Abiodun’s ’emperor’ post not directed at Tinubu, says Ogun govt

The Ogun State Governmrnt has clarified that a social media post by Governor Dapo Abiodun was not a reaction to the statement made by the National Leader and presidential aspirant of All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinub, during his recent visit to party delegates in the state.

Tinubu while speaking on Thursday in Ogun said he expected that those he “helped” should support his 2023 presidential ambition.

The APC National Leader listed Dapo Abiodun as one of the beneficiaries of his political powers, saying “Dapo that’s sitting down here, could he have become Governor without me?

“We were at the stadium; they tore all his posters. Even the party flag, they didn’t want to hand over it to him. I was the one who brought it. If he wants to meet God at the right place, he must know that without God and me, he would not have become Governor.”

On Friday, a statement that surfaced on Abiodun’s social media pages stating, “I am not an emperor by any chance and this is not my family inheritance.

“I am holding this position in trust for all the people of this state and I have vowed to be fair, just and equitable and this is the solemn agreement I made between the Almighty God and myself.”

But the Ogun State Government said the post was not directed at Tinubu in a statement titled ‘Governor Abiodun never issued any statement in response to Asiwaju Tinubu —Ogun Govt’.

The statement released on Friday night was signed by Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Abdulwaheed Odusile.

The statement read, “The attention of the Ogun State Government has been drawn to comments purportedly made by Governor Dapo Abiodun in reaction to statements made by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and presidential hopeful, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during his recent visit to party delegates in the state.

For the avoidance of doubt, the tweet released this morning was an extract to re-emphasise the comments of Governor Abiodun to party faithfuls and appointees on May 29 during the celebration of his third year in office, which also coincided with his 62nd birthday.

“The comments could, therefore, not have been a response to comments by Asiwaju Tinubu whose visits to Abeokuta came five days later.

“While Governor Abiodun appreciates the media, including online platforms, as partners in progress with Government, he enjoins media practitioners to always report the truth at all times and refrain from giving vent to fake news, distortions and misinterpretations.”