03/07/2018
*Let there be peace in Remo North! Matters Arising*
Dear constituents of Remo North, I salute you all! I thank you all for the concern and love shown to me, my family, my followers and supporters through these interesting but tough times. If not for God Almighty and you all, I won't be here today, to Him we give all the glory and total gratitude.
Importantly, on behalf of my humble self and my family, I wish to specially thank the good people of Isara Remo who have displayed exemplary love and solidarity to me all of the times our resolve was tested. I am absolutely grateful to you all. I thank Isara Community Development Association (ICDA), Isara Progressives Forum (IPF), Isara League of Imams and Isara Muslim Community, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Remo North Chapter, Isara Students Association (ISA) and Market Women who took time and turns to visit our brothers and kinsmen who have been unjustly incarcerated by the OGSG alongside my humble self.
In same vein, I specially appreciate the good people of Ode Remo for their constant calls, text messages and solidarity. I am astonished but profoundly grateful to my freinds and followers from Ode Remo community voluntarily appointed 10 men to guard my residence and family daily while I remain in exile. I am very much grateful. I thank you for rallying round me with strong support, and also for understanding the cause at hand is one for all of us to fight together, towards achieving a secure and brighter future for our constituency.
Same time all of these drama was playing out, the great people of Ipara Remo, Akaka, Orile Oko and Ilara Remo have at different times visited my home and our suppoerters in remand, to show solidarity and total support, I thank and appreciate you all!
I must not fail to acknowledge and appreciate efforts of Hon (Dr) Oladipupo Adebutu, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Leader Francis Banwo, Chief Kolapo Ogunjobi, Mr Idowu Ayodabo, and several others who made concerted efforts to ensure justice is entrenched and served as appropriate. Thus far, prominent Obas in Remo kingdom have displayed a high level of care and concern, calling at timely intervals, sending emissaries and goodwill of different forms. I am profoundly grateful to you all. Collectively, your kind gesture and show of love has left me with more reasons to maintain my humility and zeal to serve with every iota of capacity in me.
Happenings of the last few weeks in Remo North State Constituency has drawn a lot of attention, reports, rumours and innuendo of different dimensions all around the towns of the constituency, Ogun State and even the country at large. It is rather unfortunate that we have found ourselves in such unfair and unjust position, bearing in mind that the inglorious fiasco is being scripted and played out by the same government that we laboured hard to gather votes for, and thus install, so sad!
It all started a few days to the Coronation of the new Odemo of Isara Remo when I was reliably informed that the APC had hijacked the Coronation Planning Committee and as so the Governor said he will not attend the coronation if I will also be in attendance. Quite surprising! I called the S.S.G and the Commissioner for Local Govt and Chieftancy Affairs to confirm the genuinty of the report and both outrightly dispelled it, thus indicating complicity and mischief from the Planning Committee. Simply because I have left the APC, they considered me undeserving of attendance and recognition at the coronation and I conveyed this to my Principal; Hon (Dr) Oladipupo Adebutu, who also sought confirmation from Kabiyesi and was told such plans was nonexistent. On the eve of the coronation, security report filtered in again, this time the report was that there was a grand plot against my humble self at the coronation of the following day, thus advising me to forgo the event and stay back home. However, my Principal insisted that I attend the event; in my own capacity and also to represent him, thus sending his Legislative Aide who doubles as House of Reps aspirant; Asiwaju Bola Oluwole, while he was away on Legislative Oversight/Assignment far out of the state.
It is on record that I did not move to the venue of the event on my own, rather I waited in my Constituency Office with party faithfuls and supporters till my Principal's delegation arrived, thereon we proceeded to the event venue. As expected, upon sighting the huge supporters that accompanied me to the occasion, and the awesome cheer and reception by other guests and indigenes present, the Chairmen of the L.G and L.C.D.A & the House Majority Leader felt seriously intimidated and unhappy, one could tell from the expression on their faces. Minutes after taking our seat in the midst of our supporters and party faithfuls, report filtered in that Hon Mafe (who attended the occassion in company of hoodlums, unfriendly faces and thugs, who were all wearing black caps with his name inscribed on it) had passed a directive to the thugs that the Governor instructed them to ensure if I was seen at the coronation, my cloth be shredded, and the shreds be submitted to the Governor's Office, which led to the thugs creating a scene to harass and assault my humble self at the event. Save for God and the security men that came with my Principal's delegation, I would have been abducted, which might have translated to something else. I was indeed assaulted and harassed by the thugs amd hoodlums, however, to avoid a clash between them and my supporters, after some hours, myself and the delegation of my Principal left for Chief Bayode Oluwole's residence to host our teeming supporters.
