The newly-elected National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council and National Chairman of Allied Peoples Movement, Alhaji Yusuf Mamman Dantale, on Tuesday led the IPAC National Executive Committee to pay a solidarity visit to a former Minister of Power and National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, Dr. Olu Agunloye, in Abuja.
This was revealed in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the SDP, Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba.
It will be recalled that the former Minister regained his freedom last weekend after being detained for over one week at the Kuje Prison.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court granted him bail over issues surrounding the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project as the Minister of Power and Steel over 20 years ago.
According to the statement on Wednesday by Aiyenigba, the delegation expressed their solidarity with Dr. Agunloye, noting that he was one former public servants who enjoyed the respect of millions of Nigerians for his track records in the service of Nigeria, having served the country variously and meritoriously as pioneer Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps and as Minister of State for Defence (Navy) and Minister of Power and Steel among other strategic positions of great responsibility.
It added that the IPAC Chairman noted that he had great confidence in the Nigerian justice system to deliver justice at all times, and that the team had a strong conviction that the former Minister, who served as the immediate past National Financial Secretary of IPAC, would be vindicated of the charges against him at the end of the day.
According to the statement, the IPAC Chairman had on his entourage the Director-General of the Council, Organizing Secretary, and National Publicity Secretary, while the National Chairman of the SDP, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gaban, and National Speaker, Women Parliament, Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdullahi, were also on hand to receive the delegation.
It stated that Agunloye, who was visibly in high spirit and unfazed by the unpleasant detention, thanked the IPAC delegation and reiterated his innocence in the matter as well as his expectations that the court would do justice in the case.
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He said he remained committed to the unity of Nigeria and would continue to contribute his quota towards the greatness of the country.
The statement added that this came just as a team of well-wishers – men and women – from the Ekiti State Chapter of the party stormed the SDP National Secretariat, almost immediately after, with their traditional drums, singing and dancing to express their solidarity with Agunloye.
According to the statement: “Their various traditional musical renditions extolled the high esteem with which the former Minister is regarded not only in South-West, but in the Nigerian society in general, and they prayed that he would live long and will continue to be celebrated.”
