Political associates including former Lagos council chiefs, well-wishers and stalwarts of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday joined family members at a special prayer session organised for House of Representatives member, James Abiodun Faleke.
The prayer session came a day after friends and thousands of constituents from the Ikeja Federal Constituency converged on the expansive De Blue Roof, within the premises of LTV8 for a Worship and Praise session that went on for hours.
Before the kick-off of the prayer rains, the various groups within the constituency took turns to testify to Faleke’s benevolence. They presented the celebrator with souvenirs.
At the event were representatives of the APC. They include the National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka and, his deputy/one-time House of Representatives member, Durosinmi Meseko, among others.
One-time Lagos Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Adefulire-Orelope also graced the special prayer session.
Mrs. Adefulire-Orelope attested to the generousity of the celebrator. Accoring to her, Faleke has been a good ambassador of the party since his days as council chairman.
Faleke, who was the pioneer chairman of the Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), chaired Conference 57 – League of Lagos State Local Government Chairmen.
The two services were parts of a five-day programme organised to mark the 65th birthday of the lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency.
Cash grants to selected constituents at the same venue will tomorrow drop the curtain on the anniversary, which many describe as “very impactful”.
The anniversary opened last Friday with training and empowerment for 1,423 artisans who went home with poverty alleviation and economic starter packs.
The artisans were given generating sets, deep freezers, industrial sewing machines, tyre pumping machine for (vulcanizers), barbing and hair driers as well as welding machines among others.
Ten tricycles were also given out.
The beneficiaries, including the physically-challenged constituents were full of appreciation to the lawmaker, who they described as “Friend of the masses”
On Saturday, it was the distribution of food palliatives to more than 20,000 constituents.
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Nasirudeen Agoro, who spoke for the Ward chairmen in the Federal Constituency, said there was no regret having Faleke as the lawmaker representing the area in the National Assembly.
Alhaja Kokumo Olusola spoke for the chairmen of Ikeja Local Government, Ojodu Local Council Development Area and Onigbongbo Local Council Development Authority.
She expressed gratitude of the APC in the Federal Constituency, saying that Faleke has lived up to the Atunluse-Akorede of Ikeja Land chieftaincy title conferred on him and the Yeye Atunluse-Akorede of Ikeja Land conferred on his wife, Bukunola Esther, jointly by the royal fathers in the three councils making up the Federal Constituency.
On his motivation to always empower constituents, Faleke said it was his own way of reaching out to Nigerians resident in his constituency.
According to him, political affiliations, ethnicity and social status are never considered in picking beneficiaries in any of his empowerment programmes.
“What a constituent needs to partake is the presentation of his/her valid Voter Card”, he said.
He said he counted himself lucky to have shared the same birthday with Jesus Christ.
“By the grace of God, I will be 65 on Wednesday (yesterday). I was born on December 25. I’m priviledged to share the same birthday with the Lord Jesus. So, my job is to do the assignment given to me by my maker to serve humanity,” Faleke said on Friday.
He took time to encourage the sub-nationals – states and local governments to compliment the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at lifting the living standards of Nigerians.
He allayed the fears being entertained in some quarters over the Tax Reform Bills, explaining that the reforms come with a rare opportunity to redistribute national wealth.
Faleke said the right application of improved allocation to all the tiers of government by those in the saddle would catapult Nigeria to the comity of flourishing nations.
According to him, the stoppage of petrol subsidy payment and the blockage of loopholes by the Tinubu administration have triggered improved revenue which are being shared through the Federation Accounts and Allocation (FAAC) committee.
He said those at the helms of affairs no longer have any excuse on non-performance following the Supreme Court verdict on autonomy and better revenue allocation.
