… Say, We Have No Time For Sore Losers
… Governor Will Stay Focused On His ISEYA Agenda
The Labour Party candidate in the 2023 governorship election in Ogun State, Mr. Kehinde Sogunle has slammed Governor Dapo Abiodun over his style of governance, accusing him of abandoning the developmental agenda of his predecessors.
But the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in a swift reaction, described Shogunle and his co – travellers as “sore losers,” and specifically advised the passive governorship candidate of the LP to do a bankable proposal and approach the office of the Secretary to the State Government if he wanted a consultancy job.
Shogunle had in a statement he made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, claimed that Governor Abiodun failed to build on the existing developmental agenda and regional plans of his predecessors.
The former Finance Commissioner during the administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel expressed worries that the Governor, who has just been re-elected for another round of four years, has not had any meaningful engagement with critical stakeholders, including the Transition and Handover Committee members, industrialists, manufacturers, and the civil service.
The LP governorship candidate submitted that the unfortunate situation had left a yawning gap in development and strategic planning while the abandonment of his predecessors’ developmental agenda had also stalled the progress trajectory of the State when placed side – by – side with the neighbouring Lagos State.
The LP governorship who made this known on Friday in candidate in a statement titled, “Turning away from sugar-Coats – Cosmetics, Optics, Acoustics, and Theatrics,” expressed concerns about the drift in the governance of the state.
He lamented that Abiodun government had squandered the initial goodwill it received after the 2019 elections, saying that a small group of self-serving individuals now hold sway in decision-making processes, thereby hindering any attempt at an inclusive governance.
He also lamented the lack of inclusivity, collaboration, and cooperation in the current administration’s governance philosophy, noting that the prevalence of exclusivity hampers the participation of well-meaning individuals and groups in the state’s development
“The PDA government has not lived with the intents and practice of the espoused mantra of ‘Building our Future Together’ which suggests inclusivity, collaboration and cooperation. There is a wide gap between the espoused acoustics of working together and the practice of involvement and inclusion of the necessary constituents. What is perceived is a utilitarian approach suitable for the exclusive design and limited private benefits that is desired,” he said.
“The lack of meaningful engagement with key stakeholders, including the Transition and Handover Committee members, industrialists, manufacturers, and the civil service, has resulted in a gap in development and strategic planning.
“The administration has failed to build upon existing development agendas and regional plans, leading to a discontinuity in progress and a perceived backwardness in comparison to neighbouring Lagos State.
“Governance is a continuum, particularly when it is realised that it is for the purpose of serving the people. The Dapo Abiodun administration has not significantly built on the development foundations laid by his predecessors. He rather has been engaging on choosy convenient and cosmetics connections that suits the perceived short-term tendencies of his administration”.
“The economic clusters development master plan being developed can be seen to be emphasizing sectional interests as it unduly concentrates projects in certain areas to the disadvantage of others,” he added.
He further criticized the government’s handling of border locations and infrastructure projects, highlighting a lack of holistic development vision and a concentration of efforts in certain areas while neglecting others. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to development, driven by collaboration, continuity, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of the people.
Shogunle therefore seeks more deliberate and inclusive approach to governance, advising Governor Abiodun to focus on fostering a concerted, holistic, sustainable, and accelerated trajectory of growth and development.
He emphasized the importance of collaborative planning, drawing from the state’s existing development agenda and regional plans to the development and growth of the State.
However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) while reacting through its State Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye, faulted Shogunle’s claim, pointing out that Dapo Abiodun – led administration has continued the projects of his predecessor, citing the Kuto bridge and other projects around the state as examples.
The APC reaction read, “Please let’s talk about progress and development.The conscientious journalists in Ogun State will educate Sogunle on the fact that this is the only government in recent history that has continued with projects of predecessor. Look at Kuto bridge and other projects of the immediate past administration that has been taken over by and continued by the present Governor.
“Even the Agro Cargo Airport, which never left the PowerPoint presentation stage when Kehinde Sogunle, as Commissioner of Finance in Ogun State supervised payment substantial amount of money for mere feasibility study on the Agro Cargo Airport, has been actualized by Prince Dapo Abiodun.
“We do not have time for sore losers. If Sogunle wants a consultancy job, he should do a bankable proposal and approach the office of the Secretary to the State Government.”
Continuing, Ogun APC said, “Like every other trashes that are circulated in the guise of public commentary and conversations in this season of political jobmanship, one can very well understand the challenge of characters like Kunle Shogunle who recently embarked on an ignoramus adventure of assessing the activities of Prince Dapo Abiodun who is just settling down to real governance for his second term tenure.
“Naturally, one would have been tempted to ignore the ill- informed commentary of this shadowy character to pass, but the fact is, majority of the innocent citizens of the gateway state and indeed the reading Nigerian public may mistake this fallacy for a fact. It is in the light of this reasoning that the likes of Kehinde Shogunle and his pay masters deserve some education and sympathy.
Perhaps Shogunle is hallucinating.
“How do you talk about development agenda without providing specific details? What development agenda? He should have provided what the previous agenda was on education, health, agriculture, roads,,,, infrastructure, and ICT, which he alleged that the Dapo Abiodun administration is not following.
“Shogunle is just looking for political relevance; he is not the Ogun electorate that re-elected Governor Abiodun. Governor Abiodun has a covenant with the people of Ogun State to ensure even distribution of projects and this, he has pursued vigorously. That is why you see giant projects everywhere you turn in Ogun State, from Sagamu to Epe, and from Ilaro to Atan-Lusada-Agbra area. And what about the agro-allied airport city in Ilishan, the housing projects across the state, the renovation of schools in every ward in the state, the rollout of wifi-enable transport buses, the tech hubs, the revival of the textile industry, etc?
“In his first 100 days in office, Governor Abiodun ensured that each local government had something it could point to as government presence. He ensured community schools, hospitals. He initiated the ISEYA mantra to give the state a massive turnaround; which is why, as a giant construction site, Ogun under Abiodun is today widely acknowledged as Nigeria’s top investment destination. That is why new industries are springing up across the state; that is why the Olokola Free Trade Zone which was in a comatose state for many years has now been revived with unquantifiable benefits to Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.
“It is insultingly ignorant for Shogunle to claim that infrastructure is skewed in favour of a particular zone. Yes, a politician can talk anyhow, especially when play his paymaster’s game, but facts are sacred and cannot be displaced by blatant falsehood.”
