The popular intelligentsia, who Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun recently hinted he would accompany to the 2019 Eid prayer as an ex-Governor might have finally emerged.
He is Honourable Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade, a serving member of the House of Representatives who represents Egbado South and Ipokia Federal Constituency of Ogun State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Akinlade(49) was adopted as the consensus candidate of the APC by the Ogun West Elders very early on Thursday morning, after hours-long meeting in Ayetoro, Yewa North Local Government Area of the state, to pick the zone’s governorship candidate for the 2019 election.
Almost a dozen of aspirants from Ogun West were desirous of succeeding Amosun on the platform of APC and they included Speaker Suraj Adekunbi, Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s Chief of staff, Tolu Odebiyi, the Commissioner for Forestry, Kola Lawal, Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Rotimi Rahmon, Hon. Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade, Hon. Abdulkabir Akinlade and Abayomi Hunye.
The long list of aspirants was trimmed to the duo of Tolu Odebiyi and Abdulkadir Akinlade who made the final list.
The Nation gathered that Governor Ibikunle Amosun preferred Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade to Odebiyi and subtly ensured that the Ogun West elders picked him.
Amosun had during the last Eid -El – Kabir prayer at the Muslim Prayer ground, Lantoro, Abeokuta, declared in sober tone that this year edition drew the curtain to his observing the Sallah prayer with them as a serving Governor.
The Governor added that by next year, he would not attend the Eid prayer in his “capacity as a governor,” but as someone that would accompany his successor as an ex – Governor.
Since he did not mention the name of the person at the time, many of his Muslim audiences in their hundreds, looked sideways at each other, prompting them to wonder if he planned to install a Muslim as a successor from among a dozen of aspirants on the platform APC jostling to succeed him.
With Abdulkabir’s adoption by the Ogun West elders following what many believed was the product of a behind – the – scene influence of the Governor, there is no more guessing who Amosun’s whizkid or successor – Governor he would accompany to 2019 Eid prayer, is.
Amosun will formally present him to the party as the governorship flag bearer for APC in 2019 election today (Thursday). Already, a press briefing to this effect has been slated for 11 am at the APC state Secretariat on Abiola Way, Abeokuta.
Abdulkabir hails from Agosasa, Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State. He was Senior Special Assistant to Governor Amosun on Taxation & Revenue between 2011 and 2014, overseeing the Directorate of other Taxes at the Board of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Ogun State.
He was later redeployed to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development before resigning in October 2014 to contest the House of Representatives seat. He is a graduate of Political Science, Lagos State University, Ojo
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