BY Daud Olatunji
On 28 of October, 2014, the deputy governor of Ogun State, Prince Segun Adesegun threw a jab at his estranged boss, Governor Ibikunle Amosun through a stinker he wrote to him, which got leaked to the Press.

In the letter, Adesegun chronicled Amosun’s ‘sins’ which he described as injustices against his person and his office.

Findings have shown that the letter was written October 24, 2014 which gave the credence to a lot of speculations in the Government House that both Amosun and Adesegun live the life of cat and mouse, but had chosen not to rock the boat before the present moment.

Both Amosun and his deputy did not belong to the same political party from time, but, had cause to work together against the then incumbent governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel who was almost done with his two term tenure on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Prince Segun Adesegun

Initially, Amosun was a member of the defunct All Nigeria People Party and had contested for governorship seat in 2007 which he lost to Daniel.

His   bid to re-contest after four years led him to collapse his political structure into that of the defunct Action Congress , the party of his now estranged deputy governor shortly before it later metamorphosed into the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria.

After several permutations, Amosun became the governorship candidate of the then Action Congress of Nigeria and eventually won the seat.

Findings however, showed that, the choice of Adesegun as his deputy governor did not go down well with Amosun as he had planned to use his former running mate during his 2007elelction, Mrs. Elizabeth Sonubi from Ogun East.

He was said to have raised objection to the choice initially, but, was rebuffed by the leadership of the party led by a former governor of the state Aremo, Segun Osoba.

Saturday Vanguard also gathered that, while Amosun was still nursing the wound of not being allowed to nominate his running mate, the party inflicted another one on him when it chose all the national assembly members in the state and about 85 per cent members of the state Assembly without his input. He was only reportedly given just six slots at the state assembly.

This among others were said to have infuriated Amosun who reportedly hinted some of his loyalists of his plan to hit back at the leaders of the party after he became the governor.

True to his words, Amosun displayed his power as the executive governor of the state. He first of all changed the plan by the party to install the candidate of the party for the post of deputy Speaker and replaced that with his loyalist.

The party had designed that, Suraju Adekunbi would be the speaker while Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo would be his deputy. But, Amosun played a fast one on the party, replaced Adijat with Tola Banjo as the deputy Speaker.

Apart, from this, Amosun also ensured that, some of the party nominees as commissioners scaled through, except Chief Olu Odeyemi, a long time loyalist of Aremo Osoba.

In the area of local governments, Amosun also resisted the plan by the party to have its way during the local governments election.

But, Amosun was left with no choice about the inclusion of Adesegun in his cabinet , but, to accept his fate.

It was reliably gathered that,Amosun decided to deal with the party leadership following an unconfirmed report that, the party had positioned Adesegun to take over Amosun’s government after he must have been impeached two years after he was sworn-in.

Like an offended snake, Amosun would sting and ensured he took control of the government machinery including house of assembly.

Perhaps, as a way to protect himself, Amosun was reported to have stripped his deputy of power of representation whenever he was absent.

Unlike, what is obtained in some states including Lagos, Adesegun had no portfolio and had his convoy extremely reduced .

An unconfirmed report has it that, at the executive council meeting, all the members have been directed to drop their mobile phones with their aides except the governor.

But, the deputy governor reportedly defied the order , the action which was reported to have generated heat arguments and almost led to the harassment of the deputy by some members of the cabinet.

The relationship has been like cat and mouse but, the two political leaders had never washed their dirty linen in public, before this present moment .

In his10-paragraph letter of complaint of injustices meted against him,Adesegun accused Amosun, among other things, of starving his office of funds and allocation of old vehicles to his office.

He claimed that the governor had failed to deliver on his promise that he “would enjoy his tenure as the deputy governor while contesting the governorship election in 2011 under the(defunct) Action Congress of Nigeria.

“My governor, as I am writing to you, the feeding and out-of-pocket allowance of the deputy governor for the months of September and October 2014, as well as the monthly sundry expenses for the months of September and October 2014 are yet to be paid.

“Last year, in my letter to your good self on the affairs of the state, I concluded by reminding you that at a meeting held in February, 2011 at Alhaji Rafiu Ogunleye’s house, while you were the governorship candidate of the ACN, you called me aside and promised me that I will enjoy my tenure as your deputy but since then I have not felt the benefit.

