‘PDP, SDP have no place in Ogun’ Olusola Balogun, Special Assistant (Print Media) to Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, was a House of Assembly aspirant in Yewa South Constituency. He spoke with reporters in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on the Amosun Administration and why the governor will get a second term. You aspired to be a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly on the platform of the APC? How was the contest? It is really an enriching experience. I saw first hand what politics is and how it is played. I now understand what moulds the thinkng of an average politician. Its a new experience different from the world of journalism i am used to. How is the ambition now? Its over at least for this next legislative assembly. Why is that so? I withdrew in deference to the wish of my governor and my party. Can you please explain that? There is nothing to explain.It is a dead issue, so let’s not reopen it. I am focusing on how to assist all the APC candidiates win their various elections for my party . Why did you withdraw from the race? I withdrew in deference to the desire of the governor, who is the leader of my party and my own personal hero and political mentor. He wants the incumbent office-holder to continue on the seat, so i complied.I agree completely with him and I am 110 per cent behind him in his quest to rebuild our state. He is doing a swell job of it and i am ready to hand him all the support he needs to reposition of our state. But, some people alleged that the APC in the state imposed the candidates? That is not true. It is far from what happened. I am in the thick of it, so, I can talk authoritatively on it. That allegation is a lie from the pit of hell. I am sure it is the type of discussion our detractors peddle around. Our detractors believes and expects the Ogun APC to be engulfed in crises after the primaries; but they were disappointed. God gave Senator Ibikunle Amosun the wisdom of Solomon to tackle the notty aspects of it. There is no truth whatsoever in that. All our candidates emerged through transparent process which explained why the appeal panel sent from Abuja to look into complain was largely idle in ogun state. Nobody complained. The opposition believes the exercise would explode in violence, but that didnt happen. Despite the departure of Osoba and his followers, will you say Ogun APC is in a good position ahead of the polls? The APC in Ogun State is in great and united shape. It is unfortunate that they went to the SDP, but I can assure you it won’t affect the fortunes of the party. We will also win the elections. Are you sure of that? I am very positive. But, it is believed those that left are core politicians… That is not true. We will soon see who are the real politicians connected with the voters. February is around the corner. But, one of the allegations is that the governor runs a one-man show in Ogun…. Thats another tissue of lies. Senator Amosun runs an all-inclusive government. He brought all Ogun indigenes he feels are needed to assist in rebuildng the state on board. It might also interest you to know that a whooping 72 per cent of this present state executive of the APC are from the AD and the AC. Two of the three senatorial chairmen of the AC are serving commissioners. So, where is the basis for the allegation? But, most of those in the SDP are National Assembly members. Don’t you think it looks somehow that all of them are opposing the governor? Not all are against the governor. Some are with him. However, there is no big deal in that. There is freedom of association in our constitution.They were elected to make laws in Abuja, while the governor was elected by all the people of Ogun State to steer the ship of the state away from its ruinous past. Does it speak well of the governor that he is not able to manage his National Assembly members? I won’t want to go into the details of what caused the crisis, but suffice to say that no one can clap with one hand. It is not possible. It needs two people to make peace and two people to fight. If the truth must be told, Governor Amosun made all efforts to ensure a united and cohesive Ogun APC. But allegation is that the problem arose because he took over the party from the original owners… Original owners? The APC, if you remember, is an amalgam of the ACN, the CPC, the ANPP, a fraction of the PDP and a section of the APGA. The ACN, the ANPP and the CPC all returned their membership registration to the INEC, so in the APC, there is no original owner. We all joined the APC afresh. No old member or landlord.We are all co-founders. Those who are saying that will want to forget that because they are out to promote their mischievous plans. By the way, it 72 per cent of those from AD and AC are in the state executive, where is the basis for this charge of taking over the party? They also allege that the governor runs a government of family and friends. How will you react to that? As I said ealier, I don’t want to comment on the nitty-gritty of the crises, but it will be irresponsible of me not to correct that erroneous impression. It is a lie.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 08:44:20 +0000
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