Fawaz Adebisi
Governors and leaders of the All Progressives Congress in the country were conspicuously absent as the former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was honoured by his kinsmen.
Osibanjo who was Vice President for eight years (2015-2023) was honoured on Sunday, in his hometown, Ikenne by the Ikenne Development Association .
Apart from the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, no other governors who are members of the APC, attended .
Also, no leader of the APC in any part of the country was in attendance, while two governors of the Peoples Democratic Party ; Bayelsa and Edo states, Doure Diri and Godwin Obaseki were in attendance.
Others at the event were former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, former ministers of Interior and Industry,Trade and Investment, Rauf Aregbesola and Niyi Adebayo respectively as well as former governor of Cross River, Donald Duke among many others .
Recalled that Osinbajo was not well received in Lagos after the expiration of his tenure .
The development was linked to his participation at the party’s presidential primaries against his boss, president Bola Tinubu .
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Abiodun had issues with the presidency due to his support for Osinbajo during the party primaries .
Abiodun was said to have made several moves to warm himself into the heart of the president, but, failed as he continues receiving a cold reception .
Meanwhile, Abiodun,Aregbesola, Obaseki and Diri among other prominent people have praised Osibanjo for his service after eight years.
Prof Osibanjo was celebrated on Sunday at the Obafemi Awolowo square, Ikenne Remo, Ogun state in th event tagged “Public Thanksgiving and Appreciation Reception of His Excellency Prof Yemi Osibanjo “.
The event which had prominent people, Chairman of Ogun state traditional Council and the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, Chief Segun Awolowo, Mr Femi Osibanjo, Barrister Wale Babalakin, Former Bayelsa Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson, Chairman of the event, Otunba Adeleke Adesina, among others, in attendance was organized to appreciate the former vice president.
Speaking at the event, Abiodun, who was the host of the event, said the former VP was a mentor to him, as he thanked him for the maximum the support he gave to Ogun State.
Abiodun also thanked him for his support while he was bidding for the state governorship post in 2018.
He said, “thank you for the support you gave me in 2018 in the course of my journey to Oke-Mosan.”
In his words, an office is not permanent but the legacy left behind, as he stressed that the impact one leaves is what matters.
He therefore stressed that the former vice president had left a good legacy for the people of Ogun state and deserves a better welcome back home party.
He said, “an office is not permanent but the legacy we leave behind, and impact we made on the lives of those who trusted us. Let us emulate him by using opportunity to serve the people, because the people we left behind are the people we’ll go back.
“Your good legacy was from Borno to Bayelsa to Ebony to Edo, you have done well sir.”
He therefore said Prof Osibanjo is the state’s number one export to Abuja, as he thanked him for representing well.
The Akarigbo described Prof Osibanjo as the best vice president Nigeria has ever produced.
He explained that during the few months Prof. Osibanjo governed the country as acting president, the country felt the difference.
He said, “within the short time the then president of Nigeria was out of the country, Nigerians felt changes, as we knew another person was on seat, but God knows how he works.”
According to him, the celebrant was not a thief and had not taken anybody’s money illegally.
He said, “I called him, when the rumours were on that he stole, but he said he’ll never steal anybody’s money, and that he knows the house he came from, having said this, I stood up and fought for him, because I believe him.”
He therefore appreciated him for his effort while in office to make Ikenne grow, as he said the local government has witnessed and still witnessing growth.
Commending Prof. Osibanjo, Dickson said that, while the former VP was on seat, he visited his state for about five times to do one thing or the other.
He said the had served so well and meritoriously, adding that anytime the state calls on him to do one thing or the other, he has always been there.
He therefore appreciated him as he explained that the former VP had been like a brother to his state and its people.
Corroborating this, Obaseki said he visited Edo for about nine times while in office.
He said that it was an occasion or the other that would always bring to the state, adding that he had always been a good friend.
Prof Osibanjo in his remarks said ” I want to thank the Ikenne Development Association because you have shown leadership in developing this town, in developing sons and daughters of this town.
” We will continue to work and support Ikenne, Ikenne is an incredible town, I believe that this place called Ikenne has something special to offer.
“I say to the young men and women here that your own future, your own destiny, your progress has only just begun,wherever it is that we stopped is only your own starting point and we will be there with you to support you and enable you to achieve the highest that you can achieve.”
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