to the representative
• 15% do not know the Honourable.
• 74% do not know any contact with which he can be reached.
• 81% do not know whether he has a constituency office.
Engagement with the constituents
• 80% do not know whether the Honourable has held any town hall meeting with the people of the district.
• 85% do not know whether he has at any time interacted with the people of the district to explain any policy of the government to them.
Constituents’ awareness of the bills sponsored by the Honourable
§ 99% were not aware of any bill sponsored by the Honourable.
Performance rating
§ On closeness to the people of his constituency:
o 21% rated the Honourable excellent.
o 13% rated him good.
o 25% rated him fair.
o 21% rated him poor.
o 20% rated him very poor.
Using Likert Scale tool to find the average, he is rated FAIR.
§ On overall performance:
o 24% rated the Honourable 5 over 5.
o 9% rated him 4 over 5.
o 19% rated him 3 over 5.
o 21% rated him 2 over 5.
o 6% rated him 1 over 5.
o 21% rated him 0 over 5.
Using Likert Scale tool to find the average, he is rated 3 over 5.
D. Our findings on the Federal Government’s Constituency Projects for the Senatorial District/Federal Constituencies
From the spending and daily payment report of the Federal Government made available to the public
via https://www.govspend.ng/, we found that the following payments have been made for Constituency Projects within the Senatorial District/Federal Constituencies:
₦133,705,578.98 was paid to DEFINITE AND AMICABLE PARTNERS LTD on the 29th of November, 2023 as final payment for the supply and installation of integrated 3-IN-1 solar street lights and pump and solar powered borehole in Ekiti North Senatorial District, Ekiti State.
₦79,534,883.72 was paid to TVET-UK NIG LTD on the 30th of December, 2023 for provision of entrepreneurship development programme in Ekiti North, Ekiti State.
₦79,534,883.72 was paid to ORLABU MULTIPURPOSE NIGERIA LIMITED on the
30th of March, 2024 for entrepreneurship development training for women in Ekiti North, Ekiti State.
₦170,909,090.31 was paid to OLLYRAY GLOBAL LINK LIMITED on the 8th of April, 2024 for emergency supply of rice to Ekiti North Senatorial District of Ekiti State.
₦87,441,860.46 was paid to SOMPHALOS INTEGRATED LTD on the 11th of
November, 2024 as 30% mobilization for the construction and equipping of youth centre at Ikole-Ekiti North Senatorial District, Ekiti State.
₦85,454,545.46 was paid to BELLYWAY CITY CONTRACTORS LIMITED on the 17th of March, 2024 for emergency supply of rice in Ekiti North I, (IKOLE/OYE) Federal Constituency, Ekiti State.
₦85,454,545.46 was paid to LAKEHOUSE BUSINESS NETWORK LIMITED on the 6th of April, 2024 for emergency supply of rice in Ekiti North Federal Constituency, Ekiti State.
₦128,181,976.70 was paid to ASTA RESOURCES AND INVESTMENT LIMITED on
the 22nd of May, 2024 for emergency supply of grains (rice) to communities in Ekiti North I Federal Constituency, Ekiti State.
₦14,100,000.00 was paid to INDITEX GLOBAL SERVICES LTD on the 22nd of August, 2024 as mobilization payment for the medical mission for selected communities in Ekiti North I (IKOLE/OYE) Federal Constituency, Ekiti State.
₦24,857,345.93 was paid to BLACKGOLD CONSTRUCTION LIMITED on the 4th of November, 2024 as 30% mobilization fee of the sum for human capital development and strategic empowerment for indigents in Ekiti North I, IKOLE/OYE Federal Constituency, Ekiti State.
₦19,560,000.00 was paid to REDWOOD MULTI CONCEPTS LTD on the 4th of November, 2024 in respect of training of youth in entrepreneurship and startup in North Constituency II, Ekiti State.
₦18,538,068.65 was paid to NORTON INNOVATIONS SERVICES LIMITED on the
19th of December, 2024 as 30% mobilization fee of the job sum for procurement and installation of ALL-IN-ONE solar street lights in Ekiti North I, IKOLE OYE Federal Constituency, Ekiti State.
Also, from Tracka via this link https://tracka.ng/infographic, we found that the following projects were
nominated for the Senatorial District/Federal Constituencies in the years 2023 and 2024 budgets:
1. SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF ICT EQUIPMENT IN IFAKI ICT HUB, IDO-OSI LGA, EKITI NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT, EKITI STATE (₦22,000,000).
2. AGRIBUSINESS CAPACITY BUILDING FOR YOUTH AND WOMEN FROM SELECTED COMMUNITIES IN EKITI NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT, EKITI STATE (₦50,000,000).
3. PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS AND HERBICIDES TO FARMERS IN EKITI NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT (₦100,000,000).
4. PROCUREMENT OF AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT FOR FARMERS IN SELECTED TOWNS OF EKITI NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT (₦100,000,000).
5. SUPPLY OF CUSTOMIZED BOOKS TO SELECTED SCHOOLS IN EKITI NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT (₦22,000,000).
