Arabambi Dismisses ‘Motor Park Politics’ Label, Defends Abiodun’s Senate Bid With Record of Governance
ABEOKUTA – A political advocacy group, the Sustainability of Ogun & Dapo Abiodun Legacy Beyond 2027, has faulted a recent opinion piece titled “Ogun East: Beyond the Motor Park Politics,” describing it as hollow, speculative, and detached from the realities of governance.
This is contained in a strongly worded rejoinder issued on Tuesday and signed by its State Convener, Dr. Arabambi Abayomi, rejecting claims that Dapo Abiodun lacks the collaborative temperament required to serve in the Senate, arguing that such assertions misunderstand both executive governance and legislative politics in Nigeria.
According to Arabambi, the central thesis of the criticised article, that Governor Abiodun governs by command rather than negotiation, is fundamentally flawed.
He noted that governance at the state level necessarily involves constant bargaining with the House of Assembly, traditional rulers, labour unions, local government authorities, federal institutions, and private sector stakeholders.
“Executive leadership in Nigeria is negotiation in its purest form,” the statement said, adding that portraying governorship as autocratic while depicting the Senate as the sole arena of persuasion amounts to a false and misleading contrast.
The group listed what it described as Governor Abiodun’s major achievements over the last seven years, including the completion of inherited projects, expansion of road infrastructure across the state, improvements in healthcare facilities in all 236 wards, investments in education, agriculture, aviation, and security, as well as the revival of key economic initiatives.
It also cited an increase in Ogun State’s GDP and internally generated revenue, alongside what it described as a calmer political climate and improved security of lives and property.
Arabambi further argued that visible political frictions between the governor and some past leaders should not be mistaken for leadership failure.
He maintained that effective governance often requires confronting entrenched interests rather than pursuing elite consensus at all costs.
Referencing relationships with elder statesmen such as Olusegun Osoba and the political history involving Gbenga Daniel, the statement contended that Governor Abiodun’s focus has remained governance rather than vendetta, despite shifting alliances among political actors.
On the suitability of a former governor for the Senate, Arabambi argued that executive experience is an asset rather than a liability.
It described the Senate as a “rough, transactional arena” where leverage, competence, and experience matter more than personal likability.
“The Senate does not need another member who dissolves into the furniture,” Arabambi said. “It needs people who have run complex systems, taken responsibility for life-and-death decisions, and delivered tangible outcomes.”
The rejoinder also dismissed what it called “personality gossip dressed up as political theory,” insisting that critics have failed to identify any concrete legislative outcomes that Governor Abiodun would be incapable of achieving due to his temperament.
Arabambi concluded that the ultimate decision rests with the people of Ogun East, stressing that democratic choice should outweigh elite commentary.
He also likened Governor Abiodun to “a tree planted by rivers of water,” invoking biblical imagery to describe a leader who is stable, productive, and deeply rooted.
The statement urged readers to judge political aspirants by measurable performance rather than perceptions, adding that equating deference with merit risks undermining effective representation.
