OGUN 2019: IT IS AMOSUN VS TINUBU IN APC *THE PMB, OBJ FACTORS
Although Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (SIA), has more than two more years to spend in office, politicians, who nurse ambitions to succeed him on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), are already putting on their thinking caps to be
anointed candidate for the governorship race coming up in 2019.
As they are busy dotting their ‘I’ s and crossing their ‘t’s, political analysts and events watchers are of the views that the contest is beyond the aspirants. They are of the strong conviction that the real contest is between the incumbent governor, Amosun and
the former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the undisputable leader of the APC.
According to them, just as Amosun will have keen interest in who succeeds him, Tinubu is also known for his interest in planting his loyalists around and within the corridors of powers. Examples given included but not limited to how he ‘transfered’ Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from Lagos to the State of Osun. How he ‘donated’ Babajide Omoworare
from Lagos State House of Assembly to Osun to contest for a Senate seat. How he ‘crossed’ Hon. Mudashiru Hussein from the House of Representatives (Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency), to Osun to become a Senator and how he ‘loaned’ Hon. Faleke from Lagos to Kogi State as a governorship running mate.
In the case of Ogun State, dependable information has it that, Tinubu has concluded plans to ‘second’ Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as ‘Yayi’, who is currently representing Lagos West at the Senate to Ogun State as governor in 2019.
And as expected, Governor Amosun is also said to be grooming some loyal aides in preparation for the plumb job. Notable among them are, current Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Suraj Isola Adekunbi. Current Chief of Staff to Amosun, Tolu Odebiyi and Ayo Olubori.
Olubori has also been a commissioner twice under Amosun during his first term. He has supervised ministries like Forestry, Agriculture and Environment. Presently, he is the Senior Consultant to the Governor on General Duties.
His redeployment to three ministries within four years, according to our checks, was due to his organizational ability. Whenever the governor felt uncomfortable with goings on in any ministry then, Olubori would be handy to fix things up. These are some of the
materials lined up by Amosun for any eventuality.
Besides Amosun and Tinubu influences, there are other factors that will determine who carries the day eventually between the two combatants-Amosu and Tinubu. Some obstacles Tinubu is likely to contend with, include acceptability of his preferred candidate by the highly cerebral power brokers in Ogun State. Notable among the sophisticated
king makers in the state are the likes of the former Heads of State, Chiefs Earnest Shonekan and Olusegun Obasanjo, former Justice of The Hague, Prince Abdul-Jabar Bola Ajibola (SAN), Chief Idowu Sofola (SAN), Alake of Egbaland Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, Osile of Okeona, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, Olowu of Owu, Oba Dosunmu among others. The pertinent question now is, can they allow a ‘stranger,’ ‘a Lagos boy,’ to be ‘loaned’ to them from outside their local territory?!
On the other hand, with Amosun’s connection with the Villa, one may have the impression that the governor with the specially styled cap will have the last laugh with the federal might behind him. But with the situation on ground now in the country, where nobody knows the actual state of the health of President Muhammadu Buhari, Tinubu may
likely win with his ‘boy’ and political godson, Yemi Osinbajo at the helms of affairs in the country. The permutations, expectedly, will automatically take a new dimension with the early arrival of Mr. President back to office.
But as the case stands now, all permutations remain in the realm of political conjecture.
Source: The Parroters
