Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and former governor Ibikunle Amosun recently engaged in a political exchange as Amosun led the campaign for Biyi Otegbeye, the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), ahead of the March 11, 2023 election. Amosun expressed his disappointment when reflecting on the administration of his successor, Dapo Abiodun, and the current state of affairs in Ogun. He stated, “Before we left, we had put Ogun State in the category of greatness and development. Ogun State, during my time with the support of God and our people, rose from the 35th position before I left to the second or third position.” He lamented the decline in various sectors, including education and health, asserting, “We are here to take the mandate back. We want someone that can continue what we have done.”
Amosun defended his support for Otegbeye by highlighting that Ogun West had not yet produced a governor. He emphasized his loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC) while simultaneously opposing Abiodun’s bid for a second term. “I am APC; when I was in Abuja for the presidential primary, I said I would do Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but, in Ogun State, by the grace of God and the support of all of us in Ogun State, it is Biyi Otegbeye,” he declared. He further claimed that his administration had invested N6.9 billion in 15 model schools, contrasting this with the current administration’s renovation expenditure of N3 billion.
In response, Governor Abiodun’s Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, issued a statement titled “Amosun keeps lying as he joins ADC,” refuting Amosun’s claims about the renovation costs of the model schools. Somorin accused Amosun of failing to fulfill his promises during his tenure, stating, “As a governor, he promised to do everything and did virtually nothing. He abandoned most of them after claiming to have paid 100 percent for them. We are known as a promise-keeping administration. We promised only what we could do and did all that we promised.” He also criticized Amosun for spreading misinformation, particularly regarding the Gateway City Centre and the renovation of a model school at Kobape, which he claimed was misrepresented in terms of costs.
Somorin concluded by highlighting the achievements of Governor Abiodun, noting the conversion of a previously abandoned model school into a functional tech hub within three weeks of taking office. He expressed disappointment that Amosun chose to engage in what he termed blackmail instead of recognizing the positive developments in the state.
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