My life in danger, says Iyabo Obasanjo …Storms out of peace meeting with Gov Daniel
By MOSHOOD ADEBAYO, Abeokuta

Thursday, August 20, 2009
Amidst the confusion that trailed the peace parley of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State on Wednesday, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello has vowed never again to attend any meeting with Governor Gbenga Daniel in attendance.


Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello




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She spoke against the backdrop of alleged molestation by the Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Mr. Kola Onadipe, during the meeting which held at the Government Office, Oke-Mosan.

Onadipe was said to have prevented the Senator from storming out of the meeting after an argument, which caused commotion at the meeting held at the instance of the Chairman of the Reconciliatory Committee, Senator Ike Nwachukwu.

Addressing the press after staging a walkout with other members of her group, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello said: “ I was in the meeting which was at the instance of the Elders and Reconciliatory Committee headed by Senator Ike Nwachukwu. At the last meeting we had in Abuja, a Committee of seven-members for the two sides was constituted.

“We had a successful first meeting under the auspices of the committee which we held for three hours in Abuja and we agreed that a peace process has started. It was the second meeting that we were having when wahala started.

“The meeting started on a wrong footing because as it started, we noticed that there were more than 14 people on the other group (Governor’s side), so Chief Jubril Martins Kuye( JMK) who is the leader form our group noted this.

“We then said that even though we may not adhere strictly to the list in Abuja , the governor should just nominate seven persons as we continued the meeting. At this point, members from his side protested and we (both groups) were still deliberating when Senator Osholake got up to speak. As he was speaking, Akogun Onadipe shouted him down.

Continuing, the Senator said: “ While still sitting, I urged him (Onadipe) to allow him (Osholake) to talk. He then got up from his seat and came to where I was sitting. When I saw him coming, I stood up from where I was sitting heading for the door.

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“As I was moving towards the door, he (Onadipe) kept pushing me. At a point, the governor’s State Security Service (SSS)came and joined Onadipe in trying to beat me up. At this point, Chief Dayo Abatan got up and asked whether the duo and others would beat me up. I managed to get to the door, where the SSS officer refused to open the door.

“There was confusion at the venue of the meeting. We (members of her group) stood at the door. We were being held hostage in the governor’s office until Hon. Waliu Taiwo was able to summon up courage to push the door open and all of us scampered for safety. But not with Kuye and Chief Dayo Abatan who were held hostage. Later they said, I should come back, but I was not willing to come back.

“It was a frightful experience for me and my members. It can happen again. I am fearful for my life. Under no circumstances will I be anywhere that the governor is in charge of because, his security details can do anything. They can kill. Anything could have happened today. I will never make the mistake again.”

Asked to comment on the possible implication of what happened to her she said: “Right now, my concern is to stay alive bearing in mind the kind of politics we have in Ogun State. I will not sit down with the governor again under any circumstances that I feel unsafe. I must have adequate security before I could sit down with him for any peace meeting again. Never again. My life is in danger, anything can happen to me.”

The daughter of the former president who said she would report the incident to the hierarchy of the National Secretariat of the party, the Inspector General of Police. She further said “anything could have happened to me if I did not have my leaders there.”

But during a press conference after the commotion, which was addressed by leaders of the party, Onadipe described Obasanjo-Bello’s allegation as unfounded.

His words: “As you are aware in the statement of the Chairman (referring to the Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Joju Fadairo). At a point she stood up, she tried to storm out. It has been her usual character. Don’t forget, Iyabo Obasanjo was a colleague and was once a commissioner in Ogun and I feel it was wrong under protocol anybody at that level to storm out where the governor is sitting.”

His view was also corroborated by Chief Tunji Otegbola who said: “What Iyabo did show abject disrespect for the governor of the state.

Chief Kolapo Ogunjobi, an elder of the party from Ogun East Senatorial District also condemned Obasanjo-Bello’s action, saying: “All Kola Onadipe was trying to do was to prevent her from going out so that we can conclude the meeting which we had all come here to do. I was disappointed with the way she was reacting.”