THE Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has declared his interest to contest for Ogun Central Senatorial District seat in the National Assembly in the 2019 elections.
Amosun, who was a member of the apex legislative body from 2003 to 2007, would be completing his two terms of eight years administration as the number one citizen of the state on May 29th, 2019.
He said this while addressing members of the State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other stakeholders at a meeting held at the MITROS Residences Hall, Ibara, Abeokuta.
“By the benevolence of God, I want to say I am running for Senate in 2019,” he said.
However, Tejuoso, who is currently occupying the seat, had on Monday, declared his interest to re-contest for the seat.
The meeting had in attendance the state party chairman, Chief Derin Adebiyi and his executive members, serving members of the National Assembly which include, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, chairmen of the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Authority (LCDAs).
Others were former Senators Gbenga Kaka and Akin Odunsi; a former member of the House of Representatives and son of the former governor of the state, Olumide Osoba; former deputy governor of the state, Prince Segun Adesegun; former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Adekunle Adeyemi; the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Prince Suraj Adekunbi Ishola among others.
At the meeting which lasted for about two hours, Amosun also hinted that the governorship candidate of the party for the 2019 election would emerge tomorrow through consensus method.
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The governor explained that he was not afraid of direct primaries as being speculated in some quarters, maintaining that he would be willing to support the method to pick the party’s flagbearer, but preferred consensus system.
Amosun, however, promised to abide by the party’s decision if the consensus method failed to yield a positive result.
He said, “APC in Ogun State has now come to stay. Before we were at the lower ebbs, we were at the doldrums but today we are waxing stronger. I have my own opinion as regards the modality that should be adopted.
“But as a Democrat, I would allow input from everybody. But it is important that we have preponderance of opinions. And the majority will have their way and minority will have their say.
“Whatever decision taken, I will abide by it. I have heard them saying governors are afraid of direct primaries. Let us do direct primaries, we are not afraid in Ogun State.”
He insisted that the decision of the party to zone the governorship slot to Ogun West had not changed, expressing displeasure on the agitation of aspirants from Ogun East to vie for the seat.
The governor said the people of Ogun West should be given the opportunity to produce his successor in the spirit of equity, fairness and justice.
Amosun, therefore, dared any aspirants from Ogun East who decided to defy the decision of the party to go ahead saying, “anyone who wants to dare the party should go ahead. ”
In their separate remarks, Kaka and Adesegun, who were governorship hopefuls, said they would support the consensus method so far it reflects the wishes of all without marginalizing those jostling from Ogun East.
When asked to move the motion for adoption of the meeting’s resolution, Kaka, declined vehemently saying such exercise was an apparent attempt to short-change Ogun East.
Meanwhile, the APC in the State had resolved to adopt consensus system as the mode of primary for all elective offices in the 2019 general election.
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the meeting that the party unanimously agreed to use the consensus method to elect its candidates.
“That the APC in Ogun State shall have a consensus primary for all elective positions in the 2019 elections. That where consensus fails, a direct primary will be used to choose a candidate for such a position,” the communique read.
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