Idowu Sowunmi
Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, for bowing to party supremacy in the selection of commissioner-nominees recently screened and confirmed by the state House of Assembly.
The Publicity Secretary of the state APC Caretaker Committee, Mr. Tunde Oladunjoye, yesterday made the commendation in a statement in Abeokuta, the state capital.
The party’s spokesperson noted that the governor deserved to be praised when compared to what was obtained in the past, saying the eventual selection of the commissioner-designates was based on the list signed and submitted by party leaders from all the nine federal constituencies in the state.
According to him, “It would be recalled that at a state caucus meeting of the party on October 11, 2019, attended by the governor and our leader, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, it was directed that leaders of the party in each federal constituency should meet and forward the list of commissioner-nominees to the party for onward transfer to the governor. The instruction was followed to the letter.
“The governor’s eventual selection of the commissioner-designates was based on the lists signed and submitted by party leaders from all the nine federal constituencies in the state.
“In fact, the governor actually deserves to be commended for submitting himself to party supremacy unlike what was obtained in recent past. The approach of Abiodun was the same as that of our leader, Osoba, during his tenure, as they both believe in the supremacy of the party.
“The commissioner-designates, politicians and technocrats are qualified people from their respective local government areas and proud indigenes of Ogun State, who were appointed on party’s meritorious recommendations and not because of allegiance to any political group or sectarian tendency.
“We plead with the few who may have misgivings or didn’t make the list to allow the expressed will of the party leaders to prevail. It is too early for divisiveness and distractions.”
On the issue of female representation on the list, the publicity secretary urged APC faithful in the state to keep faith with the governor.
Oladunjoye said: “On the demand for more women in the cabinet, we want to assure our women-focused organisations, many of who are supporters of our party at the last governorship elections, to keep faith with the governor over his promise on women and youths inclusion in governance.
“The State Executive Council is not restricted to commissioners only. The Abiodun-led administration had earlier appointed quite a number of cabinet ranking Special Advisers (SA) and Senior Special Assistants (SSA) who are women in addition to the three commissioner-designates and more that are being planned.
“The administration knows and appreciates the role of women in development, and this is why we have a female deputy governor and a female Head of Service. Ogun is probably the only state in the South of Nigeria that has done this.”
