A Strong Challenge from Ogun East
Femi Ogbonnikan takes a close look at the bid to clinch the All Progressives Congress governorship ticket by Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, former Ogun State Commissioner
When Ijebu-Remo Agenda, a group championing for the return of the governorship kf Ogun State to Ogun East, in 2019 picked Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, former Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, hardly did it dawn on many political watchers that the clime was set for a keen contest. The promoters of the Agenda have been fable to prove that they are well prepared for the task.
Ogun West is equally laying a strong claim to the number one plum job in the spirit of fairplay, justice and equity. Besides, the agitation has got the full blessing of the incumbent governor, Sen Ibikunle Amosun, who in conjunction with the state leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are leaving no stone unturned, has zoned the governorship ticket to Yewa-Awori zone and adopted a “consensus candidate” model which produced Hon Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade, a serving legislator, who is representing Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency at the National Assembly.
Like a payback time, and in his magnanimity, the governor resolved to cede baton of power to Ogun West, a district that has never, in the annals of the creation of the state in February 1976, produced a governor. Within a jiffy, ten governorship aspirants (Chief Biyi Otegbeye, Engr Temitope Kuyebi, Hon Adekunle Akinlade, Hon Abiodun Akinlade, Chief Tolu Odebiyi, Prince Aderibigbe Tella, Rt Hon Suraj Adekunbi, Abayomi Hunye and two others), of Ogun West extraction, joined the fray to cash in, on the opportunity provided to prove their mettle.
However, penultimate wednesday, precisely September 13, the governor, Sen Ibikunle Amosun, like a prepared script, invited 10 wise men (Engr Demola Edun, Amb Abodunrin Adesola, Alhaji Bashir Fadairo, Tokunbo Fakeye, Dr Kunle Salako, Chief Dapo Oke, Mr Ogooluwa Akinleye, Chief Tunji Akinosi, Alhaji Mohammed Olagbayi and the other) of Yewa-Awori stock, to the basement of his private residence located at Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta, to chart a new course of action for the pet project of producing an Ogun State APC governorship consensus candidate where the lot fell on Hon Abdulkadir Adekunle Akinlade. But the process that brought about the emergence of Akinlade has come under scathing attacks, criticisms and condemnations, just as critical party stakeholders drawn from across the three senatorial districts have faulted the unilateral approach of the governor, in conjunction with apex body of the party in the state, without recourse to their inclusion in the decision-making processes. They claimed they were neither privy to the “consensus candidate” arrangement, nor carried along, before the decision was mooted. Likewise, the adoption has drawn a wedge between a sizeable number of the aspirants who are unfavourably disposed to the process of the emergence of Akinlade, and the state leadership of the party. While three of the aspirants (Tolu Odebiyi, Suraj Adekunbi and Biyi Otegbeye) have been compensated with the National Assembly slots as consensus candidates, Tope Kuyebi has obtained a nomination form to vie for Yewa North/Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency. With the exception of Abayomi Hunye who has dared the state leadership of the party and resented the “consensus governorship candidate” model had obtained the nomination form in order to slug it out with Akinlade.
But, the action of the Ipokia-born politician has drawn the ire, and even attracted an outright condemnation of a few Yewa-Awori elite youths that see him as a perceived enemy, routing for the fifth columnist in a bid to derail the adopted consensus model process.
Relapsing in a slough of despondency over the inauspicious faith in the “consensus” model, five Ogun East Senatorial district aspirants (Sen Adegbenga Kaka, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Arc Abel Opayemi and Otunba Jimi Lawal) had also obtained the governorship nomination forms and are cock-sure of coasting home to victory during the “direct primaries”.
Bouyed by its strong economic power base, unity of purpose and size of the Local Government Areas, (Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu North-East, Ijebu East, Ijebu North, Ogun Waterside, Odogbolu, Remo North, Sagamu and Ikenne), nine in number and the largest among the two other districts (Ogun West and Ogun Central), it is the view of the sons and daughters of Ogun East who are predominantly thriving entrepreneurs and super-rich, that the district is capable enough, without resorting to fund-raising, to do the magic and present a consensus candidate.
This is, in no doubt, that the adoption of Ashiru, 55-year-old, by the “Ijebu-Remo Agenda” late last November, is strategically to prepare and position him for the task ahead and also drum up support for his eventual emergence as the next governor of Ogun State.
In a bid to achieve his dream, Ashiru, who until Monday, September 10, tendered his resignation letter from the cabinet appointment, was Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry.
He disengaged from the appointment in order to prosecute his governorship ambition on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
It was gathered, Ashiru, the longest serving Commissioner in the ministry resigned, following his resolution to vie for the governorship position, having obtained an APC nomination form to enable him participate in the APC primaries slated for Tuesday, September 25, 2018.
The outgoing Commissioner, who hails from Ijebu-Ode, in Ogun East senatorial district and one of the kitchen-cabinet members, confirmed his resignation on phone to our correspondent, just as he thanked the governor and entire people of Ogun state for allowing him to serve his fatherland as one of commissioners deployed to one of sensitive ministries in the state.