The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State got messier at the weekend as the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, engaged his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in a hot exchange of words over rigging allegations made against him.
Amosun, while receiving an award during the 50th anniversary of Abeokuta Club on Friday, had alleged that the election that brought in Abiodun was rigged.
But in his swift reaction on Saturday, Abiodun described Amosun as being ‘delusional’, saying that his administration will not be distracted by the ‘ranting’ of the former governor.
It will be recalled that many supporters of Amosun had defected to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in 2019 to support Adekunle Akinlade, the party’s governorship candidate during the last election. Governor Abiodun, who was the APC candidate, was declared the winner of the poll with 241,670 votes to defeat Akinlade, who got 222,153.
But Amosun, speaking during an interview with newsmen after the award, had alleged that the 2019 election was rigged in favour of Abiodun and that he would ensure that the governor does not return to govern the state again in 2023.
Amosun said that though he had moved on, those who conspired against him are already regretting their actions.
“During the last election, thank God, Chief Osoba is here, I have said it, we won convincingly. They rigged, rigged and ended up with 19,000. Some of them came to apologise to me. I can be mentioning names. We won that election. But I have moved on. We did our work; we will continue to do what we have to do. God will be with all of us,” the former governor, now a serving senator had said.
“I am elated to have heard people saying that when we were there, we did the works of four, five, past governors combined, we are happy that people appreciated the little we have done. You know clearly my stand on this matter, just wait very soon, you will hear from us, my stand is where I stand, I am not in support of this administration, he must be removed,” he added.
Abiodun, who was the special guest of honour at the grand finale of the 50th Abeokuta Club anniversary, said the state is not anybody’s fiefdom, adding that he would not join issues with anyone that wants to play God, just as he promised that his administration would be more focused on infrastructural development in the state.
Abiodun said: “I will not be distracted by any person or persons, who have a problem with self delusion; I will not be distracted by any person who do not appreciate that Ogun State is not anybody’s father’s inheritance; we are all stakeholders in this commonwealth called Ogun state.
“I am not going to join issues with anyone that wants to play God, I will leave them to God, God can deal with whoever is challenging his authority and wants to play God. All I can say is that what we stand for in Ogun State is an administration that is committed to providing purposeful leadership and purposeful infrastructural development across the length and breadth of the state,” he said.
The state helmsman, who also noted that his administration would continue to be against the campaign of discord that will disrupt the peace and continuous development of the state, added that his administration remain committed to the development of all sectors of the state economy.
Abiodun, who expressed shock that his predecessor said he was rigged out during the election, further queried: “How can we that are on the outside take on an incumbent and then be accused of rigging out an incumbent in the same party? Anyone can explain their failure whichever way they like, anyone can also begin to pant and threaten that they will do whatever.”
*Tribune