By Kolade Larewaju
THE Speaker of  Ogun State House  of Assembly Mr. Tunji Egbetokun has expressed regret that the State government’s attempt to raise fund from the Capital Market has been unnecessarily politicised by some people he referred to as sycophants.

Egbetokun who spoke in Abeokuta insisted that the bond issue had attracted unnecessary controversy “because the issue has been imprisoned” by interested persons for selfish reasons.

He assured that if the Executive properly re-presents the bond to the House and was prepared to answer all questions pertaining to it satisfactorily, the House would give the go ahead.

Egbetokun who also denied allegation by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Sina Kawonise that he was behind the petition that lead to arrest of  three government officials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] expressed the hope that the lingering feud between the government and a section of the House will soon come to an end.

The  State Finance Commissioner, Mr. Kehinde Sogunle  only last week announced  that the state government  would make a fresh attempt to raise  N100 billion as against the N50 billion being sort before adding that the state government was going for broke.

Egbetokun in a chat with newsmen  said “the issue of the bond is unfortunate because we have allowed it to generate unnecessary controversy. Besides the issue has also been ‘imprisoned by sycophants’. The House did not approve the N50 billion loans last year because the executive arm of government attempted to sideline the Legislators by citing a 1982 State Edict to back its action

“As at now the government is yet to get in touch with us [House] about the fresh effort on the bond issue. But any time they do, we are going to ask some questions, such as the true situation of the State finances.

“We will also ask them how every kobo would be spent and on which project and if we are convinced about the need for it, we will then ask them to present a bill for it after which we will ask stakeholders to make their own input.
“But for now the issue has been imprisoned and any time they open the door and it comes out, we will reconsider it”