No fewer than 35 political appointees of Ogun governor Dapo Abiodun, including the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, Chief of Staff Shuaibu Afolabi Salisu and political adviser Samson Egbetokun, have surreptitiously resigned their appointments, Peoples Gazette has learnt.

Some of the other appointees who have resigned, according to sources, are Tunji Akinosi, Commissioner for Forestry; Afolabi Afuape, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo, Special Adviser on Women Affairs; Dapo Okubadejo, Commissioner for Finance/Economic Adviser to the Governor; and Jagunmolu Omoniyi, Commissioner for Housing.

The Gazette learnt the appointees tendered their resignation in a hushed process managed by the office of the SSG. Last week, Mr Talabi’s office released a directive from the governor requiring political appointees wishing to run for office in the 2023 general elections to tender their resignation at a special desk in the SSG’s office.

It is believed that the carefully guarded process was taken to beat the clause in the newly assented Electoral Act 2022 which provides that political appointees must completely vacate their office for eligibility to participate in party primaries.

Section 84 (12) of the new electoral law provides that: “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”

While Messrs Salisu, Akinosi, Afuape, Okubadejo, Jagunmolu and Mrs Adeleye-Oladapo seek seats in the House of Representatives to represent Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode/Odeda, Ado-Odo/Ota, Abeokuta South, Ijebu Central, Yewa South/Ipokia, and Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituencies respectively, Messrs Talabi and Egbetokun are believed to be eyeing a seat to represent Ogun East and Ogun Central respectively at the Senate.

The government has however refused to make the list of the resignees public. Both Messrs Talabi and Salisu turned down The Gazette’s requests seeking confirmation of the appointees’ resignation.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari had asked the National Assembly to delete the clause because political appointees would be disenfranchised.

“Section 84 (12) constitutes a disenfranchisement of serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at Conventions or Congresses of any political party, for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it holds earlier than 30 days to the National Election,” the president argued.

However, on Monday, the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court stopped President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami and the Senate President Ahmad Lawan from tampering with the newly amended Electoral Act 2022.

Africa and greed. If over 20 persons in a single cabinet tendered resignations because they wanted to compete in an election, then it points to their state of minds being on fame rather than on the jobs they were expected to perform. It's the state of our nation.

Uncontrollable greed and lust for power and fame. This is the pure reality that fuels all sorts of wickedness, from kidnappings to rituals and all sorts. It's instiaiety, the lack of control in the pursuit of wealth, power and fame

and they will quickly go and contest,rig and win

Dapo abiodun the failure

Please ogun state people I'm begging you in the name of God let us vote Dapo Abiodun out .Let us forget political affiliation let us vote someone that have the interest of people at heart.

Dapo is a wicked leader.

Ok

So almost 30 members of the cabinet resigned to contest for positions that will earn them more money.

Politics is indeed lucrative

Compuro:
Africa and greed. If over 20 persons in a single cabinet tendered resignations because they wanted to compete in an election, then it points to their state of minds being on fame rather than on the jobs they were expected to perform. It's the state of our nation.

Uncontrollable greed and lust for power and fame. This is the pure reality that fuels all sorts of wickedness, from kidnappings to rituals and all sorts. It's instiaiety, the lack of control in the pursuit of wealth, power and fame

You've said it all!

The resigned because they wanted to contest in the forthcoming elections.

I'm just wondering why same shouldn't be extended to elected officials.

Making all these political offices less attractive is just the way to go. Cost of governance both at the federal and state levels is wildly unreasonable, I mean its totally illogical.....and until we are ready to have this serious discussion, we will all just be wasting our time wailing and complaining to no effect.

I'm joining a political party soon
I must partake of the national cake
Politics is huge business in Nigeria
if an SSG and a COS are not contented with their present offices, then it should tell you that a bigger fish awaits them if (and only if) they win their upcoming elections.

There's money in the politics industry i swear

Those who are interested in vying for different political positions

[s]

helinues:
Those who are interested in vying for different political positions

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From what I've read in the news about this guy and the little I see whenever I transit through Ogun state, this guy is a mistake of a governor.