Ogun Crisis: How it all started
By Bayo Ohu
The ongoing political crisis in Ogun State that has virtually put leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Gbenga Daniel at loggerheads started after the 2007 general elections when the governor was alleged to have perfected strategies to take over the party allegedly to manipulate it to further his political interest ahead of the governorship election in 2011. In fact, the crisis has been centered around the politics of 2011 and which of the three Senatorial zones will produce the governor.
Indeed, the protracted crisis has polarized the State House of Assembly along two major groups of a group of fifteen members, now popularly being called G 15 and another group of eleven members in G 11. The G 15 is being led by the present Speaker of the House, Hon. Tunji Egbetokun and its primary objective was to antagonize the governor. It was alleged that there were plans by the group to initiate impeachment move against governor Gbenga Daniel. The G11 is comprised of legislators who are sympathetic to the governor.
The crisis and battle for supremacy at the House has led to impeachment of the former Speaker Titi Oseni who is a pro-Gbenga Daniel lawmaker. The G 15 had instigated her removal and installed Egbetokun who has since been championing anti-Gbenga Daniel activities. At a time, the legislative work at the House was paralysed as members from the two camps engaged in open and physical assaults during which some of them were critically injured. The State Police Command, which has also since been accused of partisanship was forced to shut down the House of Assembly complex, which led to a prolonged halt to legislative duties.
Fundamentally, prominent politicians in the state have been drawn into the fray. Specifically, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, Dr. Doyin Okupe and other eminent citizens of the state, especially those from Ogun Central Senatorial zone and the Egbas generally were believed to be at war with Governor Gbenga Daniel over his alleged plan to assist the Yewas/Awori people of Ogun East Senatorial zone to produce the next governor in 2011.
The story has been that the Egbas have always been determined to continue to dominate the political affairs of the state by producing the next governor after Gbenga Daniel in 2011. Along this political thinking, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello from Owu is believed to be very keen in becoming the governor. Speaker Dimeji Bankole too was rumoured to be eyeing the governorship. But his close aides and associates have denied this claim. According to them, Dimeji Bankole, as the number four citizen in the country today is occupying a position that is more important in political ranking than the governorship.
Dimeji Bankole, according to one of his aides is satisfied with his present political pre-eminence over a governor of a state. Bankole, he added has the entire Country as his constituency and he even control a bigger budget and have a wider political influence far more than what any governor can dream of having. He said: " Bankole should be left out of the crisis in Ogun State as he has no hand in whatever is happening there presently. What Bankole has been doing and will continue to do is to ensure that the House of Representatives work assiduously towards ensuring good governance and enhancing quality lives for the people of Nigeria through legislations".
In all this, Gbenga Daniel was seen to be scheming to ensure that somebody from the Ogun West Senatorial zone emerges the governor in 2011. But his close aides have denied that the PDP governorship ticket has been reserved for any particular zone.
According to Chief Niyi Adegbenro, Special Adviser on Political matters to governor Gbenga Daniel, there was no truth in the insinuations that Daniel has preference for a particular zone or candidate. He said what the governor believes in and has been saying is that there will be justice and fair play in the process that will lead to the emergence of the next governor. "So, a level playing ground would be provided for whoever decides to contest the governorship in 2011", he added.
However, the crisis has defied all efforts to resolve it. Prominent traditional rulers in the State, including the Alake of Egbaland, the Awujale of Ijebuland and others have intervened to settle the rift but failed. The leadership of the ruling PDP has waded in to reconcile the warring factions of the party but with little success.
Although at a meeting called by the party in Abuja to reconcile governor Daniel and the other faction led by Senator Jubril Martins Kuye, the two sides promised to end the rift and work together in the interest of the party, there has not been any positive development to suggest that all is well.
Adegbenro frowned at the way and manner members of the State House of Assembly are causing tensions in the state, saying that if the legislators have anything incriminating against the governor, they should send their petition to the Chief Judge who will set up a panel to investigate all the allegations and if the governor was found guilty of any offence, then let them impeach him.
