DAPO ABIODUN: MANAGING A HOSTILE WIFE AND A FRIENDLY EX FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OGUN STATE, By: Iziaq Kunle SALAKO

Take it or leave it, Prince Dapo Abiodun as Governor of Ogun State has proven to be a dexterous navigator with the way he has in the last 15 months carefully piloted his affairs between a hostile “wife” and and an accommodating “ex” without any serious hullabaloo.

This is a commendable approach that demonstrate that this Governor is not ready to throw away the baby with the bath water. The approach has also created a very good prospect for peace, reconciliation and oneness to be achieved easily within the APC in Ogun State. The terms wife and ex are of course being used figuratively here and not in reference to Mr. Governor’s love life.

With the massive opposition that Prince Abiodun received from his predecessor in office, the attack of his supporters during the campaign and the obvious anger demonstrated by the supporters of Senator Ibikunle Amosun when he won the election, not many expected that there would not be serious counter actions from the victor against the vanquished.

Commendably, the body language of Prince Dapo Abiodun did not send the signal for such retaliatory actions and Ogun State is the better for it.

Again, despite the assurances, not many people believed that Prince Dapo Abiodun will continue the many unfinished projects of his predecessor when he became the Governor. The question being asked was; how can he continue the legacies of a predecessor who did everything to make sure he did not get to the office and even when he was declared winner, bluntly refused to cooperate and did not disguise his support for the efforts to overturn the victory? Somehow, Prince Dapo Abiodun is demonstrating the unusual and the unexpected as the unfinished projects of Senator Ibikunle Amosun are being continued and completed. Again, Ogun State is the better for it.

The People’s Democratic Party which holds the record of being the political party with the longest record of governance in Ogun State is largely playing the role of a friendly ex as the only benchmark to measure how the PDP will perform if given the opportunity to govern again which is the government led by Otunba Gbenga Daniel is at the forefront. The number 2 for eight years is playing ball, so are the number 3s and a lot of the key actors of that government. The head of that government may not be dressed to play but is he coaching and technically advising? Like they say, abstention and silence are significant in politics and so long as the recognize leader is silent, the known lieutenant actions speaks volume. More importantly, if the known brand voice of the opposition whose records of performance is being counted on by the opposition to wrestle power is not at the center of that struggle, such a struggle is abnitio burdened.

In essence, Governor Dapo Abiodun can only be scored excellent in the way he has publicly managed these relationshipand created the right perception for the betterment of Ogun State. Obviously, PDA has taken to heart the old wise counsel of leaving ample space for settlement in any strife and therefore the reconciliation committee of the APC set up by the national caretaker body is likely to be faced with less challenges in achieving its mission in Ogun State. In the same breath, by the accommodation the Governor has so far given to key elements of the opposition, all that needs to be done is to step up the engagement and also get the known brand voice of the opposition to wear his playing boot and play actively again on the political turf. Even if this leader should choose to play on the opposite site of the turf, it will be certain that he will lead and play constructively with Ogun State being the better for it.

Interestingly, these body languages of Prince Dapo Abiodun is permeating down to his lieutenants and phrases like “government is a continuum”, “this is an inclusive government”, “we are not here to condemn” have taken prominence in their vocabulary. One can discern a deliberate practice of avoiding attack on the projects of the immediate past and appreciation of those embarked upon by previous ones by officials of the present. Obviously, a clear case of following the lead and signals of the team captain.

Love and forgiveness elicits the most powerful feeling in humans. It is therapeutic, invigorating, relaxing, protective and promoting. Governor Dapo Abiodun by the way he has govern so far has demonstrated love and forgiveness and is setting a new template for successorship whereby a succeeding administration do not have to be the enemy of the predecessor whether they are in the same political caucus or not. Ogun State definitely can only be better with this new template.