2019: Ogun West groups endorse Isiaka as guber candidate

DIFFERENT groups in Ogun West have endorsed the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka as their preferred candidate for the March 2nd gubernatorial election.

The groups which include opinion, religious leaders, community development groups rising from a summit organised by the “Ogun West Stakeholders Forum” in Ilaro, on Saturday, noted that the failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to honour a gentlemen agreement to field a Yewa Awori man as the flagbearer of the party informed the switching to the rancour-free ADC, in addition to the credibility of its candidate.

The coordinator of the Forum, Dr Iziaq Salako, in his welcome address said the zoning arrangement in the APC has been upturned to the disadvantage of Ogun West and the consensus gubernatorial candidate of APC from Ogun West jettisoned for another candidate.

He said: “After a SWOT analysis of the five remaining candidates and parties which present Ogun West persons as governorship candidates, we come to the realisation that the most acceptable to other sections of the state, most prepared for the job, most experienced and most qualified is Prince  Gboyega Nasir Isiaka,” recalling that the APC would have been the preferred platform but for the thwarting of the efforts of the Governor,  Senator Ibikunle Amosun, to work in collaboration with others to field a Yewa/Awori person.”

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Notable leaders of the Ogun West senatorial district who attended the summit and supported the adoption were the Asiwaju of Aworiland, Senator Ayo Otegbola, Asiwaju of Yewaland, Professor Anthony Asiwaju, the Ekerin of Ota, Chief Bamgboye Osunlabu, the Otunba of Ilaro, Dr. Samuel Ibikunle, the Iyaloja of Yewaland, Chief Mrs Yemisi Abass.

It would be recalled that the Ogun West senatorial district of the State had yet to produce the governor for the State 43 years ago since the Gateway State was created, whereas the two other senatorial districts of Ogun Central (Egba) and Ogun East (Ijebu) have been rotating the seat between them.

Other leaders of the Ogun West in attendance were the first female Minister in Nigeria, Ambassador Ebun Oyagbola,  former Deputy Governor in the State, Alhaja Salimotu Badru,  former Chairman,  Ogun -Osun River Basin Development Authority, Chief Mrs Iyabode Apampa,  former Chairman,  Ogun State Housing Corporation,  Chief Bisiriyu Popoola, former Commissioner in the State, Hon. Lai Taiwo and Chief Mrs Mary Ogunjobi,  amongst others.

The OWSF, convener of the summit,  commended “other fair-minded brothers and sisters in Ogun East and Ogun Central for rallying around the zone to give the State a competent private sector person with the zeal to serve the state,” just as the Ekerin of Ota assured that his presence was endorsed by the entire Ota people.

Responding to the endorsement when the stakeholders’ forum intimated him with the development,  Prince Isiaka said: “This reposition of confidence will further strengthen our resolve to restore education, health service and return prosperity to the mass of the masses.”

He appealed to the organisers to take the endorsement further by voting and manning their votes, mobilising and ensuring that the Ogun West return him as governor with nothing less than 70 per cent of the votes to be cast in the region.

Isiaka has contested twice as Governor of the State, coming third and second respectively in 2011 and 2015.