An 18 – man commissioners’ list transmitted to Ogun State House of Assembly by Governor Dapo Abiodun has sharply divided the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state, Daily Trust reports.
When the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, at different fora, promised to run “all inclusive government”, little did he know that the move would land him in a troubled water. If he knew, perhaps, he didn’t envisage the controversy that has trailed the list of commissioners compiled in the first year of his government.
Abiodun’s victory at March 9 polls was a product of multi-parties alliance. And this was in spite of being a candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Shortly after the poll, Abiodun set up a transition committee, comprising party leaders from the APC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), apparently setting the tone for his planned “inclusive government.”
The move was largely seen as payback to the opposition parties.
But watchers of Ogun politics have dismissed the promise, ab initio. Abiodun himself admitted about three months into his government that his party men were constituting a clog in the wheel of progress.
“I want to be the most inclusive governor this State has ever had. I have extended a hand of fellowship to members of the opposition parties, especially those that we contested together to join hands with me in taking the State to greater height.
“But I know that some people in our party are not favourably disposed to my decision to run a participatory government… they are saying, what manner of inclusiveness is that?,” the governor had told journalists.
For seven months now, the governor has been battling with diverse political blocs over “who takes what” in his cabinet. He held series of meetings both with his party leaders and leaders of the opposition, who obviously want to take “their share” in government.
Interestingly, his delay in appointment of commissioners was one of the yardsticks with which political pundits have rated his style of governance as “slow.”
Finally, he Abiodun sent an 18 – man Commissioner – nominees’ list to Ogun State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation. The list, expectedly, raised the dust over the alleged sidelining of some political blocs in the appointment.
Insiders told our correspondent that the list was exactly what the aggrieved political blocs need to vent their anger against Abiodun and his government. Besides, women group also viewed the appointment, which conceded only two slots to womenfolk as “unacceptable.”
Some APC chieftains loyal to former Governor Olusegun Osoba were first set of political blocs who threw caution into the wind by rejecting the nominees’ list.
The controversial list did not represent Abiodun’s proclamation that “he will run all inclusive government in Ogun State,” they submitted.
The loyalists under the aegis of “Osoba Political Family”, in a strongly worded statement, said some individuals “who are conservatively greedy business men and hijackers of power” had succeeded in hijacking the soul of Abiodun – led administration. The statement was jointly signed by Otunba Ayo Martins and 23 others.
“Osoba Political Family has patiently observed the activities of these individuals who are conservatively greedy business men and hijackers of power who have succeeded in hijacking the soul of the present administration in Ogun State.
“These power manipulators were part of past government in Ogun State that people in their wisdom rejected but stealthily walked back into the realm of government through the calm approach to governance by Prince Dapo Abiodun and are ready to wreck further havoc to the dreams and aspirations of the Progressives in the APC and the State who worked tirelessly for the emergence of the Governor,” they said in the statement.
Continuing, they said “We also want to remind the governor that the all-inclusive government promise has not taken the Osoba Political Family into consideration in the past and present appointments made, as there are loyal, distinguished, qualified and experienced persons in the Osoba Political Family.
However, the group called on the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to prevail on Abiodun to “do the needful and correct the imbalance perceived so far in Ogun State.”
While the dust raised by the “Osoba Political Family” is yet to settle, the Senator representing Ogun West at the National Assembly, Tolu Odebiyi, threw his weight behind them.
In a statement titled “Before we lose it all, let’s stop the drifting,” and personally signed by Odebiyi, a former Chief of Staff, described Abiodun’s commissioners’ list as an attempt to exclude people who suffered for his emergence as the APC candidate and his eventual victory during the election.
The senator warned Abiodun to reverse the commissioners’ list in the interest of the state.
“It is unfortunate that things are drifting apart in our party, the APC in Ogun State. We are daily frittering the massive goodwill of the party men and women who toiled day and night to ensure our success in the face of daunting political opposition and uncertainty which confronted us before the 2019 general elections.
“For some of us who, against all odds, supported the APC, at the precipice of losing our political goodwill and that of our forebears, it leaves a sour taste in our mouths.
“At the risk of being physically attacked by some of our constituents for sticking by our party and showing loyalty, because they felt we should do otherwise.
“We were insulted and called names. Nevertheless, we were not only undeterred but also unwavering and unflagging. We worked hard to ensure the success of our party at the polls.
“Why then is the government we laboured to install being run in exclusion of those that worked for the success of the party?,” Odebiyi asked.
Scores of women in Ogun State also stormed the governor’s office and the State House of Assembly complex to turn down the list.
Speaking on behalf of the Coalition of women in Ogun state, the convener, Dr Abiola Akiyode, said the women rejected the list submitted by the governor on the ground that there is only 11.5 per cent women representation.
Akiyode argued that the governor had refused to fulfill his promise of 50 per cent women representation in his cabinet.
She described the list as an affront to women in the state, adding that the women of the state were angry with the governor.
“Gbenga Daniel had about 37 per cent women representation in his governance and Ibikunle Amosun appointed like 45 per cent of women.
“We were shocked to see the list the governor sent to the House of Assembly and we think this is an affront looking at our contribution to his emergence,” she said.
Despite torrent of rejection and controversies, the APC in the state, defended Abiodun’s list and described the rejection and protests as a distraction to both the party and the government.
The Publicity Secretary of the APC Caretaker Committee, Tunde Oladunjoye, in a statement issued, said the composition was based on the lists of nominees sent by the party leaders to the Governor.
According to him, the conclusion reached at the party’s caucus meeting, on Friday, October 11 was that every leader of the party in each Federal Constituency should forward the list of candidates to be considered by the Governor as Commissioners.
Oladunjoye said, contrary to some peoples’ views that the list was lopsided, investigation by the party revealed that majority of the party members were satisfied with the list.
“We plead with the few who may have misgivings or have not made the list, to allow the expressed will of the party leaders to prevail. It is too early for divisiveness and distractions,” the statement read.
However, the rejection and protest could not deter members of Ogun State Assembly House of Assembly who had screened and confirmed 17 out of 18 commissioner – nominees. However, one of them, Dr Tomi Coker, failed to appear during the screening.
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