Lead us to APC, you can’t resign from politics now, supporters beg Gbenga Daniel

POLITICAL supporters of the former governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, has resisted his decision to resign from active and partisan politics.

Tribune Online recalls that Daniel had in a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, last Saturday, announced his intention to resigned from politics to take up new challenges.

They (supporters) at a meeting called at the instance of the former governor held on Sunday, at Asoludero Hall, Sagamu, kicked against their leader’s decision, arguing that they were not consulted before he took such decision.

The former governor who earlier addressed the gathering explained that the decision was for the “good of man,” submitting that he has completed his political assignments.

He noted that he joined politics by accident and that he had suffered image battering since he left government.

“There is time for everything in a life of a man, I think once you are persuaded that the job is done you got to leave the stage when the ovation is loudest. I have done the job as far as Ogun politics is concerned.

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“In the last few years, I have been battered and there is no name they didn’t call me. I came to politics by accident so you can call me an accidental politician. It all started with the Gateway Front Foundation (GFF). it was the genuine need to awake the sleeping giant that brought me into politics.

“Ogun State as a sleeping giant has been reawakened and so my objective of waking the sleeping giant has been achieved. From 2011 till date, I have seen hell.  I was ready to quit in 2011 because I have done my bit.

“I have now set you free. You now have the licence to claim whatever party you like. If you want to remain in PDP, you are free. If you want to go to APC, I’ve now given you the political freedom,” he explained.

Some of the loyalists who spoke during the meeting opposed to his move to quit politics and urged him to lead them to the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) having worked for the victory of Prince Dapo Abiodun in the March 9 polls.

Those who spoke against Daniel’s decision to quit partisan politics include Chief Gboyega Okenla; Hon Olayiwola Taiwo; Chief (Mrs) Iyabode Apampa; Hon Kayode Amusan; Alhaji Bisiriyu Popoola and Chief  Ibukun Ojosipe among others asked Daniel to lead them to APC since the crisis within PDP had remained unresolved.

Amusan who applied the legislative approach to counter Daniel’s decision asked those who wanted their leader to remain in PDP to say ‘aye’ but nobody said anything.

When he asked if they support the ex-governor move to join APC there was a thunderous shout of ‘aye’.

While fielding questions from newsmen after the meeting, Daniel, said he would review all said by his loyalists and takes a decision thereafter.

He said: “This process is about leading people. What we have done today is to call all our people across the length and breadth of the State to subject our decision to a kind of plebiscite and of course, you have listened to what they have said.

“Basically, they said they agreed that I could resign from PDP; they said I must lead them to APC and they said I cannot retire from politics. That’s the summary of what I heard and then, we have to take a look at it.”