By Niyi Olasinde
THE State of Osun Commissioner for Federal Matters, Mrs. Idiat Babalola, has resigned her appointment, OSUN DEFENDER authoritatively gathered.
Babalola, according to sources, resigned about three weeks ago through a letter she forwarded to the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji.
Her resignation was reportedly discussed on Monday, April 19, 2021 at the State Executive Council meeting.
When contacted, Babalola confirmed her resignation to OSUN DEFENDER, saying, “yes, I resigned and that is not news.”
Asked why she resigned, Babalola said, “It is not yet time for me to talk. There comes a time when you just have to move on, and that is part of my resignation. I have moved on.”
However, Babalola’s resignation was greeted with mixed reactions from her political followers and Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s supporters.
Two of Babalola’s supporters in Ede claimed that she resigned because she was technically rendered ‘redundant’ in the Oyetola administration.
According to the supporters who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER, “Auntie Idiat was basically frustrated out of the government because of her perceived loyalty to Ogbeni.
“Of all the cabinet members, she is the only one that was not given official car. Her office was balkanised. She was edged out in all official assignments in Abuja. She was not given any running costs. All her aides, except two among them, have been rude to her.
“All this has been happening for over two years without any step to address it from the Governor. So, she felt resigning from the cabinet will be honourable for her. You can imagine members of the cabinet calling her Judas. She was tagged a mole in the government, even when she showed enough convincing commitment to the Oyetola administration.
“These are few of what she was experiencing. There was a time that she was not allowed to enter the Government House on instruction. Her official duties were also delegated to another person of lower capacity and political status.
“Auntie Idiat is a big politician in Ede and we know the role she played in the emergence of Governor Oyetola before, during and after the election.”
But some of the Oyetola’s loyalists said Babalola resigned because of her appointment as the Chairman of Governing Council, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Ondo State.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, some sources loyal to Oyetola said, “Idiat Babalola obviously resigned because of the appointment given to her at the federal level. She knew she made the list of the members of the Governing Council of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo.
“So, she cannot keep two government appointments at the same time. That is why she resigned. Nobody frustrated her.
“She was appointed by Governor Oyetola willingly in the first place. Is it illogical to think that the person that appointed you will turn around to vicitimise you. The Governor would have sacked her if he had anything against her.”
It was however reasoned that if Babalola had enjoyed her appointment in Oyetola’s cabinet, she would have held on to that rather than taking up board chairmanship appointment
