As 2019 draws near, political sectors in Ogun State are daily being revved up as different groups are strategising to have an upper hand in their political parties.
For the people of Yewa, it is going to be an interesting game. More than 5 individuals have shown interest in contesting the 2019 guber race.
Political observers are critically watching the manoeuvering of aspirants to know who succeeds Governor Ibikunle Amosun come 2019. The people of Yewa have been clamoring that they should be allowed to produce the next governor.
Governor Amosun is known to be exploring ways to protect his legacy by installing a successor of his choice, which is likely to come from Yewa .
Those who have shown interest are: Hon. Suraj Adekunbi the Speaker Ogun House of Assembly , Tolu Odebiyi , Ogun Chief Of Staff, Former Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka’ Former Member of House of Representatives from YewaNorth/Ipokia Federal Constituency, Hon. Abiodun Akinlade and Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola popularly known as Yayi representing Lagos West and Senator Prince Gbolahan Dada. BUNMI MUSTAPHA brings you a list of Yewa Politicians who want to be Ogun Governor in 2019.
PRINCE GBOYEGA NASIR ISIAKA
Out of the 2019 gubernatorial aspirants from Yewa, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, is the most popular considering that he has contested twice for the Governorship election and lost to the present governor.
Although, GNI as he ia fondly called is still a card carrying member of the PDP, but with the crisis in the party and different factions springing up everyday, there is uncertainty of the Prince’s ambition come 2019 , though he remains relevant politically in the state as he is becoming more popular each day.
GNI was the PDP’s candidate in the 2015 governorship election. He was also the Peoples Party of Nigeria PPN’scandidate in the 2011 governorship election in the state. Isiaka, hails from Ogun West.
In April 2011, he contested an election for the office of the Governor of Ogun State under the platform of PPN and lost to the incumbent, Governor Amosun who ran on the platform of the ACN.
RT HON. SURAJ ADEKUNBI
Another Yewa-born aspirant, who is gunning for the governorship seat of Ogun State in 2019 is the present Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Honourable Suraj Adekunbi, a two-term Speaker of the House has began underground plans to contest in the gubernatorial race come 2019.
For a few months now, the Speaker has been on social media as he is also called incoming each time he steps out at events .
Posters of the Speaker on Social Media are sponsored by his supporters. Prior to the consistent announcement of Adekunbi’s governorship ambition by his supporters, there were rumours that Governor Amosun had settled for his current Chief of Staff, Chief Tolu Odebiyi (scion of the Senator Jonathan Odebiyi dynasty) as his successor that before he ended his rift with Ogun two-time Gubernatorial aspirant, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, another three-term House of Representatives member, Honorable Abiodun Akinlade.
A reliable source hinted that Adekunbi, though had not disclosed his governorship ambition, he has reportedly begun consultation and as well oiled his political machinery across the state.
In preparation for the 2019 election. He has also been taking courses from different institutions in and outside Nigerian, the recent one was his two-week course at Havard a month ago.
SENATOR ADEOLA OLAMILEKAN SOLOMON (YAYI)
Since this Lagos Senator, Adeola Olamilekan Solomon , popularly called Yayi by fans has confided in close aides that he is gunning for the governorship of Ogun State come 2019, he has already set up machineries across to boost his aspiration and ensure success at the polls. His ambition has caused much stir in the state as he continues to attract more followers everyday, though not everyone even from Yewa where he comes from is in full support of him coming from Lagos State as a polutician to become governor in Ogun State.
He is representing Lagos West Senatorial District, the largest district in the South West in terms of population, Senator Adeola is an indigene of Ago Ishaga Pahayi Ilaro in Yewa South local government of Ogun State.
He gunned for the senatorial ticket of Ogun West last year but opted out before the primaries, according to inside source, it was said that he opted out when the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, persuaded him to drop the ambition to allow Gbolahan Dada emerge the APC’s candidate. He later won the senatorial ticket of the APC in Lagos. The duo was said to have struck a deal that Yayi will return to Ogun State for electoral purposes in 2019.
Since then, Yayi has become a popular figure in the state, winning over key APC chieftains and supporters, even beyond Ogun West. Many of the chieftains in Ogun have pitched their tents with Yayi, a politician with generous hands. Yayi has maintained a visible presence in the state with, at least, two major outings and visits in a month.
Yayi is said to be working with the theory that he remains the only candidate who can deliver the elusive governorship slot to Ogun West.
