By Mercy James, Abeokuta
The Ogun state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a swipe at ex-Governor Gbenga Daniel for blaming his political differences with Governor Dapo Abiodun on his purported support for President Bola Tinubu.
Rather, the party blamed the "political differences" on the "insatiable greed, sly and duplicitous nature of ex-Governor Gbenga Daniel, now representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly through the grace of God and support of Prince Dapo Abiodun".
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Ogun East Senatorial District APC’s 2 Public Relations Officer, Tolulope Olubiyi Oduyemi, the party said it was "laughable that the man described as 'Daani Elebo' by the revered Prof. Wole Soyinka could attempt to twist facts and obfuscate recent history".
The statement reads in part: “The ill-advised and incoherent interview was an unwitting admission of the anti-party allegations hanging over his head like the sword of Damocles. It is worthy to note that in whole interview, Otunba Gbenga Daniel (OGD) did not deny that he worked against our party and candidates. Rather, he sought to justify his anti-party activities by lying and attempting to divert issues.
"However, we know too well that all he did was for pecuniary gains. Otherwise, how could he justify his working for PDP and its candidates when it was public knowledge that the defeated governorship candidate of the PDP, Mr. Ladi Adebutu mounted a strong campaign against President Tinubu when he said on live television that it was not yet the turn of the South or Yoruba to produce the President. That was on the 4th of October, 2022; months after Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had emerged as our Presidential candidate.
"Pray, how can OGD in good conscience say it was because of his support for President Bola Tinubu that his relationship with Governor Dapo Abiodun became estranged when he actually supported, campaigned and worked for the PDP and those who campaigned vigorously against President Tinubu in Ogun state?
"All his highfalutin claims are typical of his over bloated ego and illusion. OGD is a man who likes to bask in the euphoria of victory but hates competition.
"How can we forget how Daniel dumped Asiwaju and the progressive fold in 2002 to pitch his tent with the PDP? How can we forget how he 'magically won' his election in 2003 with over 200,000 mysterious votes? How come he could not repeat the same feat as a sitting governor in 2007?
"How can we forget how he introduced, imported and glorified cultism and oath-taking in the politics of our dear Ogun state? How can we forget the many politically-motivated killings of those days by the dreaded killer-squad? How can we forget how he closed the House of Assembly for months? No wonder our own Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka called him 'Daani Elebo'
"How can we forget that ex-Governor Ibikunle Amosun declared him a persona non grata in Ogun state all through the eight years he was in office? How can we forget that it was the gentleman Governor Dapo Abiodun that rescued him from Amosun's gulag and literally rehabilitated him?
"For eight years, OGD was in exile, he was like a pariah in a land which he once bestrode like a colossus as Amosun brought shame to his doorstep and many avoided him like a leper. His travails with EFCC was quite frontal and his Conference Hotel and other investments that he embarked on while in office were either confiscated or in ruins. Omoluabi Governor Dapo Abiodun was his God-sent and the rest is history.
Nevertheless, he still betrayed him. There is no political actors he had encounter with in the last two and half decades that he did not betrayed. He did not only betrayed Asiwaju because of his inordinate ambition, he did similar things to his benefactor and former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 presidential election, he tactically withdrawn from Atiku Abubakar immediately he lost to Former President Buhari in 2019 election and did same to Dapo Abiodun in 2023 after he got elected as a Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District!
"The outburst of OGD on our amiable Governor Abiodun was quite regressive and demeaning of the true essence of a supposedly Elder Statesman who should be enjoying such status in Ogun state.”
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