By Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
The principal of St Augustine College , Kabba, Mr Emmanuel Abolusoro Friday barred a member of the National Assembly representing Yagba Federal Constituency, Hon Leke Abejide from paying the WAEC fees of the final year students of his school.
The Reps member who has been paying WAEC fees of students in Yagba Federal Constituency in the last five years decided to extend the good gestures to other federal constituencies in the Kogi west senatorial district.
Thus, several schools have been slated to benefit from the philanthropic gestures of the Lawmaker which is expected to run for three days starting from Okebukun High School which was already carried out by 10 .00 am on Friday.
However, when it was the turn of St Augustine College, Kabba the House of Reps member who is seeking for second term under the platform of ADC along with his long convoy was told point blank by the principal that ‘an order from above’ said the students must not come out to receive the already prepared cheques
The Lawmaker who expressed sadness that the students were not allowed to benefit from the scheme expressed surprise that the Principal did not inform him earlier inspite of his several communications with him over the programme.
He said the money allocated for the WAEC payment was his personal funds and not that of government which he said was aimed to cushion the plights of parents and students and not aimed at scoring cheap publicity saying he has been doing this long before he became a Lawmaker.
Hon. Abejide stressed that he was one of the strong supporters of Governor Yahaya Bello who worked for his re election in 2019 stressing he has never criticized nor done anything to undermine the governor’s interest in the past and wonder why he was not allowed to render this humanitarian gesture.
The president of Kabba Development Union, Emmanuel Ajibero who described Abejide’s gesture as novel and encouraging said the WAEC payment will indeed help many of the students especially the indigent to concentrate more on their studies while it will serves as a great relief to parents.
The Director General Leke Abejide foundation, Mr Shola Adebola however, said considering the plights of some aged parents who were already seated for the ceremony, the Lawmaker will still come back tomorrow morning by 10. 00 am to give out cheques to students and urged their parents to be punctual.
Those in the entourage of the Lawmaker are top politicians in the area including ADC senatorial
candidate, Dele Williams, the Kabba-Bunu/ Ijumu Reps candidate, Architect Salman Idris and the Kabba- Bunu House Assembly candidate, Ayodeji Olumudi.
When contacted, the Executive Chairman of Kogi State Science Technical Education and Teaching Service Commission, Mrs. Cecilia Cook denied instructing Principals not to allow the Federal Lawmaker from paying WAEC fee.
Mrs. Cook said developing the education sector is a collective responsibility, saying as a responsive and responsible government, her office will never issue such letter.
According to her, the Principal acted out of ignorance.