“I write to say that rather than improving, the situation is worse. Seven months ago, electricity supply to my official residence was cut off because the state government owed the then Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

”I have to spend an average of N30,000 daily on diesel to provide electricity for my residence. I wondered why my lodge was not initially connected to the state mini-power plant even when it is on record that several government premises, including private residences and organisations enjoy power supply from the plant.

“I informed you personally (and severally) during the State Executive Council meetings, requesting necessary action from the appropriate quarters. Up till now, I am still living in darkness.

“Of course, your Excellency knows that till date, I remain the deputy governor in Nigeria without a portfolio, in spite of entreaties made to you from various quarters. Worse, several attempts made by me for the office of the deputy governor were rebuffed by your good self. And I keep wondering why this is so.

“Another very relevant issue is my official car. The engine knocked in December last year. Your Excellency will recollect that you were formerly using the car and that it was when you rejected it that it was transferred to me. So, when it had problems, I thought you will appreciate and understand my plight, rather you ignored me.

“I had cause to remind you many times, but nothing was done. I resorted to using my personal car as back-up even when I was aware that you were giving vehicles, including Custom-made bulletproof vehicles to others. It was when a Good Samaritan bought a Tundra Truck for me that you deemed it fit to send a Toyota Prado XL V4 engine to me in late August.

“My convoy of old vehicles break down intermittently when travelling. On numerous occasions, we have had cause to stop while on a journey to effect repairs on vehicles . Obviously, these vehicles are to be changed every two years under best practices, even when newly bought. These vehicles in my convoy were used by the last administration and transferred to me.

“Your Excellency may also note that the fund you approved for my vacation with some members of my immediate family and two aides in August 2014 is yet to be paid. Please recall that I discussed the vacation with your good self in May, and you graciously conceded that I should forward a memorandum in June, only for it to be approved in August.“Despite your approval, the fund was not released. I made several spirited efforts to no avail.

” It got to a stage that I was being bounced between you and the   Commissioner for Finance. I eventually proceeded on the leave without collecting a dime.

“I am therefore constrained to ask if the non-payment of these allowances is as a result of the state government not being able to meet her financial commitments? Or is the state financially bankrupt that it cannot meet its responsibilities?”

But, Amosun seems to have kept a sealed lip over the allegation.

Amosun was quoted to have said that, he did not want to dignify his deputy with response. He was reported to have said that Adesegun remained “the Number Two Man in the government and it is important to respect both the office and the person occupying it”.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that, the governor showed a list of benefits to those who quarried him of the action against his deputy.

In the record, according to the findings, Adesegun has been allocated 12 vehicles, nine of which were given to him as brand new – never been used. These included four jeeps, a Toyota Landcruiser, three Prado Sport Utility Vehicles, one Hiace bus and five Hilux vans. The last of the Prado SUVs was supplied in July this year (2014). Evidence of regular weekly or fortnightly supplies of fuel supply to Adesegun’s official quarters was also reportedly showed.

But, in a swift reaction, the deputy governor denied the governor’s claim, saying, there was no iota of truth in the response.

He said “By standard practice, vehicles attached to newly elected governors and deputy governors are brand new and these vehicles are changed every two years.

Addressing newsmen recently, the deputy governor explained why he defected to the Social Democratic Party and plan to contest for governorship against his enstrage boss.

Adesegun who defected from All Progressives Congress revealed that the disagreement between him and Amosun had begun before they were sworn in, in 2011.

He however, said that he and other leaders of the defunct Action Congress (AC) were instrumental to Amosun’s emergence as governor in 2011.

According to him, “the events that culminated in that letter started shortly before we were sworn in. There were quite a lot of issues, which at this time decency does not allow me to talk about.

“The letter I wrote was a pri­vate letter. I had earlier written one and I felt that after writing that second one, if nothing was done, I would go to the press and refer to the letters and if nobody was willing to publish it for me, I was going to pay to publish it. But somehow it got leaked and it became an issue”.

“I have gone to this length to say that there is no doubt there are issues. But today, I don’t want to talk about those issues again because I want to close that chapter. Hitherto, all the issues raised, nothing has been done.

“In producing the next gov­ernor, we thought of quite a lot of things. Eventually, the entire leadership felt that we should invite the then Senator Ibikunle Amosun believing that with him and his knowledge politically, having been in the ANPP, then, we will be able to score some points politically, especially when we felt that we were brothers and sisters.

“And that was how we met. God was on our side, we had several meetings and he became governor and I became his deputy”, he said .

If the SDP picks Adesegun as it’s governorship candidate, he would need to slug it out with his estranged boss at the poll which would end the animosity as the duo part their ways.