Barely three weeks after former Ogun State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Akingbolahan Adeniran resigned from Governor Dapo Abiodun’s cabinet, another member of the cabinet has resigned.
WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that Hon. Muyiwa Oladipo, a former Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2003, resigned from his position as a Consultant to Gov. Abiodun on Thursday.
Oladipo resigned with immediate effect in a letter dated December 2, 2021 and delivered to Abiodun via the Secretary to the State Government.
The former Commissioner thanked the Governor for the opportunity to serve Ogun State again, stating, “may we not STUMBLE.”
The letter titled, “Resignation as Consultant to the Governor”, read: “I refer to your letter Ref no SSG/ADM. 162 vol 1/50 and dated 4th February 2020 wherein I was appointed Consultant to the Governor.
“I hereby tender my RESIGNATION as Consultant with immediate effect.
“I further thank you for the opportunity given me to continue in the service of Ogun State which I started way back in 1999 as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
“The good Lord will continually guide us aright, may we not STUMBLE.”
Like the former Attorney General, Oladipo, who is also a legal practitioner, did not state the reason for his resignation.
However, our correspondent reliably gathered that the erstwhile Speaker had retraced his step back to the former Governor Ibikunle Amosun camp of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State.
After serving as the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs from 2011 to 2015 and as the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism from 2015 to 2019 under the Amosun administration, Oladipo left for the Abiodun group in the heat of the controversies that characterised the 2019 governorship election in Ogun.
The two-time Commissioner was made a Consultant by Abiodun almost two years into his government.
Before turning in his resignation letter, Oladipo had recently met with leaders of the Amosun group in Sagamu Local Government, declaring his loyalty to the Ogun Central Senator.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, Oladipo said he had the right to resign and move on with his life.
His words: “At a point in life, you get to a stage when you will decide to move on with your life. So, I decided to do that. Don’t forget that I was once a Speaker, later I became a two-term Commissioner and also he (Abiodun) appointed me as a Consultant. I consulted for him for about two years and I believe it is time for me to move on. I needed to move on with my life. I must move on with my life. It’s a personal decision. Don’t I have the right to do that?
“As for the ‘may we not STUMBLE’ in that letter, when you walk and look straight, you will not stumble; when you walk and look down, you may stumble. Along the line, maybe anybody can read different meaning to it. The truth is that you may see people around you that will advise you positively or negatively. Whichever advise they give you may allow you to stumble or the other way around. So, many people can read a different meaning to it. I am a philosopher, a barrister and a historian as well.”
On whether he left because he did not get a juicy appointment in Abiodun’s government, the politician retorted: “In the executive, what position could be higher than a Commissioner after Governor and Deputy Governor? I was a Commissioner for eight years, so I needed not to be a Commissioner. It is the governor’s absolute right to appoint SSG and Chief of Staff. So, why should I leave? If I was after any of those posts at all, I would not have taken the (Consultant) appointment in the first instance. You know, at a time like this, many people will be coming up with different things. But I am not perturbed. They have their right to say anything.”
Oladipo confirmed returning to the Amosun camp, saying, “Yes, that’s where I left. There is nothing strange in going back to where you left.”
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government has confirmed the receipt of Oladipo’s resignation letter.
The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Waheed Odusile, told our correspondent that, “he (Oladipo) has resigned his appointment.”
Odusile said, “the guy has resigned his appointment, which he is entitled to. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours.”