By Ken Afor
Ibikunle Amosu, former governor of Ogun state is gradually losing political relevance in the state as thousands of his loyalists in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have realigned with the incumbent, Governor Dapo Abiodun.
It would be recalled that the face-off between Amosun and governor Abiodun started in 2018 during the APC governorship primary in the state.
Amosun, who was also a former senator for Ogun central, in his quest for relevance in the state politics put forward his anointed candidate, Adekunle Akinlade with the thought that the party would adopt indirect primary mode (consensus candidacy) but it was vehemently rejected by the party as they opted for direct primary.
Unfortunately, Amosun’s candidate Akinlade was defeated by governor Abiodun in the build up to the governorship election in 2019.
Also, Amosun and his preferred candidate Akinlade who decamped to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) after securing the party’s ticket lost out of the 2019 governorship election as governor Abiodun emerged winner.
Meanwhile, Governor Abiodun who received the returnees to his camp on Friday commended them for their loyalty.
“I want to congratulate your sense of loyalty to leadership, which I will say is not only commendable; it is enviable,” the governor said.
He added that: “This is a culture that we must promote and entrench. It is a culture that is fast eroding; it is a culture that we are fast losing.
“For some others, they move once things are not working well, but for you, you stay put. This sense of loyalty is worthy of emulation. We must appreciate the fact that there can only be one leader in a party at a time.”
“Even when we have ambitions and desires, we must subordinate ourselves 100 per cent to leadership and believe that it is that subordination that will allow us to flourish and achieve our objectives, our dreams, our desires and aspirations not by forming factions or by breaking away; because by so doing, it only weakens the fabric of that collective union that we call our party. You must appreciate that there can be only one leader of the party at a time in the state, and that leader is the governor.
“As the leader of the party, I appreciate the task bestowed on me and it is my duty to work towards individual and collective welfare of our members.”
He advised party members to put the past behind and unite for the progress of the party and the state.
His words: “Let us put the past behind us. Let us promote what unites us as a family. I welcome you back. The future of Ogun State is in your hands and it is for us for the taking. The same joy the father of the prodigal son received his lost son back home, the same way I receive you today.
“To those who did not leave, please let us receive our brothers and sisters back. To those who are joining us, please let us display a sense of loyalty. I can assure you, you will be fully integrated.”
