Inside Details How Dapo Abiodun’s Major Campaigner, “Babalawo” Turned Foe

The most visible and longest-running campaigner of Governor Dapo Abiodun has turned political foe.

He is Wale Adedayo, the Ijebu-East Local Government chairman whose suspension for three months climaxed allegations Governor Abiodun’s administration has hijacked council funds.

“Since we (Ogun State Local Government Chairmen) got on board in 2021, it has been ZERO Federal Allocation to each local government. The 10% of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, which the Constitution also stipulated should go to the local governments has not been given since Abiodun got into office.” Adedayo whose strong identification with culture, customs and tradition earned him the appellation “Babalawo” (Diviner) wrote to the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun state to convince the Governor to do otherwise.

Abiodun denied the allegation through a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran.

The remaining 19 Local Government chairmen in Ogun state also disowned Adedayo’s claim and went as far as prostrating for the Governor in a plea for forgiveness SocietyNow.Ng 

Adedayo, however, remained adamant – quickening the chain reaction that resulted in his suspension for 3 months amid allegations of bordering on spending and handling of revenue by seven out of eleven councilors

Yet the embattled council chairman refused to back off declaring ” So, after this one, does it make the allegations go away? Mr. Governor still have (sic) to account for all the funds since 2019. And we are yet to open another box on the N52 billion …”

But how did things get this bad between Governor Abiodun and his major campaigner?

SocietyNow.Ng checks revealed multiple layers of self-serving third parties fueled by the Governor’s brand of politics.

Abiodun came to power in 2019 postured as a calm, measured, and all-accommodating gentleman politician operating on the mantra ‘Que Sera Sera” (What will be, will be).

Happenings that started ahead of his March 2023 second-term election started a gradual shift away from that perception.

Adedayo, a more popular name in the politics of Ogun state in 2019 played a frontline role in making the Governor “acceptable”.

Although Abiodun was not a stranger to the politics of Ogun state at the time, he was far from as grounded as he should be.

Abiodun was the product of a political solution that relegated more prominent players in the race to take power from the then-formidable outgoing Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

He became the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2019 election as part of a collaborative effort to stop Amosun from installing the candidate of another party- Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) – as successor.

Amosun, and Abiodun -formerly close friends and members of the APC – became estranged over the 2019 election.

Adedayo played pathfinder roles in the grassroots and social media efforts that got Abiodun his first term.

Whether there were any underground arrangements for this is not clear.

“But Adedayo was a major campaigner for Abiodun before and throughout the Governor’s first term” SocietyNow.Ng’s checks revealed

Added checks revealed that after Adedayo became Chairman of Ijebu-East, he remained committed to “posturing” Abiodun and his government in a good light.

SocietyNow.Ng’s checks revealed that things started going awry over “political decisions” taken by the Governor but attributed to the influences of other persons branded self-serving.

“The Governor reportedly knowingly or unknowingly allowed himself to be circled by people who made him inaccessible – and inevitably slanted views started impacting relationship with other persons including Adedayo” SocietyNow.Ng learned.

Added details revealed that the scenario broke the accord in the collaboration that brought Abiodun to power In 2019 and resulted in a near-loss for the Governor in his March 2023 second-term win.

Digs by SocietyNow.Ng revealed that Adedayo, however, stuck with the Governor and passionately campaigned for him in the 2023 gubernatorial election.

“He was one of those who was openly upset with former Governor Gbenga Daniel in March over claims the latter worked against Abiodun” SocietyNow.Ng learned.

The information available revealed that the embattled council chairman wanted to discreetly handle his “grouse” with the Governor but the leak of his letter to Osoba turned the tide.

“But he is standing firm by the content because of who he is” SocietyNow.Ng learned.

Adedayo has strong roots in rights activism and is known to have stood up to more fearful situations.

Those who should know claim that to be fair to the Governor, unfolding development at Adedayo’s local government may not totally be of his doing.

“I think it is more of odious self-serving interests at play as well at the Local Government The face-off with the Governor created opportunities for those who feel relegated in the council to seize control in the guise of protecting the interest of the Governor. If you understand the workings of Local Governments, what they have done to suspend him is to raise questions about expense vouchers they could lay their hands on to validate the suspension ” SocietyNow.Ng.

“What comes next is a big push for a way to make an example of Adedayou but in reality what is playing out on both sides is that third parties are goading them to a yet-to-be-determined end that may impact in no small measures on the Governor and Council Chairman in ways they won’t find funny” according to insiders.