DAPPLED CROWD OF ASPIRANTS SHOVE FOR OGUN 2019

By: Admin

 

The next governorship election in Ogun State promises to be an interesting contest. Over 18 aspirants from different platforms are seriously jostling to take Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s job, come 2019. Correspondent ERNEST NWOKOLO examines the relative strengths and weaknesses of the aspirants and their political platforms.

 

LESS than a year to the general elections, over 18 of aspirants cutting across major political parties and senatorial districts across Ogun State are already jostling to succeed Governor Ibikunle Amosun, whose second term tenure will end on May 29, 2019.

Some of the major contenders are: Speaker Suraj Adekunbi (Ogun West), Amosun’s Chief of staff, Tolu Odebiyi (Ogun West) and Senator Solomon Adeola (Ogun West). The list also includes former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (Ogun West) is aspiring to succeed Amosun; House of Representatives member, Ladi Adebutu (Ogun East), who represents Remo North, Sagamu and Ikenne Federal Constituency at the National Assembly; Commissioner for Commerce Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru (Ogun East) and Otunba Rotimi Paseda who hails from Omu-Ijebu.

Others are: Jimi Lawal who hails from Ijebu-Ode; Temitope Kuyebi, who wants to run on APC platform; and Prince Adeleke Tella, another aspirant on the platform of the APC.

The aspirants have their relative areas of strengths and weaknesses. For instance, Bimbo Ashiru, a technocrat, joined Amosun’s government right from inception in 2011 and may have a pool of goodwill on his side. He also appears to have some integrity. But he rarely talks about politics and it is not clear if the promoters of Ijebu Agenda for 2019 have him in mind. Nevertheless, the commissioner appears to be doing well in his job; at least he has continued to attract investors to the state.

It is equally left to be seen if Ashiru enjoys a wide acceptance from his Ogun East constituency. His people say he is not their best foot forward for the governorship office in 2019. His aspiration is also not helped by the fact that other zones do not agree with the notion that an Ijebu person should aspire to become governor in 2019. This is mainly because the Yewa/Awori axis of the state has not had a chance since the state was founded over four decades ago to occupy the position.

Adebutu, comes from the same constituency with Ashiru, has on his part not concealed his ambition to govern Ogun in 2019. This son of a billionaire philanthropist, Sir Kensington Adebutu, controls a faction of the PDP which has also zoned its governorship ticket to the Ogun East and Ladi is expected to be the beneficiary when the race begins in earnest.

The federal legislator who is the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Rural Development is adjudged to be credible, not controversial and has the financial strength to help the PDP return to power in 2019. But his albatross is the crippling crisis in Ogun PDP, which has proved intractable.

The national body seemed favourably disposed to the Sikirulai Ogundele-led faction of the party, which Adebutu belongs to. But the Bayo Dayo-led group considers itself the authentic faction of the party. This is a challenge to Adebutu’s ambition. The lawmaker also has the clamour by the Yewa/Awori axis, otherwise known as Ogun West district, to produce the governor in 2019 to contend with.

Paseda has been striving to become governor on the platform of the revived Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). He first contested for the seat in 2011 and later in 2015, but lost in both instances to the incumbent governor.

He however remains undaunted. It is not in doubt that the aspirant has the good of the state at heart. In fact, the poor and less privilege constitute the bulk of his support base. But this has not translated to electoral victory for him.

Paseda is the sole financier of the UPN in the state. His biggest drawback is that the party has not been able to attract heavyweight politicians that could join forces with him to actualise his governorship ambition.

Lawal is one of the governorship aspirants from Ogun East district on the platform of the APC. The former chairman of Alpha Merchant Bank Limited is also currently a Special Adviser to Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State. He believes he is more qualified and accepted in Ijebu than any other aspirant from the area.

But his influence or popularity is not yet felt beyond Ijebuland.

Odebiyi is son of the late politician, Chief Jonathan Odebiyi. He hails from Iboro community in Iju Local Council Development Area (LCDA) that was excised from the Yewa North Local Government Area. The 55-year old Chief of Staff to Governor Amosun was once a member of the State Judicial Service Commission and Transition Committee on Housing. He is a real estate player of international repute.

Odebiyi is believed to have been brought in by Amosun to understudy the system — politics, governance and the intrigues — at a close range in the hope of becoming his likely successor.

But, many see him as a political neophyte who is not keen in adapting to the Nigerian way of doing politics. Some frown at his air of arrogance and the elitism he flaunts with less disguise, which they believe could make him inaccessible to the people, if he is supported to climb the ladder of power.

But he also cuts the picture of man who can assert himself and capable of summoning the strong political will to follow through with whatever good intention he has for the state and the people.

At a time, Odebiyi’s name was being bandied as the likely successor to Amosun.  Unconfirmed reports had it that his main backer, the governor, had even resorted to shopping for another candidate, because of the notion that Odebiyi may not enjoy a statewide acceptance. But observers believe that the governor has changed his mind in this regard, by giving the Odebiyi option some semblance of a positive thought.

Should this favourable disposition persist, he may clinch the APC ticket; more so when he hailed from Ogun West, an area yet to produce a governor.

Speaker Suraj Adekunbi is from Aiyetoro, the headquarters of Yewa North Local Government Area. He is a faithful ally of Governor Amosun and banks on the renewed strident clamour for “Yewa-for-governor” as an opportunity to aspire for the governorship seat in the hope that he might be the lucky one, if the party goes ahead with the idea of zoning the ticket to the area in 2019.

The Speaker has been consulting quietly and widely in respect of his governorship aspiration, while his foot soldiers have continued to market him openly and clandestinely in many quarters.

