Posted by By Abiodun Onafuye on
Still defiant, daughter of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, has vowed not to apologise to governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun state, over her show of shame at Ogbomosho, Oyo state, during the wedding of governor Adebayo Alao-Akala's daughter.
Still defiant, daughter of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, has vowed not to apologise to governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun state, over her show of shame at Ogbomosho, Oyo state, during the wedding of governor Adebayo Alao-Akala's daughter.
Senator Obasanjo-Bello was accused of assaulting Daniel's security aide and embarrassing the governor during the wedding, held last weekend. Responding to pleas by PDP elders in her Abeokuta central constituency, to apologise to the governor and end the simmering rift between them, Senator Obasanjo-Bello blurted out: 'Why on earth should I go and apologise to him? It is getting too much for this man and I think it is time one puts a stop to his excesses.
'I will never apologise to him. It is me that the security agents, that is the SSS, should apologise to because their man harassed me.
'At least, I am a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Why should a security man infringe on my rights just like that, and people are saying that I should apologise to the governor? For what reason?'
The embattled senator said her major task now is to face her legislative duties, as she does not want to be heard on irrelevant issues which are not part of her civil responsibilities to the country.
Her words: 'My main duty now is to face my National Assembly work. I don't want to be in a battle with this man, but he has turned himself into a tin god.
'He is always looking for an opportunity to work against whoever he sees as his enemy, and he would start using his aides to harass, humiliate or threaten such a person. 'He loves fighting and I don't want to engage in any unnecessary dialogue with him. That was the way one of his aides humiliated Sen. Ibikunle Amosun (ANPP) at the burial of Pa Abraham Adesanya. The man (Amosun) was pushed off because he wanted to take his seat. It is too bad of him. He always uses every opportunity to fight everybody.
'But let me tell you, it is not time to talk now. When it is time, a lot will be disclosed and people of Ogun state would hear the facts. But for me to apologise to him, that will never happen.'
There had been a simmering crisis between governor Daniel and Senator Obasanjo-Bello long before the last incident at Ogbomosho. An aide attached to Otunba Daniel had allegedly pushed the Senator while she was dancing during the thanksgiving service, at the First Baptist Church, Ogbomoso, venue of the wedding.
Daniel has written the Senate on the need to call Senator Obasanjo-Bello to order. The latter also moved a motion on the floor of the Senate asking the upper house to protect Senators from undue harassment by security officials.
Making her report on the floor of the House yesterday, the Senator debunked all the allegations leveled against her by the Ogun state government.
She said: 'I am a law-abiding citizen and a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is a great lie that I touched the governor or that my headgear touched him during the church service.
'One of his aides, an SSS official, Frank Osakwe, held onto my hand and started twisting it, saying I wanted to touch the governor. The SSS owe me an apology and they must apologise to me, as one of them had harassed me publicly.'