A former Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Bashorun Muyiwa Oladipo (BMO), has advised governor Dapo Abiodun against intimidating Royal fathers of Awori extraction in the state over the 2023 governorship bid of Barr. Biyi Otegbeye following what he described as the growing popularity of Otegbeye.
Oladipo, a former Commissioner during the administion Senator Ibikunle Amosun, claimed that governor Abiodun was jittery of the candidature of Otegbeye, the Governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and and his subsequent endorsement by the Awori traditional rulers.
The ADC chieftain stated this while addressing newsmen in his office at Oke-Yeke, Isabo, Abeokuta at the weekend.
He noted that the growing popularity of ADC’s gubernatorial candidate was also given the All Progressive Congress (APC) and its candidate – incumbent governor Abiodun, sleepless nights.
He urged the Awori Obas and ADC supporters in the State not to allow Prince Dapo Abiodun and his party to harass, intimidate, bully and suppress them before, during and after the campaign and elections.
The former Speaker who was apparently reacting to the recent rejection of Otegbeye by 42 Yewa Traditional rulers from Ogun West axis, alleged that the state government prevented the council of Awori Obas, led by the Olota of Ota, Oba Adeyemi Abdulkabir Obalanlege from receiving their governorship candidate, Barr. Biyi Otegbeye.
Oladipo said that he was not perturbed or disturbed by the recent endorsement of Abiodun, claiming that the monarchs were allegedly intimidated, harassed and forced to do so.
According to him, the governor is labouring to discredit the growing popularity of Otegbeye.
“Indeed, Otegbeye has scheduled a courtesy visit to the monarch at his palace, which was reported to have been cancelled a few hours before the meeting, in fact, the meeting was initiated to intimate the council of his programmes but was called off without any justifiable and tangible reason.
“The harassment by Abiodun and his party is a sacrilege, charade and a total desecration of the traditional institution. he has decided to wield such draconian powers on Ogun West by preventing Yewa Awori Obas from receiving their own son on their land,” he said.
He maintained that the purported endorsement of Abiodun by the traditional rulers was a lip service, submitting that they were harassed to do so, noting that Yewa Awori Obas can not reject their son, Otegbeye and support Abiodun’s reelection bid.
Oladipo who was former Ogun State Speaker, between 1999-2003 and two terms Commissioner in the state said he believed that the monarch acted under the disguise of not being punished by the current administration, saying that even if they meant the endorsement, that did not translate to having voting right over the masses.
