2023 Polls: Abiodun Trashes Amosun’s Rigging Allegations
- Insists no one should play God
- You will not return – Amosun brags
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The no-love-lost tango between Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun further worsened at the weekend with the former political allies engaging in hot exchanges over alleged rigging of the 2019 gubernatorial elections.
Signposting the crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State ahead of the 2023 general elections, Governor Abiodun described Senator Amosun as being ‘delusional’, assuring that the ‘rantings’ of the former governor will not distract his administration from delivering on its electoral promises to the Ogun people.
The governor was reacting to Senator Amosun’s claims at the 50th anniversary of the Abeokuta Club on Friday that the 2019 poll was rigged to give him an undeserved victory.
Speaking as the special guest of honour at the grand finale of the 50th Abeokuta Club anniversary, Governor Abiodun said the state is not anybody’s fiefdom and no one should dare play god in the politics of the state.
According to him, there was no need for his administration to join issues with anyone that wants to play God, as he was more concerned and focused on developing the state’s infrastructures going forward.
Senator Amosun, who was honoured with an award at the Club, had alleged that the 2019 election was rigged in favour of Abiodun, boasting that he would ensure the governor does not return to govern the state come 2023.
Claiming that he had moved on, Senator Amosun hinted that those who conspired against him are already regretting their actions, saying; “During the last election, thank God, Chief Osoba is here, I have said it, we won convincingly. They rigged, rigged and ended up with 19,000. Some of them came to apologise to me. I can be mentioning names. We won that election. But I have moved on. We did our work; we will continue to do what we have to do. God will be with all of us.”
The former governor, now a serving senator, representing Ogun Central district, further said; “I am elated to have heard people saying that when we were there, we did the works of four, five, past governors combined, we are happy that people appreciated the little we have done.
“You know clearly my stand on this matter, just wait very soon, you will hear from us, my stand is where I stand, I am not in support of this administration, he must be removed”.
In the heat of their crisis ahead of the 2019 Ogun state governorship race, many supporters of Amosun defected to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) to back Adekunle Akinlade, the party’s candidate at the election.
However, their support for the APM’s standard bearer fell short as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Abiodun, the APC candidate, winner of the poll with 241,670 votes, beating Akinlade who polled 222,153 votes.
