Snake Scare: Akeredolu Accuses Lawmakers of Dereliction,Fumes at Media

The Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said he is unhappy that facts over snake scare in the state house of assembly were deliberately distorted by a section of the media on the incidence.

The governor stated this when he visited the Assembly Complex shortly on his return to the state from the Federal Capital Territory where he had gone for a two-day meeting.

The governor was quoted to have described the incident as embarrassing to him and the state.

Akeredolu said the Principal Officers of the house had confirmed to him that neither snake nor ceiling fell on the Speaker during plenary as reported by the press.

The Governor who described as unacceptable the maintenance culture of the house said despite the low level of the state finances,his administration has continually released the legitimate dues of each arm of government.

He said “ All I have come to do is to verify exactly what happened and i have seen is that there’s an attempt to blackmail the state and the government won’t take it.

I was given the fact and i wanted to be sure that the speaker and most of the principal officers are here and have heard from them for us to know what exactly happened and they have told us that no snake fell here yesterday and day before,they were not sitting when the ceiling came down,they only met the ceiling that came down.

It was reported that they were sitting. No. All the pictures they put all there are fake. So how do they(media) come about their story. So there’s an attempt to blackmail the government and i don’t believe that is the best approach. ”

This (legislature ) is an arm of government and they have their votes and the ones they are entitled to is the ones we give them.

This place is termite infested and certainly the termites have been dwelling here for several years.

We just spent two years and there is no way termite infestation in less than two years can cause such destruction.

Something is wrong, this place has not been maintained. Members of the house have always been here, what have they done about maintenance of this place? If they have not been concerned about this place, we all have to sit down and work things out. ”

Addressing the lawmakers at the hallowed chamber ,Akeredolu said “What happened here, this house has been here for several years .

So if termites go here and eat this place, no doubt ,except if you treat this place for termite , it will fall down. It is not structural.

It is because you have failed to maintain this place. ” Akeredolu said.

The governor however assured that on the renovation of the complex in due course.

The Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Bamidele Oleyelogun debunked reports on a section of the media which claimed that snake fell on him at plenary during the week.

Describing the reports as spurious, the speaker said the media did not only misrepresent the house on the snake sighted in its hallow chamber but also goofed on the reason which led to the adjournment of plenary.

Oleyelogun said the snake incident on Wednesday though had been a periodic occurrence in the past but was not the reason for adjournment of the house on Thursday.

He added that Members of Assembly met the ceiling of the chamber already caved in as a result of termite infestation on Thursday and as such the house could not commence proceedings but was quick to add that the newsmen who were already in the gallery concorted the unfounded story of snake fall.

He however, stated that the incidence could have been avoided if past administrations had released funds as budgeted for the maintenance and renovation of the entire complex particularly the hallow chamber which had been infested by termites for over ten years.

Oleyelogun flanked by Principal Officers of the house appreciated Governor Akeredolu for coming to show concern with the legislators as soon as he returned to the state from a two-day official assignment in Abuja.