The senatorial district has never produced a governor despite attempts by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to install Gen. Tunji Olurin and former Governor Gbenga Daniels’ endorsement of Gboyega Isiaka from the zone in the past.
Yayi has been a two-time member of the Lagos House of Assembly and became the Chairman House of Representatives Public Accounts from 2011 to 2015 despite being a first-timer.
SENATOR PRINCE GBOLAHAN DADA
Senator Gbolahan Dada is currently representing Ogun West senatorial district. Another advantage he has is that Senator Dada is from the Ogun State district, that is yet to produce a governor in Ogun of Ogun state.
According to background checks, Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Senator Gbolahan Dada’s relationship transcends politics. They are good friends. Senator Dada and members of his support groups have retained their status and provided needed support over the years for him. That was why it was easy for the Awori Prince to emerge a Senator in the face of myriad interests from other associates of Governor Amosun. His supporters want him to repeat his success at the senatorial election and succeed Governor Amosun.
Senator Prince Gbolahan Dada was elected a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Ogun West Senatorial District on 28 March 2015.
TOLU ODEBIYI
Tolu Odebiyi is another intending Yewa-born politician gunning for the seat of Governorship in 2019. A few months ago he was appointed the new Chief of Staff of Ogun State. Before and after his appointment there has been speculations that Governor Amosun was looking into making him his successor as it was reavealed that they share a close bond and he is someone he could also trust.
The 56-year-old politician, who hails from Ewekoro Local Government Area of the State, was until his recent elevation, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs.
Similarly, Mr. Odebiyi, the new Chief of Staff, was a member of the State Judicial Service Commission and Transition Committee on Housing where he served among other notable members to develop a blue print for mass housing delivery in 2012 and 2013 respectively He has more that 25 years international and domestic Real Estate experience.
Mr. Odebiyi was until his present appointment a Managing Partner at Travant Real Estate and Boutique Estate firm.
Inside source said that Governor Amosun might have quietly annointed his Chief of Staff, Chief Tolulope Odebiyi, as his favourite candidate for the governor seat in 2019. It was also reliably gathered that the choice of Odebiyi, a thoroughbred professional from Ogun West senatorial district in the state, has been made known to most of the governor’s kitchen cabinet.
It was, however, scooped that those who were not happy with the governor’s choice had resolved to keep mute for fear of being schemed out of the system.
We hear Amosun settled for Odebiyi because he regards him a trusted ally, who would consolidate on the gains of his eight-years rule as well as help to cover his tracks when he eventually leaves power in 2019.
Odebiyi’s late father, Chief Jonathan Odebiyi, was a grassroot politician of repute during his lifetime.
Tolu Odebiyi himself is said to be making underground wooing of people around him for his ambition, the 2019 gubernatorial race in Ogun State.
HON. ABIODUN AKINLADE
For a three-time House of Representatives member, who once represented Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency, it is time for him to receive the baton as the next Governor of Ogun State. He made his ambition known recently at his 60th birthday interview. He said he had been short changed trice but this time around, he wouldn’t let anyone take him for a ride.
He was the chairman, House Committee on Science and Technology, he was earlier elected into the National Assembly on the PDP’s platform.
In the run-up to the 2011 elections, Akinlade defected to the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and was a frontline gubernatorial aspirant in the party. He, however, lost the ticket to Amosun. In a bid to realize his governorship ambition, the lawmaker has switched camp to the PDP.
Given the fact that Ogun West Senatorial District has not produced a governor since the creation of the state 38 years ago, Akinlade was one of the atrong contender for the governorship back then .
In 2014, Honorable Akinlade took Abeokuta by storm as he handed over his letter of intention to contest for the Governor seat of Ogun state come 2015 on the platform of the PDP. The event was held at the party secretariat, Kuto area of Abeokuta.
His history in politics date back to 1987 when he won the primary election as a councilor on the platform of the Nigeria National Congress before the democratic era was terminated by the military take over, he joined PDP in 2002 having been privileged as a young community activist to be in the delegation of Ogun West leaders to Aso Rock that same year. The first two elections that took him to the Federal House of Representatives were contested on the platform of the PDP. The last was contested on the platform of the ACN.
Come 2019 , Abiodun Akinlade is also contesting for Ogun Governor as consultation and stretegy are already in motion underground.
Akinlade is now Special Adviser to Hon. Yusuf Suleiman Lasun, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
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