The book launch of an autobiography of former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala in Ibadan, Oyo State was well attended, but the controversies that trailed some comments by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and Akala’s predecessor, former Governor Rashidi Ladoja is not something to forget in a hurry.
Obasanjo, who attended the book launch personally while making some comments from the book, had said that, Ladoja’s inability to manage the late Chief Lamidi Adedibu and Chief Yekini Adeojo were responsible for his impeachment.
Barely 24-hours after Obasanjo’s comment, the former governor, Senator Ladoja, yesterday reacted through his media aide, Alhaji Lanre Latinwo that the narrative by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on how he (Ladoja) was impeached in 2005 was untrue, saying the former president cannot exonerate himself from the said impeachment.
The statement from Ladoja said Obasanjo’s comment was an “absolute disregard for truth”.
“The former president has forgotten that the nation’s apex court had ruled that there was no impeachment. Let Chief Obasanjo be told, point blank, that no amount of damage control would help him.
“Ladoja, therefore, has no regrets. He came to serve and he did just that to the best of his ability, the result of which is the love his people have for him till date,” Latinwo said in the statement.
He urged the former president not to rewrite history as no amount of damage control measure can wash him (Obasanjo) clean of his alleged involvement in his (Ladoja’s) impeachment in 2005.
Ladoja was impeached as the Oyo State governor in 2005, leaving his deputy, Alao-Akala, to take over as governor, until he was reinstated by Supreme Court, after 11 months out of government.
