On the occasion of the 9th anniversary of his assassination, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ogun State, fondly remembers Prince Dipo Dina, aka “DD Direct”; a dogged fighter for Justice, fairness, transparency and accountability in government.
A loyal party man, financier and astute mobilizer, DIPO Dina fearlessly advocated for prudence and accountability in governance and participatory democracy founded on welfare of the common man and woman, a cause he lived and died for.
Despite his enormous wealth, he joined politics to uplift the masses. He ran for House of Representatives on the platform of the then Alliance for Democracy [AD] in Ijebu Central Federal Constituency, in the 2003 polls. He also contested for the governorship of the state under the banner of the Action Congress at the 2007 polls, the results of which he challenged at the Elections Petitions Tribunal.
He set up the Dipo Dina Movement with which he empowered the masses, his followers and party members. He ran advertorials in the newspapers as the Movement began to give details of alleged mismanagement and looting of public funds by the then state government. He was harassed, arrested, and detained over the activities of the Dipa Dina Movement, and he and few of his supporters once spent the Christmas holidays in detention with criminals.
Unfortunately, issues that Dipo Dina stood and died for continue to stare us in the face today. And one of the immediate ways to ensure he did not die in vain it to have a listening government that will place priority on the general comfort of the Ogun people as against personal or family pecuniary considerations.
The APC in Ogun State believes that, for his enormous contributions to progressive politics in Ogun State and the course of people oriented governance for which he not only spent his personal resources, but also paid the ultimate price with his life, Dipo Dina is yet to be appropriately recognized. It is therefore our commitment that when elected, the APC administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun will give a proper and befitting recognition to the late martyr.
We pray that the good and lively soul of “DD Direct” will continue to Rest In Peace.
E-signed
Tunde Oladunjoye
Publicity Secretary
OGUN APC Executive Caretaker Committee