Blame Game on Severance Allowance Is a Reflection of How Abiodun’s Govt Has Fallen Into Mediocrity- Amosun’s Aide
The administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has been said to have fallen into mediocrity. This assertion was made by Lanre Akinwale, a media aide to former Governor Ibikunle Amosun. Akinwale was reacting to Kayode Akinmade, the Media Adviser to Abiodun who said Amosun was the reason past political office holders couldn’t get their severance allowances.
Some people under the aegis of former Special Assistants to the Governor had petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevail on Abiodun to pay their severance allowance. In his reaction to this demand, Abiodun through his Media Adviser, Akinmade said Amosun should have paid them before the end of his tenure. He added that if they pleaded enough with his boss, he might consider doing something about it.
“It has been proven severally without any contradiction by stakeholders and political watchers alike in Ogun State, that the greatest distinction between former Governor Ibikunle Amosun and the incumbent, Prince Dapo Abiodun, is simply penchant for vendetta by Amosun, while Abiodun is compassionate without animosity.
“it is therefore unbelievable that some former political appointees, under the auspices of former Special Assistants during Ibikunle Amosun’s administration, could accuse Governor Abiodun of non-payment of their severance allowances.
“It is obvious that these individuals are either playing to the gallery or being carelessly mischievous, knowing full well that Dapo Abiodun, by his nature, orientation and background, would never abuse power, irrespective of who or what is involved, a virtue he has demonstrated many times to the astonishment of many.
“The fact of the matter is that Ibikunle Amosun, at the point of his exit as the Governor of the State and upon recommendation by the then Secretary to the State Government, paid severance allowances to all his Commissioners, Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants, against protocol and extant law, and deliberately left his Special Assistants out of this arrangement.
“As it stands, the best this forum of Special Assistants can do is to call out their former boss for this horrible act of callous exclusion, and passionately appeal to Governor Dapo Abiodun for consideration on compassionate ground to graciously right the wrong of the ugly past”, Akinmade said in a statement on Monday
In a swift reaction to Akinmade, Amosun’s media aide, Akinwale said the Governor was still shying away from his responsibilities even after five years in office.
“It is beyond logical reasoning and common sense that a government that had spent more than five (5) years in office, will still be shying away from its statutory responsibilities to the people of Ogun State.
“It is high time, the present administration in Ogun State cured itself from the pull him (Amosun) down syndrome it is suffering from. Who God has lifted up, no amount of politicking and deliberate attacks, can bring down. Amosun has served the people of Ogun State selflessly, passionately and committedly. His legacies are still noticeable across the nooks and crannies of the state, spanning different sectors”, Akinwale fired back.
He said the administration Price Dapo Abiodun has fallen into mediocrity and was sleeping and needed to be woken to realities of governance.
“The Dapo Abiodun-led government needs to be woken from their slumber and be reminded that Amosun, during his administration also paid the severance benefit of political appointees who served during the administration of his predecessor. Amosun did not ask the affected appointees to resort to begging, appeasing, worshipping and bootlicking him, he paid it voluntarily knowing fully well that government is a continnum and he considered it as part of his responsibility to the affected people for their service.
“It is sad and unthinkable that the present administration will direct the affected appointees to Amosun, after detailed information about his (Amosun’s) government was presented in form of handling over note to the present administration five years ago. It is obvious that the present administration deliberately refused to pay the severance of the past appointees just because they served with Amosun. Isn’t this a vendetta?
“Time is ticking away, we will only advise the present administration to stop the politicking, blame game, and pull him down syndrome. Rather, it should concentrate on delivering good governance”, Akinwale added.
