Ex-Speaker, Oloyeloogun Reveals Reason For Ondo Crisis

The immediate former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oloyeloogun, has said the desperation for the 2024 governorship election is responsible for the political crisis in the state.

The former speaker said the political ambition of some persons and the move to succeed Governor Rotimi Akeredolu are the causes of the crisis in the state, which should not be the case.

In an interview with The Punch, Oloyeloogun said the stakeholders need to have a very good meeting and come together to settle their differences in the interest of the state and the people.

The former speaker said the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) should organise those leaders who are forming different groups and come together to discuss.

He said: “It is about ambition. I want to be this, and I want to be that. About a year ago, nothing like this happened. Ondo State needs to come together. The stakeholders need to have a very good meeting.

“The party chairman should organise those leaders who are forming different groups. Let the chairman of the party call the elders and let them come together and discuss. As they have gone to Abuja, may God not let us be dishonoured; if the President didn’t interfere in the issue of the state, won’t they settle it?

“We can do the settlement ourselves; many states have one issue or the other, and they settled their things themselves. When was the last time the elders’ forum met in the state? The chairman of the party has a lot to do.

“If we look at it, ambitions are causing a lot in Ondo State. As I said earlier, only God owns the ambitions. Ambition is like a man holding a cutlass and chasing two rats. If he is not careful, he will lose everything.

“This time around, our party needs to come together, resolve issues, and be one. Bring elders together and be one. Also, we should have the fear of God. If the meeting is monthly, we will get there and pray things will be better. There’s a need for the chairman to do that as a matter of urgency; the chairman of the party is the only one who can do that.

“Mr Governor is the one that is doing it before but he’s not around now. The chairman of the party has the authority to call anyone. He should not put sentiment into it. If not, it will end up in failure.”

The former speaker also applauded President Bola Tinubu for summoning all stakeholders at the centre of the crisis to Abuja for peace talks and intervening in the matter.

He added: “Thank God for the recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja. The best thing that can happen to move Ondo State forward is for everyone to do his or her work as it should be done. Everybody should leave his or her political ambition, ambition is ruining the state.

“I told someone recently that you do not know if you will be alive tomorrow; you are making different plans ahead of 2024. Only God owns time and season, and only God puts someone in a position. Look at what happened in Kogi a few years ago, the winner of the election was not sworn in before he passed away, the person who didn’t even think of getting to the position got there.

“You see, not having the fear of God is the cause of all these crises. They should let peace reign. Let there be representation, everywhere, as it is supposed to be.”