A coalition youth groups in Kabba has condemned Senator Sunday Karimi’s first one year in the national assembly, insisting the lawmaker is an “epitome of wasteful and failed legislative representation”.

The coalition accused the senator of neglecting Kabba, which they noted is the headquarters of Kogi West senatorial district, from “all his epitome of wasteful, failed and directionless activities of the senator since assumption of office one year ago.”

The groups, in a statement made available to newsmen, said the senator has refused to establish a constituency office which supposed to be located in Kabba, thereby, cutting the Kogi West constituents from connecting with their elected representative.

They also alleged that the senator hardly come home but rather chose to remain in Abuja or travel abroad at the detriment of his constituents.

The group coordinator, Comrade Jethro Olorundare Dada, accused the senator of neglecting Kabba in his choice of selecting his Senior Legislative Aide (SLA), Legislative Aide, Personal Assistant, Secretary and other staff working for the senator in his National Assembly, but only engaged in a lopsided appointment from one axis of the senatorial district. A situation, they noted, has never happened in the history of the senatorial district.

The statement read:

“Go to his office at the National Assembly, Abuja, all you will see there are his brothers. All his staff from the Senior Legislative Aide, Legislative Aide, Personal Assistant, Secretary and other side staff are the Senator’s brothers and sisters. This is where his failure commences.

“This is an epitome of wasteful and failed legislative representation. The senator who has been running around the big names in the red chamber only to make money for himself, of recent announced a lowly four slots for Kogi West senatorial district into the 87 recruitment of the Nigerian Army, neglecting Kabba in the recruitment and offer. Mopamuro, Kogi, Yagba West and Lokoja local government areas are the sole benefiting LGAs.

“Senator Sunday Karimi continued his woeful performance and his neglect of Kabba in his one year non-performance and failed representation when he again announced six slots without Kabba making the list for the 2024 recruitment into the police force. Only Ijumu, Kogi, Lokoja, Mopamuro, Yagba East (2 slots) benefited.

“While other Senators from Kogi state are giving gainfully employment for their constituents at the federal agencies, ministries, departments and private organizations, unfortunately in Kogi West, some constituents are seen on the social platforms celebrating the failed federal lawmaker for facilitating ‘recruitment’ for Army and Police for his constituents. These are what those who are not in the position of authorities are doing for their people. Recruitment Facilitator Senator. Shameful.

“Of recent, the senator also announced the setting up of a committee for 100 million naira yearly students bursary award whereas no names was mentioned as members of the committee. Our questions are; could this be a deceit or another of his failed attempt which has made the senator not to disclose the members of the committee? How would a committee they said would implement his yearly bursary award for Kogi West senatorial district in public tertiary institutions across Nigeria be constituted in secret and never announced the members for the constituents he is representing? Which criteria did the senator put together before constituting the committee and who are the people did the senator consulted before constituting the said committee he said he was constituted? And who are the members of the committee if they are truly constituted? All these questions beg for answer without any further delay.

“The senator should not forget that our constituency allowance is over 100 million and he should be open with the ways and manner at which he carries out the expenses of the constituency allowance and activities.

“During the tenure of Senator Smart Adeyemi and Senator Dino Melaye, they both attended public functions across the senatorial district to include, wedding ceremony, burials, community/cultural days and what have you. Senator Karimi has never attended any function around here just because of his non-performance and failed representation in office and his failure to give qualitative and effective representation but only running around as errands in the red chamber to make money for himself at the detriment of his constituents.

“The senator have never deem it fit to make a thank you tour or visit to Kogi West senatorial district since he assumed office in June 2023. He has not been seen around us. If by accident, you see or meet him, he will look down at you because he has no interest in the people he is representing at the red chamber.

“We want to remind the senator that the power to show him the way out of office and the power to make him fail his second term bid should the senator have it in mind to re-contest lies in our hands, the electorate. We will resist any intimidation, last hour achievements to get votes and vote buying from any non-performing and failed representatives whom we have elected as our representative in the forthcoming general elections. We will give out our votes according to your performance as non-performing and failed representatives in position of authority would never get our votes again.

“You have the next three years to continue your failed representation and non-performance in office. There is nothing time can not heal. We will make corrections this time around. A word is enough for the wise.”