Society Gists

A few months ago, traditional rulers in Ado-Odo/Ota and other Yewa towns turned down a visit from a candidate of a political party in Ogun State. Noise was raised that the Ogun State Government under Prince Dapo Abiodun was behind all these. The allegation was that he had threatened all traditional rulers in Ogun State against open fraternisation and endorsements of political candidates. There was no response from the Ogun State government, neither from the aides of the Governor.

There were also reports of threats to sanction some civil servants for openly attending the political rallies of some candidates. Query letters to this effect were issued. Yet, there was no response from the Governor not Government.

On the contrary, Prince Dapo Abiodun has openly secured “Endorsements” of traditional rulers in Ijebuland and Yewaland. In a brazen display of arrogance this was flashed on the pages of newspapers and lavishly on the social media. The facts that was available to us is that the cost of each traditional rulers’ endorsement is One Hundred Thousand (N100,000).

As if that is not enough, another candidate of the Governor’s party had all traditional rulers from Ogun West seated during a political empowerment program, yet no hell was let loosed.

As the election approaches, Prince Dapo Abiodun has again turned to Civil Servants. Gratuitous donations and promises became issues and this was lavishly being celebrated in the media. Pensioners were promised their entitlements as if the Governor is doing them a favour; Health and Medical Workers are again promised payments of their Hazzard Allowances which has been withheld for many months and years; Notices and announcement of Leave Bonuses etc. For men, who have toiled and given their all in the service of their State, we think it should be when election is around the corner that they should be getting Promisory Notes of their earned and well deserved entitlements.

For three and half years, Governor Abiodun switched off on the people of Ogun State, he was unreachable to all traditional rulers, workers and their unions. Coming on the eve of elections is like a man who feels he needs to talk to people only when he needs them; his brand of politics suggest that everyone is a commodity that he can buy with money, and once the product is in his hands, he dispenses with the seller. And in another cycle of four years, he comes back to the market to buy the people’s votes and trust, and when Ogun State citizens are goaded to invest their votes in him, he turns off on them again, and this time permanently.

Outside the civil Service, what we see being celebrated is the brazen display of corruption on political patronage and Procurements. Governor Dapo Abiodun now buys anything and anyone buyable with Ogun State’s Tax Payers money. For a Government that has neglected its workers and pensioners in the past four years in an arrogant display of opulence and wealth just days to election cannot be said to have empathy. We hear of millions of dollars being shared to “decampees” for political patronage, while workers who sweat for the state are denied their entitlements.

Our Verdict
Governor Dapo Abiodun has failed the first integrity test of good governance and he has also failed the empathy test.