Senator Kola Balogun (PDP, Oyo South) has accused Governor Seyi Makinde of bias in the party’s decision not to grant him return to the Senate.
According to reports, Makinde endorsed Mogaji Tegbe who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ticket.
It was alleged that Makinde chose Tegbe because of Balogun’s alleged poor performance, failure to bond with party leaders among others.
However, in a statement on Friday, Balogun, who is a younger brother to the Olubadan Oba Lekan Balogun, revealed on Friday that he was denied return ticket because Makinde was pressured to believe that the combination of a sitting Olubadan and a brother senator would be too hard for him to control.
He said, “Governor Makinde reportedly made some claims that I am not performing and that I am not taking care of the party leaders in the nine local government areas in Oyo South Senatorial District.
“As a Christian, can he swear with the Holy Bible and with his life that those were the real and principal reasons he took that decision?
“I challenge him to publicly swear before the PDP stakeholders; before the people of Ibadan, Oyo South Senatorial District and the entire state that he took that decision solely because of the reasons stated in the report. If he can do this, I will come back to openly apologise to him.
“The allegation of non-performance against me is puerile. The record of my performance and achievements is in the public domain and it is hereby attached to this piece.”
Balogun listed his performance in the last three years, some of which were financial contribution the party’s growth.
“Even at that, I don’t part with less than between N100,000 and N200, 000 each time I visit the governor, either at his Abuja residence, Ibadan residence or the Governor’s Office in Ibadan. What else does this governor want from me?” He asked.
