By Adesina Soyooye

“Senator Yayi will not descend to engage in petty politics with a Diaspora- returnee whose contribution to progressive politics is near nil”

In the past few days since  Professor Iyabo Obasanjo, a daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, re-entered politics after a 15-year absence, she has been talking tough, literally hitting out from all cylinders. She has hauled very uncomplimentary words at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a party under which she was a Commissioner for Health in her Ogun State, and a one-term Senator. She dismissed the party as useless and its leadership as unserious and idiots.

She, also, descended on Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popular  as YAYI, and dismissed him as a political prostitute.

Now, Senator Adeola has decided to pay her back in her own coins and both directly and indirectly, asked her to learn the ropes in politics, and more important, grow up.

Following is the full text of his response through an Aide.

“My attention has been drawn to Senator Iyabo Obasanjo’s recent statement on a radio programme, labelling my principal, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, YAYI, an opportunist.

“While I find it surprising that a politician of her stature would resort to cheap personal attacks to find undue relevance, I also see it as a show of pedestrian politicking that someone of her status would be willing to toe such a flimsy path in the serious business of development politics.

“I would like to remind Senator Obasanjo that any son or daughter of Ogun State who has had the privilege to serve outside the state has the inalienable right to return home and serve his or her people whenever they deem fit, and Senator YAYI’s own won’t be an exception. If anyone who abandoned her state for personal pursuits for about 15 years is bittered, jittery or upset about that, we cannot but be amused at unwarranted tantrums.

“Senator YAYI has consistently demonstrated his commitment to Ogun West and indeed Ogun State, participating as a prominent stalwart in her progressive politics since 2011. His political weight and influence have contributed immensely to the successes recorded by the APC in the last two general elections from the senatorial district and beyond.

‘If being an opportunist has caused huge development in the infrastructure of Ogun West in recent years and other parts of the state, then maybe it’s safe to say many politicians need to join the fray of being opportunistic like Senator YAYI, so as to better serve their constituents and their state.

“In the last decade, Senator YAYI has facilitated numerous infrastructure projects, including hundreds of classrooms, primary health centres, roads, solar street lights, donation of electricity transformers, and markets, amongst others, in Ogun West, earning him the respect of many.

“Aunty Iyabo  should please focus on your own political journey rather than attacking others – this is very honest counsel that anyone can give you at this time.

“As a new member of the APC, it is morally expected that Senator Obasanjo should adopt a more constructive approach, leaving her old party’s brigandage politics behind. Again, my advice to her is to calm down and engage in healthy competition. If she wishes to contest the APC governorship ticket, as reported, she should start learning the ropes of progressive politics, mobilise for the party, and warm up for the contest ahead, rather than resorting to personality attacks or petty displays of jittery.

“Senator YAYI remains committed to serving Ogun State and its people, and this he has continued to do for more than a decade as a participating member of the progressive party, APC.

“His strides as a Senator representing Ogun West are a huge reference that politics should be centred around the development of the people and not infighting or mudslinging.

Senator Yayi remain focused on delivering on his senatorial mandate for now and will not descend to engage in petty politics with a Diaspora returnee whose contribution to progressive politics is near nil.”

By Adesina Soyooye

Unless former Ogun State Governors, specifically, Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun stop their criticisms  of current Governor  Dapo Abiodun or align with him, they will end up as refugees in the State over which they superintendent. Governor Abiodun has promised that he will deposit them in the camp of the Internally Displaced Persons, IDP.

The Governor spoke as he  commissioned the Iworo-Ogbogbo-Igbeba Road in Ijebu North-East Local Government Area, assured that he would send all his “enemies,” specifically, his predecessors, to IDP camps by flaunting his achievements in Ogun State.

His words: “This Local Government, Ijebu North-East, is one of our breadbaskets in Ogun. This road connects Ijebu North-East to Ijebu-Ode Local Government and allows our farmers to bring their produce to market conveniently. This is what is called expository, participatory, intentional, and collective governance.

“I want to thank all those who brought this road to our attention. This road is a continuation of the Igbeba Road in Ijebu-Ode that was commissioned two weeks ago. At that commissioning, I showed you 28 roads that have been constructed. You know we have been intentional about this. I will call this our own infrastructural emancipation for the entire Ijebuland.

“Ijebuland had been abandoned for more than 24 years by previous administrations. It was a deliberate intention to put Ijebuland at the back bench. Our development was suppressed by previous administrations in favour of other parts of the state, and I am glad I can beat my chest about this new development.

“I said it two weeks ago that there were no taxis in Ijebuland because there were no roads. Now I can boldly say companies are coming back to reintroduce taxis in Ijebu-Ode. We have constructed roads that all previous administrations combined could not construct. I am glad that one of our renowned monarchs, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, the Alake of Egbaland, said this administration has constructed more houses than all previous administrations combined.

“I want to assure you that we will continue to provide inclusive and purposeful leadership to everyone in the state, including people in the micro-economy, and ensure the grassroots are not left behind — from our affordable homes to our primary healthcare centres and our schools.

“They have continued to hire bloggers to malign us. We will respond with this kind of commissioning. We will continue to commission our housing projects, roads, agricultural programmes, and what we do for our market women, education, and other developments in the State.

“I have been getting feedback on our roads.

Just on my way here, a judge from Lagos texted me about the Alagbole, Toyin, Ajuwon, Akute, and Lanbe roads. He said in the last few years, Akute and Oke-Aro had been under construction, and, ‘We are proud of you, Your Excellency.’ That’s from a judge — and you know judges don’t lie.

“For those who have been sponsoring social media attacks or sponsoring litigation, I want to tell you that you will all end up in IDP camps. None of you constructed all roads in eight years — not even in your combined 16 years. This is Ogun State, the Gateway to Nigeria’s prosperity. We have more roads than some states put together.

“Our administration has constructed more roads of economic importance, and we will still construct more. If my predecessors had done half of what we have done, we would not have met such a huge infrastructural gap. So you should bury your heads in shame and shut your mouths.

“I sincerely want to thank our father, a father of the nation, who has brought more infrastructure to the country and emphasised the importance of infrastructure — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — for your laudable implementation of projects. Go to Sagamu; for many years before 2023, the Sagamu Expressway had been abandoned, but now the road is enjoying our President’s robust infrastructure drive.”

Former Governors Daniel and Amosun have had a very untidy relationship with Governor Abiodun. Amosun, for instance, was never in support of Abiodun’s candidacy as Governor both in his first and second tenures.