Ogun

Ogun APC primaries: Yewa desperate moves

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Kolade Larewaju

WITH recent announcement by the National Working Committee of the APC of the approval of of a recommencement of nationwide memebership registration which came after its announcement of the Direct Primaries option all appear now set for the gubernatorial primaries of the ruling party primaries in Ogun State which has drawn a whooping number of aspirants across two senatorial district of the state.

Although virtually all the registered political parties exist in the state, the ruling party enjoys a pride of place prompting Governor Ibikunle Amosun to declare in far away Daura, Katsina State during a visit to President Mohammadu Buhari that the state was “almost a one party state”. Again, Amosun in his speech at the Eid prayers had declared that he will bring his successor to the Eid next year, meaning he was so sure of victory for his party in the 2019 polls.

A lot people share the sentiments of the Governor but believe that the choice of the flag bearer may determine its success or otherwise at the polls especialy if the choice is not that of the popular wish of the people as imposition of candidate is no move in vogue. Members of the party are particularly happy for the success of the use of Direct Primary in selecting the flag bearer in Osun State, an indication that it would be successful in their state and that theywill surely have a say in choosing the man who they think will eventually become governor of the state.

However, the issue that has become cotentious is which Senatorial District will produce the candidate between the two jostling for it, the Ijebus and the Yewas (Egbados). The incumbent Governor being from the Central , Egba makes the District ineligible for the contest.

While the West insist that it would be their turn to produce the Governor having not produced any since the creation of the State over four decades ago, the East insist that it was its turn arguing that there are only two divisions in the state – Ijebu/Remo and Egba/Egbado

The Ogun East in insisting that the Governorship is rotated between the two divions and that with the incumbent being from Egba/Egbado it is only fit an proper that the seat was shifted to the Ijebu/Remo division. They further argued that Chief Osoba having been Governor from Egba it should have been the turn of Egbado (Yewa) when Ibikunle Amosun became governor and as such have lost their turn. Their argument, “Chief Olabisi Onabanjo was from Ijebu followed by Chief Osoba from Egba and the Otunba Olugbenga Daniel from Remo meaning that after Daniel it should have been the Egbados turn”

Chairman of the party, Chief Derin Adebiyi also espoused the same sentiment when aspirant from the zone visited the party secretariat saying while the seat has been zoned to Yewa, however adding that it has not precluded the Ijebus from contesting. Chief Adebiyi also told the Yewas to put their house in order adding they had always been their own enemies.

New Dawn investigations however revealed that why most of the aspirats from Yewa are doing very little consultations believing that the Governor”s support will swing victory for them at the primaries, aspirants from Ijebu have been more aggressive with their consultations and campaigns among members.

However, observers believe that a formal anouncement as against subtle support for any aspirant may tear the party apart adding that in Osun, the presumed candidate of Governor Raufu Aregbesola still won overwhelmingly without a formal anouncement for him

Some leading aspirants In the race include:

Chief Biyi Otegbeye, Popularly called BOT was utill recently was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP. He left the PDP to join the SDP and was the party Senatorial candidate in the West. After losing the election he went back to the PDP before recently joining the APC. He is fro Ilaro

Chief Tolu Odebiyi is the current Chief of Staff to the governor. Son of Second Republic Senator,Chief Jonathan Odebiyi from Iboro and he is believed in some quarters to be favoured by the Governor

Hon Suraju Adekunbi is the current Speaker of the House of Assembly. From Ayetoro also in the West has been the speaker from the inception of the administration

Hon Abdulkadir Akinlade popularly known as Triple A from Ipokia is a member of the House of Reprentatives

Hon Abiodun Akinlade from Owode Yewa was in the House of Rep.three times consecutively in PDP and ACN. He contested again in2015 under PDP but lost. He recently joined the APC

Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, current commissioner for Commerce and Industry hails from Ijebu Ode in Ogun East was a couple months back endorsed by some “Elders” from the district

Otunba Jimi Lawal an investment banker also from Ijebu Ode is believed to have a lot of financial muscle and highly connected

Alhaji Sefiu Adegbenga Kaka from Ijebu Igbo is unarguably the most experienced of the lot was a Commissioner, a Deputy Governor and a Senator. He contested the last senatorial election under the aegis of SDP but lost. He has returned to the APC

Prince Segun Adesegun was a former Deputy to Governor Amosun during the first tenure. After a disagreement he joined the SDP and was running mate to Senator Odunsi. The lost they lost the election nd have both returned to the APC

Chief Dapo Abiodun is a bussiness man and and oil magnate from Iperu, He was the APC senatorial candidate in the East in the last elections but lost to Senator Buruji Kashamu

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