No fewer than 80 political parties in Ogun State have thrown their weights behind Governor Dapo Abiodun’s plan to appoint opposition parties’ members into his cabinet.
Daily Trust reports that Abiodun who had vowed to run an inclusive government, hinted that the move was part of his drive to ensure participatory democracy in the interest of the state.
Speaking at a meeting between the governor and leaders of all the parties at the Governor’s office, Abeokuta, the Chairman of the Inter – Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Abayomi Arabambi said all the 80 political parties have resolved to join Abiodun’s government in view of his commitment to carry opposition parties along.
Arabambi noted that the governor had demonstrated “openness and free accessibility to all parties” no minding that he was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the governor within five months in office has extensively identified “our failures and the policies that had brought the failures as a state and has put up various interventions organs using instrumentality of law to pursue peoples’ aspiration.”
“It has been a long wait for this desired government which you (Abiodun) represent, your government shall not just make a difference, but it shall be different,” Arabambi said.
In his response, the governor insisted that there was no going on the planned inclusive government, saying “I was not elected by the APC alone.”
The Governor disclosed that his administration would set up a team that would interface between the government and the IPAC, as a way of strengthen relationship with the body of all opposition parties.
“If we indeed have the interest of this state, we must come together and work together. We must be able to try something and share collective wisdom to transform the state.
“I want to enjoin you to find a way in moving this state together. We are ready and determined to ensure that, we are all inclusive, we will set up a team which I called Intra-IPAC Administrative Team which will interface between us and IPAC on issues bothering on grassroots development because you are closer to the people,” he said.