6. COMPLETION OF IRE HALL, IRE EKITI, EKITI STATE (₦50,000,000).
7. CONSTRUCTION OF LECTURE THEATHERS AT FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF OYE PART TIME CENTER AT OLD RAPID SCHOOL OFF IJESHA ISU ROAD IKOLE EKITI, EKITI STATE (₦60,000,000).
8. RENOVATION OF A BLOCK OF THREE CLASSROOMS AT COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL IJESHA ISU EKITI, EKITI STATE (₦15,000,000).
9. RENOVATION OF A BLOCK OF THREE CLASSROOMS AND A BLOCK OF FOUR CLASSROOMS AND SUPPLY OF LABORATORY EQUIPMENT AND CHEMICALS AT IKOLE CITY COLLEGE, IKOLE EKITI, EKITI STATE. (₦31,000,000).
10. ELECTRIFICATION OF ORIN ODO ROAD, IKOLE EKITI, EKITI STATE (₦20,000,000).
11. SKILL ACQUISITION AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR TRADITIONAL RULERS IN SELECTED COMMUNITIES IN OYE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN EKITI NORTH I FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY (₦75,000,000).
12. EMPOWERMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND GRANTS TO COMMUNITIES IN OYE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN EKITI NORTH I FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY (₦75,000,000).
13. EMPOWERMENT FOR WIDOWS AND ORPHANS IN EKITI NORTH I FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY (₦17,000,000).
14. SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF COMPUTER AND FURNITURE AT IYE ICT CENTRE, IYE, EKITI STATE (₦25,000,000).
15. COMPLETION OF PHASE II AND SUPPLY OF FURNITURE AT OTUN LIBRARY BUILDING, EKITI STATE (₦25,000,000).
16. GRADING OF RURAL ROADS IN IDO-OSI/MOBA/ ILEJEMEJE FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, EKITI STATE (₦41,000,000).
17. PROVISION AND SUPPLY OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF WALKWAYS AT THE GENERAL HOSPITAL; OTUN EKITI, EKITI NORTH II, EKITI STATE (₦30,000,000).
18. PROVISION OF SOLAR POWERED BOREHOLE IN SELECTED TOWNS IN MOBA/IDO- OSI/ILEJEMEJE FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, EKITI NORTH II, EKITI STATE (₦30,000,000).
19. SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF COMPUTER ACCESSORIES AND FURNITURES AT ILOGBO ICT CENTRE IN IDO-OSI, EKITI STATE (₦25,000,000).
20. SKILL ACQUISITION ON TRAINING AGRIBUSINESS FOR YOUTHS AND WOMEN IN EKITI NORTH II FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY (₦80,000,000).
21. SUPPLY OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO SOME SELECTED SCHOOLS IN EKITI NORTH II FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY (₦41,000,000).
22. SUPPLY OF EMPOWERMENT ITEMS TO YOUTHS AND WOMEN IN EKITI NORTH II FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY (₦50,000,000).
23. PROVISION AND INSTALLATION OF ALL-IN-ONE-SOLAR STREETLIGHTS IN EEGUN-JAGBA-PERE EKITI STATE (₦12,171,846).
From our visit to the different communities, and from the people interviewed in the communities, we found as follows among other things:
• On supply and installation of ICT equipment to Ifaki ICT HUB – Our Team visited the site, and found no single visible ICT equipment there. The Team was told that the ICT equipment that were supplied and installed in the centre were carted away by hoodlums who looted the place, and that the remnants were taken to the palace for keep.
• On agribusiness capacity building for youth and women in the senatorial district – All the youths and women interviewed were oblivious of the project.
• On procurement and supply of agricultural chemicals and herbicides to farmers in the senatorial district – HRM, Oba Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti confirmed that the exercise was carried out in his palace, and that the items were properly distributed to the beneficiaries. Majority of the people interviewed confirmed that the distribution was carried out, though they claimed not to be aware of the criteria used for selection of the beneficiaries, and also said
that some of the people who benefitted were not farmers, and that majority of the beneficiaries were party members or relatives of the party members.
• On procurement of agricultural equipment for farmers in selected towns of the senatorial district – Most of the farmers interviewed said that no agricultural equipment other than sprayers was procured for the farmers in the district, and that majority of the beneficiaries of the sprayers were party members.
• On supply of customized books to selected schools in the senatorial district – At the time of our visit, schools were on holidays. However, our Team made enquiry on the project from some members of the communities who had children in different respective government schools, and also from a few available government schools’ teachers. Most of the interviewed persons had different opinions about the project – some said only children in the upper Primary (Pry 6) received few notebooks, some said the said activity was done by Old Students Association, while some of the teachers said nothing like that was done in their school.
• On construction of lecture theatres at FUOYE Part-Time Centre at Old Rapid School, Off Ijesha Isu Road, Ikole Ekiti – Our Team found the buildings on the way to Odo-Ayedun, Ikole Ekiti. The Team made enquiries and were told that the buildings were in use, although, neither students nor lecturers was found there as at the time of the investigation.
