The governor of
Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel yesterday described his predecessor, Olusegun
Osoba as a coward for fleeing the state after losing the 2003
governorship election to him. Mr Daniel was reacting to a verbal attack
from Mr Osoba last Tuesday during the flagging-off of the Action
Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship campaign at Ake Palace, in
Abeokuta.
Mr Osoba at the rally said Mr Daniel has become an emperor
who now makes state lawmakers to hold their sitting in government
house, he added that very soon, he will take the State Chief Judge to
his bedroom to seek injunction. However, during his farewell tour of
Abeokuta North Local Government Area of the State, the governor said Mr
Osoba, who holds the traditional title of Akinrogun (the brave man that
faces war) is nothing but Akinsafogun, (the brave man that flees from
war).
“When he lost
election in 2003, he ran away. But he ran back when he is no longer
contesting with me. He is a coward. I challenge him to a public debate,
he refused, saying that it should be in June. I have done a lot and I
can tell you that my achievements in office have overshadowed his.” He
added.
Drowning man
Mr Daniel also criticised the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola for using N500million yearly on Chrismas trees.
“Under no
circumstance had we used N3.5 billion to plant flowers as Fashola did
in Lagos,” Mr Daniel said. “He (Fashola) obtains World Bank loan to
plant flowers. If we have such money, we will not have spent it on
planting flowers.” He said it was in his office (Kresta Laurel) that Mr
Fashola received his letter of appointment as a Special Assistant to
former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, adding that he deserves
respect from such a man.
An aide to Mr Osoba described Mr Daniel as a drowning man who will hold unto anything to stay afloat.
“No serious man will react to a man that has plunged the state into
both social, political and economic crises,” he said. “He is a
spendthrift who has sold off the legacies of our founding fathers.
Posterity will never forgive him the way he has ruled the state. Time
will tell whether he did well or not.” The aide concluded.
