Ex-Makinde appointee, Afoo, debunks ‘propaganda’ against Ogunwuyi, mocks, ‘Why are they jittery?’

Image caption: Hon Joshua Olusola Afolabi a.k.a. Afoo

Ex-Makinde appointee, Afoo, debunks ‘propaganda’ against Ogunwuyi, mocks, ‘Why are they jittery?’

Hon Segun Ogunwuyi

Yinka ADETUNJI

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A former board member of the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Hon. Joshua Olusola Afolabi, has fired a salvo at the members of the opposition parties alleging them of fueling what he described as propaganda against the person of the former Chief of Staff to the Oyo state governor Hon Segun Ogunwuyi.

Hon Ogunwuyi, it is recalled Hon Ogunwuyi recently resigned as Chief of Staff to the governor and from the Allied People’s Movement (APM) and few days ago eventually defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) along with his followers in a massive ceremony at Ogunlola Hall, Oja’gbo, Ogbomoso.

His dumping the governor has expectedly generated a lot of reactions with many commenting, based on the sides they belonged politically. Many in the opposition have described him as a paperweight politician, an anti-Soun politician specifically upbraiding him for not paying courtesy visit to the Palace of the Soun enroute the defection ground where he was received by the leaders of the APC including the APC gubernatorial candidate in the state, Barrister Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli. Some also alleged the former Chief of Staff was not a good person.

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But reacting, a loyalist, Hon Afolabi, a.k.a. Afoo, described the allegations as unfounded and mere propaganda, which conveyed the fears of the opposition against his principal, Ogunwuyi.

“I see it as political propaganda; it is a reflection their fear, they are being jittery of our boss, Hon Ogunwuyi,” Afoo said in a telephone interview with ogbomosoinsightonline.com.

“They called him a paperweight initially, but why are they jittery now? So, they have seen him in his true colours – a heavyweight. Why has his defection raised so much discussions on the streets, in beer parlours, and particularly on social media by the principle-less bloggers?”

Afoo, a frontline loyalist of the former lawmaker further observed that defection should not be an issue instigating crisis, stressing it is a normal thing in politics.

“Defection shouldn’t trigger conflicts, it is not a crime, defection is part of politics. Great politicians in the past decamped; our father, His Excellency Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala defected to different parties depending on circumstances; His Excellency Engr Seyi Makinde also changed parties several times too, without hullabaloos.

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“So, defection is not new in politics, politicians do cross-carpet based on interest. It is not new, it is a norm in politics, every politician does it, it is not betrayal. When you leave a party, you are bound to join another party of course. A Yoruba saying has it that ‘when you are not wanted somewhere, you are free to go elsewhere.’ That is the philosophy.”

Afolabi disclosed Ogunwuyi left APM, where Governor Makinde led them into from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stressing their joining the party was not properly done, as he revealed that they never had the membership card of the APM.

“Hon Ogunwuyi said he didn’t have the membership card of the party he found himself in, and he decided to move on, to pitch tent with another party that is ready to give him membership card.”

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Afoo also spoke on Ogunwuyi’s relationship with the Soun of Ogbomosoland, His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III, which some rumoured is frosty explaining it was why Ogunwuyi did not bother to pay courtesy visit to the palace while going to the venue of the decamping at Oja’gbo, while the party’s guber candidate and his deputy later called on the Oba.

“Then, they are saying he didn’t visit Kabiyesi, I declare there is no conflict between them. Hon Ogunwuyi is passionate about the progress of Ogbomoso zone, and its unity. He is not fighting anyone, he is a man of peace. He couldn’t have gone to the palace on the day he was defecting, someone going to decamp, and you want him to go to the palace? If he did so, wouldn’t it look as if Kabiyesi knew about his decamping? He was going to decamp and not a rally, that could have even implicated the Kabiyesi that it was to his knowledge. “

On the insinuation that Governor Makinde rescued the political career of Ogunwuyi by giving him appointments, Afolabi punctured this noting Ogunwuyi had been a lawmaker at the state and federal levels before being appointed by Makinde.

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“Secondly, they are saying if not for Governor Makinde Hon Ogunwuyi would have gone under in politics. No, I have said it earlier, Governor Makinde didn’t bring Ogunwuyi into politics, this is someone who had served as lawmaker representing Ogbomoso South state constituency at the Oyo State House of Assembly, and then at the House of Representatives. He had served in those capacities before his paths crossed Makinde’s. It was interest that brought them together, and now, they separated peacefully, without rancour. It is the so-called bloggers looking for traffic that are making all manners of insinuations about conflict between the two.”

Another issue is the character of Ogunwuyi, as in some circles, he is condemned as a no-good politician. The former TESCOM board member however dismissed this, saying no one could be good all round.

“One cannot be good all round in the eyes of everyone all the time. As some are condemning him that he is no good, there are tens of thousands of others, who are praising him. Look at the number of people that followed him to decamp with him. If he is not good, such number of people would not have followed him, appearing as if all Ogbomosos were there with him that day.

“Look at the number of political office holders that defected because of him, both elected and appointed, just to follow Ogunwuyi, at the state and local government levels. It’s massive, more than 30 officials resigned just to follow him, special advisers, board members, a governing council chairman of an institution, local government chairmen, all I know is that Ogunwuyi is someone the people love and want.

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“Even Governor Makinde, some people are condemning him over his style of administration, and also the president. Not everyone is condemning them and not everyone is praising them. No one can do it all. You do your own and leave the stage. Do your best and leave the rest. Hon Ogunwuyi has done his own too, his best, the next person should do his own too.”