Amosun spoke to journalists on Saturday in Abeokuta at a book launch, while Dalung spoke in an interview with the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation monitored in Abuja, also on Saturday.
Amosun said the open declaration of support by Alhassan, as a current minister, for the political aspiration of Atiku, amounted to disloyalty.
He argued further that the minister could have won his respect, if she had resigned from the Buhari-led administration.
The governor noted that though she was entitled to her opinion, she should have resigned after declaring her support for Atiku, since her loyalty could not be in two places.
Amosun said, “She is entitled to her opinion but I would have saluted her if she had honourably resigned, because you cannot blow both hot and cold at the same time.
“I am not Mr President and I know that at the appropriate time he will review things. For somebody to have come out and said such things means clearly she is even working against the government and she will not want that government to succeed. That is my own belief.”
Similarly, Dalung said, “The Buhari effect swept snakes, scorpions and hyenas into the fold. Now, everyone is showing his true nature.”
He said the Buhari presidency had given Nigeria back to Nigerians with successes recorded against the Boko Haram insurgency and the war against corruption.
Dalung commended the President for accommodating all shades of opinion in his cabinet when he took power.
He noted that since Atiku and Alhassan had access to the President, “they don’t have to go to a radio house to air such views.”
Speaking in a similar vein, a faction of the Taraba State chapter of the APC, under the aegis of APC Integrity Group, said the women affairs minister’s views did not reflect the state party position.
The spokesman for the group, Aaron Atimas, said, “She does not represent us. The issue is simple; we have a sitting president and as loyal party members, we are loyal to the President.”
Copyright PUNCH
