Olubadan’s Younger Brother Tackles Makinde Over PDP Senatorial Ticket

The lawmaker representing Oyo South Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Kola Balogun, has disagreed with Governor Seyi Makinde over the allegation of non-performance.

The senator said the governor could not accuse him of non-performance or not being popular among the party leaders because neither of the claims is true.

He said this in Ibadan on Friday while reacting to the claims allegedly made by the governor that the senator had not performed and is not popular in the party.

The alleged non-performance and accusation that he is not taking care of the party leaders were said to be the reason for denying him the second term ticket.

The senator said the real reason the governor gave the senatorial ticket to Joseph Tegbe who just defected from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party is because he is the younger brother of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun’s younger brother.

He said some close persons to the governor had told Makinde to give the PDP ticket to Tegbe so that the brother will not be the Olubadan and the younger brother a senator.

The senator also listed some of his achievements and empowerment programmes to debunk the claims of non-performance.

The incumbent senator, in a statement, “Real Facts Why Makinde Denied Olubadan’s Brother A Second Term Ticket”, said the governor was initially against the idea of dropping him as a senator but later caved in to the pressure.

Balogun said, “Governor Makinde reportedly made some claims that I am not performing and that I am not taking care of the party leaders in the nine local government areas in Oyo South Senatorial District.

“As a Christian, can he swear with the Holy Bible and with his life that those were the real and principal reasons he took that decision?

“I challenge him to publicly swear before the PDP stakeholders; before the people of Ibadan, Oyo South Senatorial District and the entire state that he took that decision solely because of the reasons stated in the report. If he can do this, I will come back to openly apologise to him.

“The allegation of non-performance against me is puerile. The record of my performance and achievements is in the public domain and it is hereby attached to this piece.”

The angry lawmaker however said he would not relinquish the seat without a fight, saying some informal leaders close to the governor might be the ones the governor was claiming that he did not take care of.

He said he has been contributing to the party and had empowered the various segments of his constituents on many occasions.

“We however concede to him that there are some informal leaders who are landlords in his Guest House. These people have constituted themselves into a very powerful and influential cartel.

“These informal leaders may be the ones who are complaining because some people who are seeking one favour or the other must go through them in order to get the attention of the governor.

“I don’t think that it is normal for me, as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to have a political relationship with the governor, and having to go through these informal leaders in his Guest House.

“So, they may be the ones complaining that I don’t give them anything. But I have absolutely no apologies to make in that regard.

“Our conclusion from all of these is that these allegations are not only spurious, they are also pure lies from the pit of hell.

“Governor Makinde should remember that all power belongs to God and He gives it to whoever He chooses. The battle is still on and the final judgment is of the Lord,” Senator Kola Balogun said.