Ogun Information Commissioner Blasts Journalists For Seeking Clarification Over Governor Abiodun, Deputy's Absence

Waheed Odusile

ABEOKUTA - The Ogun State Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Waheed Odusile on Tuesday lambasted journalists for seeking reaction about the disappearance of the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, accusing them of putting “rubbish” together in the name of journalism.

Odusile who was reacting to the absence of Governor Dapo Abiodun, Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele and the Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kunle Oluomo described them as 'brainless.'

Rumours miffed on social media that the Deputy Governor had left the country angrily when the Governor allegedly ignored her and handed over to the SSG.

When he was speaking on the absence of the Governor and his Deputy same time, Odusile said: “Government is running, somebody is there. If they (Abiodun and Salako-Oyedele) are not around, somebody will do the job, and the job is being done by somebody who is designated to do it.”

“That (the Deputy Governor left the country because the Governor handed over to the SSG) is not true. You people should not insinuate what is not there. I’ve been seeing the stupid things other people are writing. As journalists, can’t we even reason or just use our brains for once? Just look at it, people will just sit down somewhere, put rubbish together and call it stories. Is that journalism?

“I’ve been doing this job for the past 40 years, I’ve never seen this type of reportage in my life. People just cook up stories for whatever reasons and they believe they are doing journalism. The report is not true please,” Odusile reacted furiously.

It was gathered that since last week, Ogun has not had its weekly State Executive Council meetings, neither has the Assembly held any sitting.

While Abiodun and his deputy are away in London, United Kingdom, the Speaker left the state, reportedly for a seminar in the United States without handing over power to the Deputy Governor.

Gov. Abiodun was seen last week in a photo with former Lagos State Governor, Chief Bola Tinubu, who was said to be recuperating in the United Kingdom after a knee injury.

Since then, the governor, who left the country a few days after the burial of his father, is yet to return to his duty post.

Following the absence of Abiodun and his Deputy, our correspondent observed that the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) has been standing in for his principal.

Reacting to the development, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun state, Sikirulahi Ogundele, said that he was not surprised by the actions of the three most senior government officials in Ogun, saying, “they don’t have a direction, since they are visionless.”

Ogundele asked the governor and others to return to Ogun in order to mark the annual October 1 independence day celebration on Friday.