Gbenga Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State and Director-General, Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organisation, officially resigned from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), saying he was pulling out from partisan politics.
These were contained in a letter dated March 14, 2019, which he personally authored and addressed to Uche Secondus, national chairman of the PDP.
Recall that a few days before the gubernatorial election; Daniel had openly endorsed Dapo Abiodun, then governorship candidate of the All Progressives Candidate (APC) in his home state, an action that set tongues wagging.
It was also gathered that he was conspicuously absent when the former Vice President and PDP Presidential Candidate in the February 23 Presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, visited ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo a few days ago in Abeokuta.
Observers had said that if the goings were still good, Daniel would have been on the Atiku entourage to Obasanjo’s residence.
“He (Gbenga Daniel) was like Atiku’s hand bag in the buildup to the Presidential election. He was always following Atiku everywhere. So, his decision to support Dapo Abiodun came as a rude shock to party leaders. Nobody saw it coming, considering the role he played in Atiku’s emergence as PDP Presidential candidate,” the source who pleaded anonymity, said.
Another source also described the reason given by the former governor for his resignation from partisan politics as a smokescreen.
According to him, Daniel will play a significant role in the Abiodun-led government, adding that the resignation was meant to prove to APC stalwarts that he is not “double dealing”.
“He will soon defect to the APC. You can take it to the bank”, the source said.
In his letter to the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, dated March 14, 2019, Daniel said his decision to quit partisan politics was personal to him.
He pointed out that the PDP found itself in a dilemma after the courts and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused to recognise its governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu.
“My decision in this regard is entirely personal to me and having served in various capacities, including as Governor of Ogun State, I have resolved to immerse myself in some other vocations and take on some new challenges.
“My decision to quit partisan politics notwithstanding, I have decided to rejuvenate my charity-based organisation, the Gateway Front Foundation (GFF), which will literally continue to dispense succor to our people in need, address and assist in the areas of some of their health challenges; I also plan on resuscitation of the non-partisan Political Leadership Academy (POLA) which I established some years ago as a platform of political education to our citizens,” he said.
The former governor also noted that he had no regrets pitching his tent with the APC, describing the outgoing administration of Ibikunle Amosun as being “against the collective and general welfare of our people”.
Some sources said that Daniel’s decision to dump PDP was because of the loss of Atiku Abubakar at the Presidency.
When contacted, the Southwest chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Eddy Olafeso, expressed surprise, but refused further comment on the issue.
“We are surprised, but I would not comment on the issue for now”, Olafeso said.
Also a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party and a former minister of transportation, Ebenezer Babatope, denied knowledge of the news. He however said: “Well, I have not heard the news of his resignation from the party or quitting partisan politics, you are just telling me now, but I must say Gbenga Daniel is a close friend of mind, who was a purposeful governor of Ogun State; He did very well as the governor of the state. But I will comment when I read the full text of his resignation from the party”, Babatope said.
Efforts to get the reaction of the national leadership of the PDP proved abortive, as the Spokesperson of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, did not pick his calls put through his cell phone, neither did he respond to text messages sent to him by our correspondent on Saturday.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja and IniObong Iwok, Lagos
