Ogun 2019: Gale of endorsements as Ogun West royal fathers unite on Isiaka

SINCE four decades and two years precisely when Ogun State was created, the Ogun West Senatorial District had not been fortunate to produce the chief executive of the state.

Many reasons have been adduced for the failure of the Yewa-Aworis—the dominant ethnic nationalities occupying the area – to achieve their top objective. Chief among these factors is the inability of the people to speak in one voice and unite on a sole candidate for the position of governor.

The tide seems to have, however, changed ahead of the forthcoming election, as traditional rulers who cut across the senatorial district numbering about 54 and led by its paramount ruler, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, broke the jinx of 42 years and came up with a sole candidate to be presented as their representative at the poll in the state in the 2019 governorship election.

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The age-long agitation for governorship by the Yewa-Aworis of Ogun West and the near misses in 1979, 2011 and 2015 were still fresh in their memory. The cry of marginalisation, underdevelopment and the burning desire to have one of their own occupy the top office have nudged the people to unite this time round and has prompted the stakeholders of the senatorial district not to leave any stone unturned.

Observers have gathered that in the past, there had been a plethora of factors responsible for the failure to gain the ultimate political ascendancy; which include disunity among the people; not speaking with one voice, multiple candidates at every election, internal conflicts among contenders and disruptive influences of external political powers.

Both in 2011 and 2015 elections particularly, there were multiple candidates from the senatorial district, which scuttled the chances of the region at the polls in those years.

Early before now, stakeholders in the state, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor

Ibikunle Amosun, former Governor Gbenga Daniel had clamoured for Yewa-Awori governor since 2011 till date.

Obasanjo had openly drummed support for the axis by stating in clear terms his preference for an Ogun West governor in 2019. At different fora, the former president advised stakeholders that equity, fairness and justice must define the next governorship contest in the state. It is also believed that this conviction is responsible for Obasanjo’s presumed backing of Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, the gubernatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) – a party navigated by the Owu general.

A former governor of the state, Daniel has also not hidden his preference for an Ogun West governor and he recently told reporters in his Sagamu home that the noble thing to do was to cede the governorship position to that part of the state.

“I tried to do it 2011 when I supported Isiaka but you all are witnesses to the events that scuttled it. I still believe in it and will throw my weight behind a credible candidate,” Daniel had said.

In the same vein, the incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun also promised to handover to the son of the soil from the only senatorial district that has not tasted the governorship seat since the creation of the state. The decision of the governor to support Ogun West has made many of the traditional rulers from the axis relaxed and hoped their child would become the next governor of the state from the ruling party in the highest prospect scenario and also from any other party in the least.

However, things took a new turn when Amosun’s anointed candidate, a member of the House of Representatives, Adekunle Akinlade Abdulkabir was rejected by the National Working Committee of the

All Progressives Congress, and this has made many of the traditional rulers have a rethink on the 2019 opportunity.

All efforts by traditional rulers such as the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, HRM Adedotun

Aremu Gbadebo and the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, HRM Kehinde Olugbenle, to meet with President Buhari, maybe he could influence the party’s decision proved abortive.

It was reliably gathered that the refusal of APC NWC to give the party ticket to Akinlade and the crisis bedevilling the party in Ogun State made the Yewa-Awori Traditional Council to cut their risk and openly drum support for Isiaka popularly called GNI, in other not to bungle the 2019 opportunity.

Earlier before now and since moving into the ADC on June 1st 2018, the experienced contender who was on the ballot in 2011 and 2015 began to get series of endorsements and support from individuals and major groups like the Yewa-Awori Professionals, Ogun West UK Core Group, Ogun west Fora, OGYP, among several others.

However, the big day of endorsements came by when the Yewa Traditional Council of Obas consisting of 54 traditional rulers led by the Olu of Ilaro unanimously endorsed the candidacy of Isiaka, as they insisted GNI remained the choice candidate to actualise the aspirations of Ogun West senatorial district in producing the governor for the first time since the creation of the state.

The endorsement of Isiaka was done at the meeting of the Traditional Council held in Ilaro, where the ADC governorship candidate was formally presented to the people. The meeting was presided over by Oba kehinde Olugbenle.

The carnival-like endorsement, which lasted five hours, witnessed almost all the traditional rulers taking turns to bless and pray for the ADC governorship candidate who is contesting the post for the third time.

In his landmark remark, Oba Olugbenle, said the people were ready to entrust their future in the hands of a competent and capable candidate.

The paramount ruler noted that Isiaka’s political journey in the state had been divinely arranged, adding that God was involved in his current efforts.

“Isiaka is Ogun West’s consensus candidate by divine arrangement and not by act of man. Your journey is one that God has blessed. God has done His own to ensure your acceptability; the people must also do their part. The people of Yewa-Awori will be happy to have their own as the next governor,” Oba Olugbenle added.

The royal father added: “We would not give the people of Ogun State a sectional government. We are giving the people a governor of Ogun State, a man who would be transparent enough to ensure that things are balanced and to ensure equitable distribution of resources.

“Ogun state belongs to everybody. I believe strongly that if Taye deserves something, definitely Kehinde must also get the same. GNI, let your judgment be the people’s judgment. Let the people reckon with you. Yes, we have serious challenges everywhere. One thing that is so apt at this period in time is that every one of us must go back to our homes and go and mobilise.

“I encourage all our sons and daughters that it is not enough to have a son of GNI’s calibre and substance, we must work tirelessly. When the history of Yewa and Awori land will be written, the name of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo will be written in gold for his great support for us. I salute and honour him. Former Governor Gbenga Daniel and Senator Ibikunle Amosun would not also be forgotten. Both of them have played crucial roles in the emergence of an Ogun West governor. Definitely, the hand of God is present in this political move. I believe that, one day, one of my sons will emerge governor of Ogun State. I also strongly believe that that day is today and Isiaka is the anointed one.”

In his acceptance speech, Isiaka pledged, “as Ogun State governor, I will make you proud. Ogun State will progress to the next and higher level. The next century in this world, particularly in our country, will be determined by that state and the people that have the best in their brains, not necessarily those that have the best bridges.

“Our first priority is on human capital development, particularly education and health. The next one is rural and community development with emphasis on internal roads. All over our state, and this is not limited to a particular section, even in the Central where we spend more than 80 per cent of our capital votes on roads and bridges, here are a lot of roads that are in a bad state because rural and community roads have been abandoned in the last couple of years. I think our roads are in a state of emergency. We cannot be saying we are an agrarian state and yet we don’t take care of our roads.

“We must promote good governance. And that is about transparency; that is about openness. I have a sincere heart and our policies will be people-centred and done equitably round the state; where every part will have a sense of belonging and have their dignity restored. The coast appears clearer with the loud unity of Ogun West kings and the people for Isiaka. The protracted division in PDP and seeming implosion in APC has opened the door wide for GNI to clinch it at a third straight attempt,” Isiaka said.

Isiaka has over the years built a formidable political structure, which was firmly planted in December 2016 – called the Believe Movement that eventually moved into the ADC. With a strength of over

200,000 as shown in the primaries result that led to his candidacy, GNI’s popularity, voter recall, sympathy votes and crisis in the opposing camps, the Imeko-born investment banker turned politician may just be the next Ogun State Governor in waiting. Nevertheless there are still mountains to climb.

• Bolaji Adeniji, a Public Affairs Analyst, contributes from Abeokuta.