Why Amosun Won In Ogun

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday announced the re-election of incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) as the governor of Ogun State. He polled 306,988 votes to defeat Gboyega Isiaka of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 201, 440 votes. The race, initially thought to be a four-horse race, eventually narrowed down to a two-horse race.

Amosun, who endured a torrid time with former Governor Olusegun Osoba over the control of the new party, also equalled the 17 House of Assembly seats won in 2011 by the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria ( ACN).

However, not many would had placed a wager on Senator Amosun securing a second term given the groundswell of opposition, the suicidal crisis that engulfed the APC soon after the birth of the party in the state and the desperation of the Presidency to clinch the home-state of ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo to spite him for not supporting President Goodluck Jonathan.

No sooner the emergence of APC in Ogun State, than a splinter party emerged from its ranks. A key figure in the party, Olusegun Osoba, led a group of politicians out of the party to form the Social Democratic Party (SDP). But the governor was able to stabilise the party and with sheer determination, steered the party to victory at the polls.

The dodgy manner through which Isiaka emerged as PDP’s standard bearer contributed in a big way. It alienated not a few members of the party, particularly aspirants, who felt they were shortchanged by some forces in the party and that they were not treated fairly. Two of such aggrieved aspirants are former deputy Governor, Rafiu Ogunleye, former speaker House of Representatives, Rt.Hon. Dimeji Bankole and ex-Abeokuta South Local Government boss, Prince Yanju Lipede who all eventually directed their supporters to vote for APC’s Amosun.

The last minute endorsement and support by Ogunleye, Lipede, Bankole and another PDP stalwart, Biyi Oyegbeye coupled with the crisis that engulfed the state chapter if the Labour Party boosted the chances of the incumbent. The crisis in the LP, apart from stopping them from effectively campaigning also accounted for the departure of its 2011 gubernatorial candidate, Otunba Awosedo to the APC.

The last-minute open romance by Isiaka with former Governor Gbenga Daniel and controversial businessman, Buruji Kashamu also created huge image problem for the PDP man. If he had planned to use the last-minute public identification as a joker, the move backfired. Many suddenly saw through the smoke screen of initial lies that Isiaka is at odds with Daniel, his erstwhile political godfather.

Isiaka must have suspected the strategy has backfired when callers on a radio call-in programme kept carpeting him and concluded that he would be a sad continuation of Daniel’s notorious government.

The image of Kashamu didn’t assist him either. During the campaigns, several prominent indigenes of the state avoided being seen with Kashamu. Indeed, the Awujale of Ijebuland, HRM Obama Sikiru Adetona, was so angry with Kashamu that he openly lampooned choice of the Ijebu-igbo businessman as senator to represent Ogun East district. But Isiaka saw it differently.

The performance of incumbent Senator Amosun was a key factor. The governor had massive dream of where and what he wants the state to be. He is always quick to tell his audience that “My plan is to make Ogun State what New Jersey is to New York (in USA). We intend to exploit the proximity of our state to Lagos to our advantage”.

Although he might not have fully attained the goal, Ogun is well on course. Senator Amosun was undeterred by the huge economic and social deficit he inherited. He soldiered on with uncommon determination, erecting policies and programmes aimed at placing Ogun State among the top-drawer states in the country.

It was the BusinessDay newspaper that first announced the new status of the state. The newspaper declared Ogun State as the fastest-growing economy and first choice for industrialists and entrepreneurs among the 36 states in Nigeria. To the newspaper, Ogun State, won the award “because it has the highest number of businesses established in its domain and that the government has made the environment more attractive to investors. Ogun also has the highest Gross Domestic Product in the last one year.”

SecurityWatch magazine followed suit. It named the governor as the most security conscious governor in West Africa.