Adekunbi, 43, has age is on his side at a time the clamour for the young blood to take the mantle of leadership at all levels of governance in the country is rife. He believes he enjoys the support of the Egbas and Ijebus, which might be pivotal to the success of his aspiration.

By virtue of his office as Speaker, coupled with his closeness to the governor, Adekunbi is largely perceived as someone who has gotten more than a passing knowledge of the intricacies of governance at that level.

It is believed that such experience is valuable to a would-be governor. But, beyond that, a good number of people consider Adekunbi weak and pliable in the hands of the executive. He is not known to disagree with Governor Amosun on any issue and it is being counted as a serious disadvantage in some quarters.

Adeola, who represents Lagos West at the uppere chamber of the National Assembly, has become a household name with his 2019 governorship aspiration. The senator who is popularly called Yayi appears to be the one of the favourites in the eyes of the people, as far as actualising Ogun West’s long quest for the number one office is concerned.

He is well accepted in every zone, but his absence during the recent party congresses in the state has made observers to start wondering if he is still in the race for the governorship.

But his media aide, Chief Kayode Odunaro, maintains that Adeola is still committed to his aspiration to govern the state, but is consulting widely across board in respect of it. Besides, Odunaro says Adeola is a senator representing Lagos West and cannot leave that constituency unattended to during the party congresses there.

The senator’s strength, the aide added, lies in his experience as a politician, lawmaking, faith in God and the good people of Ogun State, as well as genuine intention to drive development across the state.

He said: “He intends to re-invent governance in the state, reverse the pitiable fortune of the local governments through massive rural development, youth empowerment, food subsidies, investment in education among others, if given the chance.”

 Adeola is notorious for always saying only God and the people that can determine who becomes governor of the Gateway State in 2019.

Isiaka, who is popularly known as GNI, has contested the governorship twice, in 2011 and 2015, on two different platforms. He was compelled to contest on the platform of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) in 2011, when he lost out in the race for the PDP ticket. But in 2015, he is aspiring on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

This time around his ambition to govern the Gateway State is unabated. Indeed, Isiaka has tested his political might on the field twice and made impressive showings on those occasions, even though he did not emerge victorious.

GNI now has a quantum of experience on his side and is a familiar political brand in the state. He is a technocrat, intelligent, cool headed, youthful and hails from Ogun West, which is favoured by zoning to produce the next governor of the state. He was the pioneer Group Managing Director of Gateway Holdings Limited (GHL), the investment company of Ogun State government.

The agitation is rife today for the Ogun West people to produce the next governor in the spirit of equity, justice and fairness and the political wind seemed to be blowing in that direction of power shift.

All of these represent huge political asset, and if harnessed effectively, could place GNI miles ahead of others politically in 2019.

It can be said that Isiaka has no personal fault or baggage. His aspiration in the past was affected by bouts of inherited political prejudice that often come from his sponsor(s) and the legendary lack of unity of the Ogun West. But, this time around, such prejudices and lack of unity seem to have disappeared.

Ogun West district appears to be more united today than ever before, to speak with one voice in respect of the 2019 governorship and Isiaka may run on a clean slate and on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to actualise his governorship dream.

Kuyebi, a progressive politician, began his political career over a decade ago with the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

He joined the governorship race recently on the platform of the APC, declaring that 2019 is his auspicious year to govern the state. He hails from Imasayi town in Ogun West Senatorial district and enjoys the support of the people.

Kuyebi is one politician that had made more sacrifices in the past in the interest of the party and it is believed that the time is ripe for him to reap the benefits of his attitude of consistently listening to the party elders and working for the harmony, peace and progress of the party.

He was the first consensus candidate that was unanimously presented to contest for the governorship seat from Ogun West in 2011 on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). But, despite the popular yearning of his people for him to contest the seat at the time, he stepped down for Senator Ibikunle Amosun that year on the directive of the party leaders.

Kuyebi also tried contesting for the ticket of the Ogun West senatorial seat in 2015. But, again, he was asked to step down for Senator Gbolahan Dada, who currently represents the district.

If there is reward for party loyalty, his supporters are hoping that Kuyebi would get the APC ticket for the 2019 governorship.

He utilizes his foundation, Temitope Foundation, as the vehicle for grassroots mobilization to actualise his political ambition.

Tella is a strong contender that Ogun West should produce the next governor, but he believes that the royal blessing and support of other zones should be courted to ensure success. But it is not clear if the founder of Tribute Television has enough money to back his aspiration.

But, Tella believes that he will leverage on his creativity and innovative spirit to tackle hunger, massive job creation through agriculture and the creative industry, if he gets the people’s mandate.

He hails from Ilaro, in Yewa South and possesses grassroots mobilization skills. He is also one politician from Ogun West who is of the firm conviction that the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, Alake of Egba Oba Adedotun Gbadebo,  the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Tunde and Olu of Ilaro and ruler of Yewa Oba Kehinde Olugbenle have roles to play to help Yewa – Awori people achieve their dream of producing the next governor.

Other aspirants jostling to become the next governor include the commissioner for Forestry, Kola Lawal (Ogun West); Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Bashorun Muyiwa Oladipo (Ogun East); former Speaker of the House of  Representatives, Dimeji Bankole (Ogun Central); Abayomi Hunye (Ogun West); Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Rotimi Rahmon (Ogun West); Hon. Abiodun Akinlade (Ogun West); Hon. Adekunle Akinlade (Ogun West); and Abayomi Hunye (Ogun West). They are all said to be separately consulting across the state for advice and support.

Credit: thenationonlineng