THE Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Honourable Suraj Adekunbi, said he has learnt a lot about good governance from Governor Ibikunle Amosun, to administer the state, if elected as the next governor in 2019.
He submitted that all the aspirants who had shown interest to govern the state were qualified to contest, but that he understood the political terrain more.
The lawmaker made this disclosure during a meeting with women leaders in politics from Ogun West Senatorial District, to initiate them of his intention to contest for the exalted seat.
“I think that in the last seven years, I have demonstrated that high level of responsibility and responsiveness in the cause of discharging the assignment given to me in Ogun State and I’ve been able to put in place effective collaboration that has led to an unprecedented transformation in this state.
“For somebody like me who started with our amiable governor from day one, you know that I understand the terrain more than any other person and I have been consistently consistent in my aspiration. I believe that with the support of the party leaders and elders and the overall support of the people of the state, the aspiration will come to reality,” he said.
He advised those that have attained the voting age to register in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration exercise.
Some of the leaders from the district who are in attendance spoke share the same view with the Speaker, asking Governor Amosun to anoint Adekunbi as his successor in office.
The duo of former Minister of State for Education and former member of the National Assembly, Senator Iyabode Anisulowo and a Commissioner in the State Local Government Service Commission, Prince Bolaji Aretola, appealed to pick a successor with the political background; one that is accessible and competent.
She said that the party, All Progressives Congress (APC) will work together with Amosun to pick the best person capable of continuing the laudable programmes of his government.
Aretola, in his own part, argued that Adekunbi remained the most formidable to succeed Amosun after the expiration of his tenure, based on his political experience and unflinching loyalty.
He said, “If we have somebody that is number three citizen in the state and the governor would want us to prop somebody from this senatorial district for the very first time because Ogun West has never been governor in Ogun State; it is simply reasonable that we prop that number three citizen to become number one citizen in the state.
“More so, he is the longest-serving Speaker in Ogun State. Ogun State has never had it so good. There is no government that has ever had so much rest of mind to pursue his projects as the present governor. That opportunity for him to continue pursuing his projects without disturbance is basically because the House is peaceful.
ALSO READ: Ogun 2019: I will succeed Amosun ―Isiaka
“The worst any executive can think about is any disturbance from the legislature and, thank God, Suraj has been able to manage the Assembly and there has not been any upheaval from there.
“In thinking of who can contest or become governor after Amosun, now you consider this: if you pick anybody that has never contested the post of councillor in any local government to become a candidate, you have plenty of problems because the understanding should be there.
“There is practical politics, there is always internal politics and there is politics that will come as a code which you have to decode to ensure you go along with your people. Reasonably, I must tell you, if the governor would help Ogun West, he should work hard with the party and nominate Suraj Adekunbi, the Speaker, as the next governor.”
and then