By Moshood Adebayo
Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Muyiwa Oladipo, has declared his support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dapo Abiodun.
He said he remains loyal to the party’s principles ‘’which is superior to any personal interest.’’
Oladipo, who hails from Sagamu, spoke in Abeokuta, the state capital, at the weekend, noted that the clarification became necessary as it was being rumoured that he had defected to the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM).
“I’m in APC because my boss, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, who appointed me as commissioner still remains and committed to APC progressive ideology. The governor has his reasons for standing with Buhari in APC, and that is why all of us cannot sleep and put our heads in the same direction, and we all have our conscience to follow.
“Truly, there has been gossiping here and there based on where I belong, most especially when I’m silent about the ongoing political machinations in the state. But, I must confess to you that, I, Oladipo, I’m in support of APC progressive principles, which is similar to the Action Group (AG), founded by our late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, which was later transformed to Alliance for Democracy (AD), and now APC by the collective agreement of all progressives political leaders and elders in Nigeria.
“There was a time I showed interest in contesting the governorship of this state, but God said it was not yet time. Let me be frank with you, I’m in the ruling party, APC, and I’m in support of Abiodun the party’s governorship candidate in Ogun State, who, I’m very sure, by the grace of God, will emerge as the Amosun’s successor,” he said.
The commissioner said, at a time, Amosun asked some of his followers to defect to APM to actualise their political dreams and ambitions, some did not comply, but remained in APC, just like the governor himself.
He noted that the fact that Amosun was in support of Adekunle Akinlade from opposition party, APM does not means that every other cabinet members of the Amosun should follow his footstep. One needs to be steadfast and committed to the party’s principle that made me as Amosun’s cabinet member.
“This life is like a talking drum, what faces someone may back another. There is something my boss, Amosun saw in supporting Akinlade which is personal, so the sky is very wide enough to accommodate variant birds to fly without conflict of interest, many commissioners have resigned their appointments but I have not resigned because the party that appointed me as commissioner is still the ruling APC. The governor never said he is going to APM, so I have no reason leaving the party when our leader in the state is still in support of APC.”
He restated his commitment to the party’s principles at all time but noted that he was ready to leave the party if the governor also leaves the party for APM.
Oladipo noted that he was not into any anti-party activities but in line with the Amosun’s principle of APC which he said it can be justified.
“You see, there is no consequences for my action, especially for not supporting the governor adopted candidate, which l know, but l am not in any way into anti-party activities, I am in line with the governor’s principles of remaining in APC, so if I am sacked for being a loyal APC member, then I think I will be justified, but I know my boss cannot do that because everybody is entitled to his own opinion,” he said.
While enjoining the youths not to be used as political thugs for any political gain, the commissioner advised the electorate to collect their PVCs, which he described as an instrument to choose the candidate of their choice that is going to lead them for the next four years,
