Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday disowned his Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Oludare Kehinde, who reportedly castigated a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aremo Olusegun Osoba.
The 36-year-old Commissioner was quoted by an online news platform to have described Osoba, who was governor of Ogun state, as “a leader without successor.”
Daily Trust reports that the verbal diatribe unsettled the governor’s camp as Osoba’s loyalists who had kicked against the composition of the state cabinet, felt the youthful commissioner was speaking the mind of his boss.
Apparently rattled by the development, Governor Abiodun on Tuesday in a strongly worded statement described Kehinde’s comment as “unauthorised, infantile and distasteful.”
“Needlessly, to say, the Commissioner is on his own,” Abiodun said in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin.
According to the statement, the governor tenders an unreserved apology to the former governor for the comments and reiterates that “those words (by the commissioner) are not a reflection of the person, standing, and background of an esteemed and much revered Aremo Olusegun Osoba.”
The governor, however, said the commissioner has been reprimanded, while Osoba “has demonstrated the fatherly and reassuring understanding of a leader, he truly is.”
“For emphasis, Prince Dapo Abiodun totally disassociates himself and the Administration from the unsavoury comments of the Commissioner and reassures all that this unfortunate incident will not in any way detract from the very cordial relationship between Baba and himself.
“It is gratifying that this issue has been discussed with Baba and as usual, he has demonstrated the fatherly and reassuring understanding of a leader, he truly is. Dr. Oludare Sunday Kehinde has accordingly been reprimanded.
“Nonetheless, His Excellency therefore tenders an unreserved apology to Chief Olusegun Osoba for the comments made by the Commissioner and reiterates that they are not a reflection of the person, standing, and background of an esteemed and much revered Aremo Olusegun Osoba. He extends his apologies to all other leaders affected by the diatribe,” Abiodun said.