*Arrests:*
It is also on record that after leaving the event, Hon Mafe's hoodlums went to my Constituency Office and shot in the air sporadically. These issues were reported to the Zone 2 Office of the Nigeria Police Force, which was followed with consequent arrest. However, some young men were wrongly arrested and I order for their release and compensated them for the wrongdoing.
One would have thought that was the end to the drama, however, it turned out to be the genesis of an episode of grand conspiracy by the State Government who will leave no stone unturned to ensure myself and my followers cm supporters are witchhunted for daring to tell the truth to power, and also taking the courage to leave the APC. I was intimated of a meeting convened by the S.S.G on the Friday that preceded my arrest; June 1st. The meeting had the Ogun CP (CP Iliyasu), CP Balogun (rtd), OC SARS, Chairman Remo North L.G; Tayo Sowole and the S.S.G himself in attendance. At the meeting, Tayo Sowole provided a petition alleging myself and the PDP of intimidation of APC members and using force to coerce APC members to join PDP with my humble self. I was also accused of using the Nigeria Police Force, Zone 2 to harrass and arrest APC members, thus the L.G Chairman also presented a list of persons to be arrested for these reasons to the meeting (obviously untrue reasons). On Monday 4th June, as follow up to their Friday meeting, another meeting was held at the office of the S.S.G, this time with Hon Yinka Mafe in attendance. Yinka Mafe also presented a list of persons to be arrested in Sagamu and locations where to be arrested.
As reprisal sort of, while seating right in front of my Constituency Office on Monday 4th of June with my followers, discussing issues affecting their respective wards, officers of the Police Force FSARS in a gestapo manner invaded my office, assaulted me without caring about my political and social status, and whisked myself and 17 of my followers to Abeokuta, on allegations of thuggery and cultism, conspiracy etc which are bailable offenses. Interestingly, on the following day, the charges were trumped up again to; murder, robbery, possession of fi****ms etc which are capital offenses, one was left to wonder who died in the entire drama and under what circumstances the person died (where nobody died as a matter of fact). Obviously, they changed them to capital offenses in order to keep us away in remand. Eventually, I was granted bail and the 17 others charged and remanded in Prison.
Wonder why after being first charged for unlawful thuggery and cultism, etc, thus after submitting my statement and that of the co-accused 17 fellows, on Tuesday I demanded to be charged to court, to which the O.C SARS agreed, but with the condition that he had to seek permission of the S.S.G before proceeding. The S.S.G directed him to hold on till he gets permission from the Governor, who was then in Mecca for Umrah. However, the S.S.G did not return the O.C SARS' call until 11pm when he called to say he had not been able to reach the Governor. The O.C SARS had problems of what charges to take us to court for, thus he concluded to charge the rest 17 for unlawful gathering, however the SSG insisted on charging us for capital offenses so bail will be impossible, thus the charges were trumped up to murder, possession of fi****ms, robbery and conspiracy etc. On our behalf, the Chief Imam of Isara connected a prominent Chief Imam who was in Mecca with the Governor, to plead on our behalf to which the Governor outrightly rejected the plea, insisting on being remanded in prison custody.
It saddens me to the marrow, that 17 young men were incarcerated under harsh circumstances and untold hardship for no justifiable reason other than trumped up charges by the State. While they were incacerated, none of them was allowed access to the media or their families. The spouse of one of them went to labour, put to bed, and he was not granted access to his familysl still, let alone attending the naming. The spouse of another one of these fellows is about to put to bed while he remains incacerated for no justifiable reason. So unfair amd unjust! Thanks to Hon (Dr) Oladipupo Adebutu for using his good office to visit these people and their families, same time providing material succor for them.
Today, the 17 of them have been granted bail, to further puzzle and wriggle the case in court while at least enjoying their liberty. While I congratulate them all for their courage, I do humbly reassure them of my goodwill and support at all times.
I wish to call on all youth, residents and indigenes of Isara Remo to embrace peace, and pave way for unity which we are known for. Also, I have forgiven all of the people responsible for the coronation innuendo and imbroglio that followed it. May God forgive you all likewise.
