Society Gists

A few days ago, there are reports that Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Governor of Ogun State was trying to cloth some thugs and garage louts in the uniform of the Nigerian military and that of other security agencies. Although the Governor’s media handlers immediately denied this, and instead tried to blame the Opposition party as the sponsor of the reports.

“Never believe anything in politics, until is officially denied”. The quick and urgent denial is sufficient enough to give some credence to the allegations. There are also many facts previously and now, as well as operational evidence. We have credible evidence that Prince Dapo Abiodun is the unofficial Chairman of all the transporters union in Ogun State. Not as a patron, but incredibly one of those who share from proceeds of money collected from commuters through transporters and their unions. Up until a few months ago, Prince Dapo Abiodun allegedly received N44m from the Transport unions every week. As the election approaches, this weekly take was increased to N52m. The governor’s share is being paid into a Paras Energy and Natural Resources Development account in one of the new generation banks. The company’s profile reads several phoney names like Manhattan Mgt Company Limited, Bashiru Bangbola, Baghla Sohan etc as Directors. A check on Manhattan Mgt Company Limited also revealed names of Directors, same as the owners of Paras Energy And Natural Resources Development. This was the beginning of the politicisation of the Transport workers unions in Ogun State. As a matter of fact, Ogun State sits on a cylinder of carbides as far as the union matters are concerned; so much distrust has been planted and it will take no time, except when a new leader gets in the saddle in the state who can sanitize and stabilize relationship among the various unions, their officers. Prince Dapo Abiodun has sowed the seed of much hatred and animosity among these officials that their operations might need tinkering. Governor Abiodun has infilterated the ranks of the real transporters and technically replaced them with overlords political transporters union leaders. These political transporters union leaders have become so oppressive and dictatorial over original transporters and their union leaders.

The exploitation of innocent commuters starts from the head of government. The increment in the cost of transportation in Ogun State was as a result of the exploitative targets which Governor Abiodun placed on the various unions. Those who also collect weekly returns from the unions in Dapo Abiodun’s government include, Samson Tunji Egbetokun, Biyi Adeleye, Afolabi Afuape, Salisu Shuaibu, Tunji Akinosi. Their individual weekly returns ranges from N5m to N10m. This accounts for the proliferation of various unions in Ogun State.

Because they wine and dine with the Governor, these political Union leaders are more powerful than even the Local Government chairmen and any other political leaders and functionaries in Ogun State. They call the shots and others must fall in line. The fear of the transport workers union (ACOMORAN, AMORAN, RTEAN, Tricycle riders unions etc) chairmen is the beginning of wisdom for Local Government chairmen because they sit on the royal table with the Governor.

Likes attract like. There has never been any government in the history of Ogun State which attracts “yahoo” to itself than the Prince Dapo Abiodun led administration. In the close circuit of scammers, the Ogun State Governor is being derisively referred to as “Agba Picker” which speaks to his collaborative relationship with the notorious underworld of crime. Bidemi Rufai is a good case study.

*Our Verdict*
A government is supposed to be on the side of the people, those who govern or seeks to govern must have empathy for the people they claim to serve. For collecting Tax through political transporters “Ajele” unions, Governor Dapo Abiodun has put the financial and economic lives of the people of Ogun State at risk and I der serious strain. Giving the Unions targets to meet for his own personal gain also amounts to CORRUPTION because this “Agba l’owo Meeri, Baale Jontolo” is a wicked self serving economic policy.
A corrupt leader who has less care for the economic well being of its citizens should not be in office a day longer. So, *Prince Dapo Abiodun should be voted out.*

Johnson Shodunke,
Director of Organization
*Good Governance Project*