Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun said he has forgiven his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and his loyalists over the violence that greeted the visit of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) last year in the state.

Abiodun’s forgiveness came exactly one year after the incident where Amosun’s loyalists who were members of the Allied People’s Movement pelted Buhari and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress with stones.

The incident happened February 11,2019 few months to the general elections.

The Governor described the incident as the highest level of political intolerance  in the country the state would ever witness.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kunle Somorin disclosed this in a statement he released on Wednesday.

The statement read that, the Governor  during the State Executive Council  meeting held in his office on Tuesday, went down memory lane of the violence where the President was almost pelted with stones by some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress.

Buhari and some other leaders of the APC including the national chairman, Adams Oshiomole, former governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu and former governor of Osun state and minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola among others .

According to the statement, Abiodun  went down memory lane of how he escaped unscathed exactly a year ago when Amosun’s loyalists  pelted the APC leaders with stones.

He said the incident happened when  the party’s flag was being handed over to him by chieftains of the party including President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and among other big wigs.

The statement read Abiodun, however said, he has forgiven those who visited violence on these leaders and party supporters and does not  hold any grudge against anyone that played a part in the incidence of February 11, 2019, where the highest level of political intolerance in the country was witnessed.

He regretted that the level of intolerance during the campaign was only part of what God had ordained so as to ensure his emergence as governor.

 He said “I have said often times that I do not bear grudge against anybody. You are all part of the scriptures that needed to be fulfilled.

So, for all those who fought us, stoned us, intimidated us, harassed us, beat us, they all had their part to play so that the scripture can be fulfilled.

” Accordingly, we have forgiven them, more importantly, God has crowned us with victory.”

The statement further added “Abiodun who opined that it was hard for him to believe that Ogun State, a state of many first experienced such a ugly incident.

He added that the level of humility of his team in the midst of the ugly smear campaign played a huge role in their victory at the polls.

He  said  his administration will continue to be humble in its quest to make the state better than it met it, saying that they will continue to ensure they provide good governance to the people of the state.

 Abiodun said “I  could not believe that in this state, in which I am a bonafide son of the soil, in this state, which is a state of many firsts, that such a show of shame was taking place before my very eyes, in front of the number one and number two persons in this country, I could not just believe it.

 He added  “if with that sense of humility, God has heard our prayers and granted us victory, why do we want to change that style? 

“I think one of the ways that we can appreciate God for this grace that he has given unto us is by performing. The people of the state has entrusted us with this mandate – that date, February 11, 2019 – for me, it  marked the turning point in the process of us getting to this seat. It was a defining moment.