The immediate past Chief of Staff to Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Chief Tolu Odebiyi, has revealed how he turned down the instruction of the Governor to leave the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, for Allied Peoples Movement.
The former Chief of Staff made the revelation when he spoke with newsmen at his country home of Ibooro, in Yewa North Local Government of the state.
He said that he ignored the governor’s directive because of his believe in party supremacy and his political pedigree.
Odebiyi, who is the Ogun West senatorial candidate of APC, said he is not a ‘political prostitute’ that changes political platform for whatsoever reasons.
He was of the conviction that his party would defeat the APM being floated by Amosun at the polls in 2019.
He said, “The same reason, the loyalty that he (Amosun) feels for President Buhari, the commitment that he feels for him to remain steadfast within the party is the same loyalty and commitment that I feel towards the APC.
“It’s a party that I feel that I have a stake in and to go with him because of the wrangling that was going on is tantamount to me severing my relationship with these people (supporters). And that, to me, was a tough price for me.
“As I said, he himself was not leaving the party. He himself maintains his loyalty and friendship with President Buhari. He himself wants to ensure he succeeds, the same way I want to ensure the party succeeds.
“I felt a sense of responsibility and obligation to my followers who have supported me since 2014; they sacrificed their time, money and everything to support me.
“I had to step down; governorship again, they did the same thing though disappointed, they were steadfast in their support.
“Finally, we got the Senate ticket and now I’m being asked to drop the Senate ticket and go to another party while my leader is not going with me. To me, I don’t get it.
“I felt what kind of leader would I be for my followers if I’m now given another ticket in an unknown party and I’m expecting them to follow me.
“I mean, it would seem as if one is indecisive. And what is the assurance that when you get to APM, you’ll not move to another?
“I felt it was fraught with risks. Our people may be confused. I felt that it poses a great danger for us in Yewa in the sense that if we all put our eggs in one basket and we all lose out; having lost governorship, now we are going to take a risk with our Senate.
“I just felt why not hold on to this one that we have, let’s fight on this one, at least let’s secure this one and all the others would come.
“I believe that didn’t sink well with him (Amosun); he didn’t like that position that I put forward. He thought I was being disloyal. And to me, loyalty has its limits.
“When your own pride is now on the line, you have to take a stand for something. And I had to stick with what I believed in and I felt I cannot be part of something that I do not believe in. To me, it’s just being straightforward honest.”
