The crisis in the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress is getting messier as Senator Tolu Odebiyi, on Monday accused the Governor of the state, Prince Dapo Abiodun of “fritering the massive goodwill of the party men and women.”
Odebiyi, who is representing Ogun West Senatorial District, said he could not understand why “the government we labored to install is being run in exclusion of those that worked for its success.”
According to a statement he signed, Odebiyi called Gov Abiodun to order.
He said, “Our governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR, is a dear close friend and brother. As the leader of the party, he should be wary not to allow a group of people to mislead him into a political cul de sac.”
He noted that “barely six months into our four year mandate, we appear to be helpless and stakeholders are becoming increasingly uncomfortable and unhappy.”
The lawmaker regretted that people who were supposed to be the pillars of the administration were not being carried along, saying people who were central to the emergence of Abiodun’s administration had been ostracized politically.
The statement reads:
“Before we lose it all, let’s stop the drifting
“It was Isaac Newton that said “if I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.”
‘As leaders of the people, we are supposed to see beyond many because we stand on the shoulders of our advisers and leaders.
“It therefore follows that the quality of those we rely on to offer advise determines our performance or lack of it.
“It is unfortunate that things are drifting apart in our party, APC in Ogun State. We are daily fritering 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 APC, at the precipice of losing our political goodwill and that of our forebears, it leaves 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 ensured the success of our party at the polls .
“Why then is the government we labored to install being run in exclusion of those that worked for the success of the party? Why are key decisions that are potentially capable of determining the future success of the party being taken without carrying stakeholders along?
“Our governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR, is a dear close friend and brother. As the leader of the party, he should be wary not to allow a group of people to mislead him into a political cul de sac.
“Barely six months into our four year mandate, we appear to be helpless and stakeholders are becoming increasingly uncomfortable and unhappy.
“People who are supposed to be the pillars of the administration are not being carried along. Same people who were central to the emergence of this administration have been ostracized politically.
“This trend needs to be reversed in the overall interest of the State.
“Necessity is on the APC to deliver the dividend of democracy to people before anything, and that can only happen if there is peace in the system. Interesting, peace can only come when stakeholders are carried along and promises made are fulfilled. Party members and leaders must be made to feel belonged to the government they helped installed. At least if they were good enough to get the party elected at various wards, they should be good enough to be at where decisions are made!
“Caution must be taken not to play into the script of those who do not wish us well. Thank you.”
NAN