Sunday 1 June 2014
I’m old enough to be Amosun’s father — Osoba[PUNCH]
Former Governor of Ogun State and APC chieftain,
Chief Olusegun Osoba, said there was no rift between
him and Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun.
Osoba, while speaking with SUNDAY PUNCH on
Saturday, said he was old enough to be Amosun’s
father, stressing that he had no issues with him.
The former governor spoke in response to the alleged
internal wrangling in the Ogun State chapter of the
APC, which led to the party having parallel excos in
the state with one loyal to Osoba and the other loyal to
Amosun.
The APC chieftain insisted that rather than see him as a
contender, Amosun should approach party members in
the state for amicable settlement of any presumed rift.
He said, “Where did you hear in Yoruba land that a
father would be taken to his son to settle a rift? I am 75
years old. He is 56. I am old enough to be his father.
Would I now sit down and be exchanging words with
someone young enough to be my child?”
He added, “I have no problem with him. He only has to
make peace with the party members; not me. I have said
it, let nobody moot the idea that they are bringing him
to me. Let him go to the party members whom he is
joining issues with.”
Osoba, who is reputed to be the father of the APC in
Ogun, insisted that he was not the issue in any political
permutation in the state as he neither had political
ambitions nor was he seeking any office.
He said, “I am not the issue. What else do I want to be?
Is it president or Vice-President? By the special grace
of God, I am 75 years old. If at 75 I am still relevant
politically, shouldn’t I be thanking God? How many of
my peers in journalism are still relevant, save Alhaji
Lateef Jakande? I have cause to thank God. I am not
contending with anybody over anything.”
When asked why then the state chapter of the APC had
parallel executives, Osoba, who is a delegate at the
ongoing national conference, said, “It is the party
members who know why they did that. You should
speak with them, not me. I am thankful to God for
bringing me this far. In journalism, politics and social
circles, people still give me respect. What else do I
want? I should not press it too much. We have all the
senators in the state, House of Reps members, and other
party stalwarts. We have Odunsi, Gbenga Kaka who is
also a former deputy governor. There are a lot of good
people you can speak with.”
The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Yusuph
Olaniyonu, told our correspondent on Friday that he
was not in charge of responding to political enquiries.
Calls made to the phone of the state Publicity Secretary
of the party faction loyal to Governor Amosun, Mr.
Sola Lawal, were not responded to.
He did not also respond to the text message sent to his
telephone line.
The Interim National Publicity Secretary of the party,
Lai Mohammed, however, said the national leadership
of the party had stepped into the issue.
“The issue will be resolved,” he said.[PUNCH]
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