It is no news that the rift between the present Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and the newly Governor-Elect, Prince Dapo Abiodun will not be ending soon as Governor Amosun is not making things for the governor-elect, especially on the issue of Dapo’s inauguration.
Last week Dapo Abiodun released the names of his inauguration committee and the role each one will be playing, expecting them to get to work in order for them to have a well-deserved inauguration, but unfortunately, the committee has been denied access to the major government facilities to be used.
The transition committee set up by the governor-elect, Dapo Abiodun, requested access to some state-owned facilities for inspection and also to prepare for the inauguration, but were denied access into them, including the MKO Abiola Stadium where the inauguration is meant to take place. For many years the stadium has been the inauguration venue, and it takes weeks to get the venue ready for a befitting function.
Valley View inside the government’s house in Oke Igbeyin area is supposed to be the venue for the inauguration dinner, which they have also been denied access to, The Famous Culture centre in Kuto roundabout area is known to be where most government function takes places, which is likely to also be used for the inauguration has also been denied access into.
The denial was contained in a letter from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.
It was gathered that the letter was a response to a request made by the transition committee chaired by the deputy governor-elect, Noimot Salako-Oyedele.
The committee requested to access some key government facilities for inspection.
But the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, said the facilities were being used for the government business.
The letter dated May 8, 2019, read, “I wish to restate that his Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has directed that your committee shall be offered full cooperation and assistance in the discharge of your mandate.
“The challenge, however, appears to be that most of the facilities indicated in your text message – the Valley View Auditorium, the Presidential Lodge, Mitros, June 12 Cultural Centre, Stadium – are currently being used for the routine business of governance and therefore may not be available until about a few days to the May 29 inauguration as we had duly notified during our inaugural joint meeting of Monday, April 29, 2019.
As you are aware, the state is preparing for the working visit of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, during the third week of May to inaugurate a number of legacy projects in commemoration of this administration’s end-of-tenure.
“Understandably, all hands are on the deck and most of the named state facilities will be in use. During the month of Ramadan, the state organises and engages in a number of daily programmes, culminating in the state’s special Iftar for which we routinely use many of the named facilities.”
The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress’ Caretaker Committee, Mr Tunde Oladunjoye, confirmed the development, saying that the transition committee set up by Amosun and headed by the SSG had been uncooperative.
Oladunjoye said a meeting scheduled for last Monday could not hold because of the SSG’s absence.
