By Bilesanmi Abayomi
A prominent social commentator and political analyst, Oloye Seun Salami, has tendered a public apology over his involvement in the leadership tussle currently rocking the Kosofe Legislative Arm.
Salami admitted that his past defence of some councillors during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election contributed to the crisis that has continued to divide the legislative arm.
During the primaries, several APC members, opinion leaders, and opposition voices opposed the return of certain councillors, particularly the Leader of the House, Hon. Femi Oyesile of Ward C, Ifako-Gbagada. Oyesile was accused of making little or no impact during his four years in office.
Despite these concerns, Salami openly backed Oyesile’s re-election, publishing articles to justify his return. His support for Oyesile and the “G4 councillors” put him at odds with other stakeholders, and the group is now at the centre of the crisis.
The controversy escalated following a recent report, “Crisis Rocks Kosofe Stakeholders’ Meeting as Councillors Stage Walkout,” which detailed how Oyesile and his allies staged a dramatic exit from a meeting.
Reacting to the development, Salami condemned the conduct of the G4 councillors, describing their behaviour as “disrespectful” and a violation of party decorum.
“It is absurd and very disrespectful of the so-called G4 councillors to walk into a programme organised by a member of the state assembly and mount the high table without regard for party leaders. Instead of accounting for their stewardship, they came late for show-off purposes. Unfortunately, nobody even noticed their absence until the media reports,” Salami said.
He stressed that being a councillor or council chairman does not automatically confer party leadership, urging local politicians to respect established structures.
Salami’s comments, however, drew sharp reactions from stakeholders. Engr. Olusola Emmanuel Adedayo, Publisher/CEO of MoschinoBlog, faulted Salami for defending the councillors in the past.
“Weren’t you the one aiding and abetting them? I was shouting that they didn’t deserve a second term. You have to deal with it,” Adedayo said.
Similarly, political commentator Seun Gbogboade accused Salami of shifting positions for personal interests, recalling his earlier defence of the local government chairman.
In a twist, Salami conceded to the criticisms and issued a public apology.
“I will agree with you on this for the very first time because you warned party leaders, including myself, against these traitors and emperors. I ignored your advice because I thought they were honourable men. Please accept my apologies for the error,” he said.
Salami’s apology has added a new dimension to the unfolding political drama in Kosofe, as stakeholders continue to seek solutions to the lingering leadership crisis in the legislative arm.