Ogun State politics is getting more intriguing because of the cross carpeting of some political big wigs.
Some pundits say the defection of former Governor Segun Osoba from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is a game plan to oust Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
Others say Kasamu Buruji is also in on the plan. He is the South West Mobilisation Co-ordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Lawmakers defect to PDP, SDP
Recently, eight lawmakers in the state House of Assembly defected to both the PDP and the SDP. Speaker Suraj Adekunbi read out a letter at plenary announcing the defections.
Salmon Adeleke, Joseph Adegbesan, and John Obafemi, who were elected on platform of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), defected to the PDP.
Remmy Hassan and Obafemi Olowo-Oloja, who were elected on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), also defected to the PDP.
Those who defected from the APC to the SDP are Olufemi Allen-Taylor, Oludaisi Elemide and Elizabeth Anifowose.
Deputy Governor, Segun Adesegun, defected from the APC to the SDP.
All the three APC senators and six members of House of Representatives have also joined the SDP.
They are Senators Adegbenga Kaka (Ogun East), Gbenga Obadara (Ogun Central) and Akin Odunsi (Ogun West).
The House of Representatives members are Kunle Adeyemi, Babatunde Olabode, Olumide Osoba, Abiodun Abudu, Odeleye Kehinde, and Bukunola Buraimo.
Adesegun tells Amosun to fear God
Adesegun wrote a letter to Amosun on October 24 accusing him of starving his office of funds and allocating old vehicles to him.
The letter read in part: “While writing this letter, my thoughts race to my university days in Ile-Ife, Osun State where I joined a group of bikers travelling around the country out of youthful exuberance.
“During this period, one of my pastimes was reading inscriptions on cars and buses to amuse myself. In 1978, I witnessed a fatal accident near a big tree at Alakia Junction in Ibadan on the way to Ile-Ife involving a white Peugeot 504 station wagon.
“Nearly everybody in the car died; shockingly there were several amulets hung over the car that had the words ‘I shall return’ boldly inscribed on both sides. Unfortunately, it did not return. I therefore conclude that we all must fear God.”
Kaka and Obadara confirmed the defection of the politicians. When asked to be specific on Osoba and Adesegun, he said, “All of us; we will soon have a formal unveiling.”
SDP mobilises grassroots
Kaka also disclosed that Osoba and the National Assembly (NASS) members loyal to him are “going about to the local governments to sensitise the people of the need to register and get their permanent voter cards.”
Obadara added: “Yes, I am in the SDP. But it has not been made formal; we are in the process of making it formal. In fact, all the senators and members of the House of Representatives are also in the SDP.
“We are out to rescue Ogun State from recklessness and provide good governance.
“We are not going to run a government of my friends, my school mates and my family.”
Adesegun said he will always be in whichever party Osoba belongs to. “Osoba is our leader, I am talking about politics in Yorubaland. Nobody can create leaders for us in Ogun State.”
Another source confirmed that “there is a meeting already going on between the SDP and the PDP for a possible election merger.”