• On renovation of a block of three classrooms at Comprehensive High School, Ijesha Isu Ekiti, and renovation of a block of three classrooms and a block of four classrooms and supply of laboratory equipment and chemicals at Ikole City College, Ikole Ekiti – Our Team could not verify these projects because all schools were on holidays at the time of their visit.
• On electrification of Orin Odo Road, Ikole Ekiti – Our Team confirmed that only 8 solar street lights were erected on the road.
• On skill acquisition and financial support for traditional rulers in selected communities in Oye LGA – The traditional rulers interviewed said they were not aware of the project. Upon enquiry by some traditional rulers of the LGA concerning the project from the Honourable member representing the Constituency, the Honourable Member called us to inform us that the project was executed on December 16, 2024 for selected key stakeholders such as: Oloris, Iyalajes, Iyalojas, Eyelobirins, Baba Egbe Omo Ilu, Community Youth Leaders, and three nominated Chiefs from each community.
• On empowerment and community development and grants to communities in Oye LGA – Majority of the people interviewed said they were not aware of such grants. However, few persons confirmed that there was a time they were asked to converge at Ikole for an empowerment programme where they received the sum of Ten Thousand Naira each (₦10,000). When asked about how they were selected, they said that they were party members.
• On empowerment for widows and orphans in Ekiti North I Federal Constituency – Some of the people interviewed said they were aware of some widows who got cash gifts (₦10,000) and some food items such as rice, beans and semovita. A widow at Omu Ekiti confirmed that she got the said items.
• On supply and installation of computers and furniture at Iye ICT Centre – Our Team found the Centre under lock and key, and the environment was very bushy and untidy. The people interviewed in the community confirmed that the building had been locked for a very long time, and that no one had had access to the building.
• On completion of Phase II and supply of furniture at Otun Library Building – Our Team found the library in an abandoned state. The people interviewed confirmed that the library had not been functional for a long while.
• On grading of rural roads in Ido-Osi/Moba/Ilejemeje Federal Constituency – Our Team found that work was on-going on Erinmope-Ikosu Road, and Ido-Ipere Road. The people of majority of the communities visited complaint of bad roads.
• On provision and supply of medical equipment and construction of walkways at the General Hospital, Otun Ekiti – Our Team was shown some medical equipment supplied to the hospital. The Team also saw some walkways, though the quality of these walkways is a matter of serious concern.
• On provision of solar powered borehole in selected towns in Ido-Osi/Moba/Ilejemeje Federal Constituency – Another complaint of most of the people in the towns visited bothers on lack of water. In communities where our Team found solar powered boreholes, they are not functioning. A woman interviewed in Osi said that the solar had no capacity to pump the water, so the community had to take their generator to the site once in a while to get the water pumped.
• On supply and installation of computer accessories and furniture at Ilogbo ICT Centre – Our Team visited the Centre and found the place overtaken by thick bushes, and the building abandoned.
• On skill acquisition and training agribusiness for youths and women in Ekiti North II Federal Constituency – The people interviewed were not aware of this project.
• On supply of educational materials to some selected schools in Ekiti North II Federal Constituency – This is similar to one of the projects nominated by the Senator for the Senatorial District, of which the Ekiti North II Federal Constituency is inclusive. Our findings on this project are not different from the ones earlier reported.
• On empowerment items to youths and women in Ekiti North II Federal Constituency – Very few market women interviewed said that they benefitted from the empowerment items by receiving about 1 to 2 kongos of rice during Christmas with some cash gifts. About the youth empowerment, some of the youths said that the Honourable was helpful getting JAMB forms for them.
• On provision and installation of all-in-one solar street lights in Eegun-Jagba-pere Ekiti – The Team visited the site which is located somewhere inside Otun town. Our Team found functional borehole and one streetlight assumed to be the all-in-one solar streetlight just directly beside the borehole. The Team was reliably informed that the streetlight was also functional.
E. Recommendations and Conclusion
The above findings apparently show that the representatives whose performances have been examined need to work on the quality of their representations. The system of democracy which we practice in Nigeria is ‘Participation Through Representation’. This practice requires back-and-forth
at all times between the representatives and the people they are representing; otherwise, the representatives might just be representing themselves and their cronies while they think that they are representing the people. In the light of this, we recommend the following:
1) The representatives need to put a clearly defined methodology in place as regards how they connect with the people they represent in an inclusive manner. Periodic Citizens’ Engagement is non-negotiable.
2) That nominated projects for a constituency must align with the needs of the people of the constituency is more than stating the obvious.
3) The people need to be more concerned with the projects being nominated for their Senatorial District and Federal Constituencies now that a Senator is entitled to nominate constituency projects worth Two Billion Naira yearly for his/her Senatorial District, and a Member of the House of Representatives is entitled to nominate constituency projects
worth One Billion Naira yearly for his/her Federal Constituency.
4) Our collective efforts can achieve responsive and responsible governance, electorates should continue to ask their representatives questions.
Thanks.
Signed: –
FOR JDPI: Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Akingbade, Director, JDPI
FOR NUJ: Com. Kayode Babatuyi, Chairman, NUJ
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