Encomium
The political equation in Ogun state is becoming unstable just as the presence of Heyden Petroleum boss, Prince Dapo Abiodun at a Peoples Democratic Party stakeholders meeting in Ijebu Igbo over the weekend has continued to generate heated controversies among his faithful in the ruling party in Ogun state.
Dapo, a prominent political ally of the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and a Senatorial aspirant on All Progressives Congress (APC) platform in Ogun East Senatorial District on Sunday September 21, 2014, attended the said event.
Prince Dapo Abiodun, at the colourful event held at the Goodluck Jonathan Political Centre, Ijebu Igbo in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, said he was very happy to reunite with his old political allies in the PDP.
According to him, many of the faces he saw at the event were those of the PDP leaders whom they both struggled to lay a solid foundation for a better PDP in the state.
Some of those who were shocked when the news of Dapo Abiodun’s appearance at the PDP meeting hit town argued that the former senator still met with Senator Biyi Durojaiye, an APC stalwart in his Ijebu Igbo home on Saturday, September 20, 2014, to brief him on his senatorial ambition on the party’s platform.
A prominent lawmaker who represents the people of Sagamu at the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon Yinka Mafe also posted on his Facebook page that the presence of Prince Dapo Abiodun at the PDP was untrue.
“Please, ignore any news/rumour that our Senator Dapo Abiodun has declared or is defecting from APC to PDP. It is not true and intentionally calculated to cause temporary panic by Buruji Kashamu and his online handlers. Dapo Abiodun remains a member of APC and a senatorial aspirant. The opposition will only continue to wish he was with them”, Asiwaju ‘Yinka Mafe added.
The last may not have been heard on the issue, as no one could say what the man at the centre of the argument is up to.
Nevertheless, on the occasion, Otunba Fatai Sowemimo, a former Commissioner for Youth and Sports under former Governor Gbenga Daniel, defected with hundreds of others from both Labour Party (LP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) from Remo North, Ikenne and Ijebu East local government areas.
Others who defected with over a thousand supporters were the APC Secretary for Remo North local government area, Mr. Ope Olateju, and the chairman of LP in Ijebu East local government, Mr. Ganiyu Ishola.
The Igbo and Hausa communities in Remo North local government, led by Prince John Okorie and Ahmadu Zaki respectively, also came in their hundreds to declare their support for the PDP.
Receiving the defectors, PDP state chairman, Engr. Bayo Dayo, promised them that they would enjoy all the benefits in the party just like the old members.
He added that there would not be any form of imposition during the party primaries ahead of the 2015 general elections.
I have always said it that there will always be a level playing ground for everybody. There would not be any form of imposition, except the aspirants decide to adopt a consensus candidate, Dayo added.
Dignitaries at the occasion included Prince Buruji Kashamu, Chairman, Organisation and Mobilisation Committee, South West PDP; Engr. Bayo Dayo, state Chairman, Ogun PDP; Chief Pegba Otemolu, Zonal Secretary, South West PDP; Alhaji Agboola Alausa, Chairman, PDP Elders’ Council and many others.
