Governor Abiodun, Amosun trade words over unpaid severance allowance to political appointees

The Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun and his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun have engaged in verbal over the unpaid severance allowances of the former political office holders after leaving offices.

Penpushing reports that the former aides of Amosun who were not paid before expiration of the administration they served also accused present administration of neglecting them, in view of the fact that governance is continuum

The former Special Advisers who served between 2015 and 2019 in a statement signed by their representatives Okoya Babatunde and Musiliu Oladeinde said the Governor had earlier met them with a promise to pay, in acknowledgement that they are entitled to and deserved the allowance

‘The Governor has denied us the legitimate entitlement for five years. This has caused us psychological trauma. In the course of time, the value of the gratuity has depreciated considerably. Many of our colleagues who resigned from their jobs to serve Ogun State could not return to their jobs. Many of them and their families are in financial straits, hence our appeal for President Tinubu;s intervention’, they wrote

Penpushing further reports that in response the Ogun State Government carpeted the forum of Special Assistants under former Governor Ibikunle Amosun, accusing them of deliberately playing to the gallery over unpaid severance allow.

The Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade while reacting to a publication where the forum blamed Governor for nonpayment of their severance allowances, said it was a sheer act of blackmail and mischief

Penpushing also reports that Akinmande in the statement declared that Amosun, and not the incumbent Governor, was responsible for the nonpayment of the severance allowances of the former Special Assistants.

The statement argued that Amosun, against the extant law and protocol of civil administration, paid all his political appointees before leaving office and left his special assistants out of the arrangement, stressing that the Governor could not pay the former Special Assistants any severance allowance when their former boss had decided on those he considered entitled to the allowance.

Penpushing reports that Akinmade therefore, advised the affected former political appointees to first put the blame of the act of callousness and insensitivity on their former boss after which they can appeal to Governor Dapo Abiodun for possible redress on compassionate grounds.

“It has been proven severally without any contradiction by stakeholders and political watchers alike in Ogun State, that the greatest distinction between former Governor Ibikunle Amosun and the incumbent, Prince Dapo Abiodun, is simply penchant for vendetta by Amosun, while Abiodun is compassionate without animosity’, the statement reads.

Penpushing further reports that in swift response former Governor Amosun said the present administration in Ogun State should cured itself from the pull him (Amosun) down syndrome it is suffering from and stop the blame game.

‘Our attention has been drawn to another in the series of campaign of calumny against the person and administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun coming from a supposed special adviser to the Governor of Ogun State on Media, Kayode Akinmade. It is beyond logical reasoning and common sense that a government that had spent more than five (5) years in office, will still be shying away from its statutory responsibilities to the people of Ogun State’, Amosun said.

Penpushing also reports that the former Governor in a statement made available by Lanre Akinwale of the Media Office emphasized that it was high time the present administration in Ogun State cured itself from the pull him (Amosun) down syndrome it is suffering from.

‘Amosun has served the people of Ogun State selflessly, passionately and committedly. His legacies are still noticeable across the nooks and crannies of the state, spanning different sectors’, the statement added.

‘The Dapo Abiodun-led government needs to be woken from their slumber and be reminded that Amosun, during his administration also paid the severance benefit of political appointees who served during the administration of his predecessor’.

‘Amosun did not ask the affected appointees to resort to begging, appeasing, worshipping and bootlicking him, he paid it voluntarily knowing fully well that government is a continuum and he considered it as part of his responsibility to the affected people for their service’.

‘It is sad and unthinkable that the present administration will direct the affected appointees to Amosun, after detailed information about his (Amosun’s) government was presented in form of handling over note to the present administration five years ago’.

Penpushing reports that the statement said it was obvious that the present administration deliberately refused to pay the severance of the past appointees just because they served with Amosun, saying it was a vendetta

‘Time is ticking away, we will only advise the present administration to stop the politicking, blame game, and pull him down syndrome. Rather, it should concentrate on delivering good governance’, Amosun emphasised.

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