*Matters Arising: Myself and Sen Ibikunle Amosun*
Quite obvious is the fact that I and my followers cm supporters have left the APC for the People's Democratic Party (PDP). A lot of questions have been asked from several people; to know thw reason for such move, and also the interest to which the decision was made.
Without gainsaying, rather than being beneficiary of our success at the 2015 polls, and our effort towards ensuring victory for Sen Ibikunle Amosun in Remo North, we have been seriously denigrated and written off in governance and projects of government.
If everyone can remember how we toiled throughout the 2015 elections to ensure Remo North (which was at that time a PDP stronghold)was won by APC, if everyone can remember Gov Amosun's promises and vow of goodwill, I think it is therefore pertinent that we now sit to ask ourselves what government presence we have felt thus far in terms of infrastructure and governance in its real self.
Truth be told; myself and His Excellency used to be very close, thinking our closeness will allow me attract development to my constituency. Sometimes early in government, he called me privately and promised me additional 500,000 naira plus my monthly take home, I thanked him a lot and thought it was an acknowledgement of my loyalty. Two months after, he brought the issue of taking Orile Oko out of Remo North L.G (Remo) to Obafemi Owode L.G (Egba), then I immediately stopped going for the 500,000 now realizing it was a bait. Thereon I made a clarion call to all and sundry, mobilized and fought him with the good people of Remo Kingdom; God bless the memories of the late Akarigbo; Oba M.A Sonariwo, Pa Sofila and the Asiwaju of Orile Oko; Late Pa Ijaduoye. We got Orile Oko back and he did not forgive me for that. That was what started our disaffection.
Overtime, (many atimes in the presence of my colleagues in the House of Assembly) when I raised needs of my Constituency or asked questions as to what my Constituency needs urgently, he gladly interject with remarks such as; "oh, you mean *Remo Nothing* ?" Implying that same Remo North we laboured to win for him, same Remo North that I am representing with people haven reposed much trust in my humble self and himself to develop is now Remo Nothing in his mind. To then reply with most times, right to my face he said, and keeps saying he knows there is "nothing" he can do to defeat PDP in Remo North, Ikenne and Ijebu North L.G because of the influences of Hon (Dr) Oladipupo Adebutu in Remo and that of Sen Buruji Kashamu in Ijebu North, thus he prefers to do bits in Sagamu and Ogijo and ensure much focus and concentration on Abeokuta. What can be more painful? A man we worked hard for denying of right to good governance for 8 good years!
Thus far, I waited in APC, pleading and hoping at least one project will be started or if just the Iperu Axis of the Iperu/Ode Remo Road will be done, and also perhaps palliatives will be made to our very bad Roads in Remo North; particularly the roads leading to Orile Oko and Ilara Remo, unfortunately, till this moment Mr Governor has not yielded to my pleas and even that of my colleagues on our behalf. Quite unfortunate and disheartening!
Thus, I still do make bold to ask the APC to point at projects started by Sen Ibikunle Amosun led OGSG in the last 7 years (the Model School in Isara, like in every other place is uncompleted and neglected).
Dear people of Remo North, it is in the best of our collective interest that myself and my followers and colleagues decided to leave the APC for a platform where we know our plight is shared and greatly considered. I have nothing personal against His Excellency, however, he has not been fair to Remo North and even Remo Kingdom and Ogun East at large, thus the review of the basis of our coexistence in APC became imminent, and the decision to leave was unanimously agreed on by stakeholders.
I wish to reiterate that I have resolved to forgive everyone who took part in the imbroglio. My arms are wide open to all, as I very much desire that we all come together as people of great ancestry, to uproot the seeds of divisions and discord that have been sown in our midsts, communities and Local Govt at large. I therefore do urge you all to please see this fight ahead (though not physical) as one for all of us, for the survival of our people who have been reduced to penury, for the security of the future of our children, and for the development of our towns. Without any justification we have been absolutely relegated in the state, and taken aback totally in development and governance thus rendering our towns economically moribund and gradually inaccessible to the rest of the state due to the deplorable state of all of our access roads; Iperu/Ode Remo, Orile Oko, Isara/Ago Iwoye etc. Once again, I think this is the right time for us all to start making collective reconsideration as to where our voice, heart and vote will go come 2019 and beyond.
I thank you all and wish everyone well!
Chief (Hon) Adebiyi Adeleye,
Member Representing Remo North State Constituency,
Ogun State House of Assembly.
