A statement released by Chief Kayode Odunaro, Media Adviser to Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Ogun West), has denied reports of a battle between Governor Dapo Abiodun and Senator Adeola over the upcoming Local Government election in Ogun State.

The statement described a recent online blog post as “speculative” and aimed at creating a rift between the governor and the senator. Senator Adeola reaffirmed his commitment and loyalty to Governor Abiodun’s leadership in Ogun State APC and his administration.

The statement noted that Senator Adeola has not made any statements or taken positions contrary to that of the governor or the party regarding the LG election. It also stated that the senator has been on vacation and will support the party’s candidates to victory upon his return.

The statement dismissed reports of a battle over the 2027 governorship ticket, stating that neither the governor nor the senator has declared any intentions or preferences.

The media adviser assured that plots to create a rift between the governor and senator will fail, just as they did before the 2023 elections.

OGUN LG ELECTION 2024: NO BATTLE BETWEEN GOV ABIODUN AND SEN YAYI

The attention of Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Ogun West) has been drawn to a story in an online blog, Platform Times, with the title “LG Election 2024: Battle Intensifies As Senator Yayi’s Faction Challenges Abiodun’s Influence in Ogun APC” that is being circulated on some social media platforms.

Ordinarily, this speculative story without any attribution to any known contestants and other protagonists on the subject matter would have required no response and taken as part of the fallouts of the competitive struggle by aspirants seeking advantageous position to fly the flag of the winning All Progressives Congress, APC.

However, the Senator is compelled to put the record straight following his discovery of a renewed sinister plot to unjustifiably and falsely pitch him against the leader of APC in Ogun State in the person of the governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun in recent times.

For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Adeola restates his unadulterated commitment and loyalty to the leadership of Prince Abiodun in Ogun State APC and his administration of the state, a commitment that dates back to pre-2023 election when some of the conspirators of today were fiercely opposed to the governor’s leadership in the state and did all in their power to cause a rift between the governor and the senator.

On the issue of upcoming Local Government election that is now being speculatively used to drive a wedge between the governor and the senator, it is on record that the Senator have not made any statement or taken any position contrary to that of the governor or the stipulations of the party. Indeed, since the commencement of the process, the senator has been away from the shores of Nigeria on vacation and upon return will support the candidates of the party to a resounding victory in the poll.

Expectedly, some aspirants in the upcoming LG elections under APC will drop names and attempt to leverage on the influence and popularity of the governor and senator for their personal advantages in the race they know APC is poised to win. Clearly such positionings while acceptable in a competitive internal party contest, is not the making of the governor or the senator and should not be speculatively used to signpost ‘battle’ or ‘rift’ between the governor and senator on party matter.

On the issue of the governorship ticket in 2027 in APC, which the writer believes is driving the alleged and imagined battle, there is no record as at the time of writing of the governor stating any preference for any aspirants and equally the senator has not declared any intention for the position. The senator’s focus at this time is to effectively deliver on his mandate for the people of Ogun West in compliment to the governor’s outstanding delivery for the APC administration in the state.

Again, we assure all those plotting or imagining battles and rifts, using all manner of gimmicks, between the governor and the senator, of failure in the days ahead as they failed pre-2023 elections.

Signed:

Chief Kayode Odunaro

Media Adviser to Senator Adeola CON.

10th September, 2024.