From: Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Senator Solomon Adeola popularly as Yayi, has commended the trio of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, erstwhile governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba and the incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, for coming out in support of Ogun West Senatorial district to produce the next governor in the state come 2019.
Adeola stated this on Tuesday while addressing members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), traditional rulers, community development associations, artisans and different trades groups in Ayetoro, Yewa North LGA of the state during a consultative interactive session towards realizing his ambition to govern Ogun State in 2019.
According to him, “it is only fair and equitable for all, justice and equity loving leaders of Ogun state to acknowledge the injustice and inequity against the people of Ogun West in a state where the two other districts have virtually monopolized producing the governors for the state”.
Ogun West senatorial district comprising of Yewa, Awori and other ethnic groups, where the Senator hails from, has not produced a governor since the creation of the state 42 years ago.
Adeola, who is the Senate Committee Chairman on Local Content, stressed that the injustice had led to serious underdevelopment of Ogun West and uneven development of Ogun state as a whole.
He said: “I want to thank our fathers, General Obasanjo, Chief Osoba and the incumbent governor, Senator Amosun, for making open declarations on the need to have an Ogun State governor from Ogun West in 2019 in the spirit of justice, equity and fair play.
“Indeed their stand shows conscious attempt to redress the age-long injustice as well as lay a solid foundation for a holistic and sustainable development of the state”.
The senator, however, appealed for a level playing ground for all aspirants of Ogun West origin without imposition from any quarters stating that in time past when the two other senatorial district produce governors for the state all the candidates for the top job emerged without imposition or discrimination against any aspirant.
“It is on record that when the two other districts produced governors, the candidates emerged at their first instances on the basis of their popularity and the votes of the good people of Ogun state. None of them was imposed by anyone. I implore that similar scenario be allowed to play out in Ogun West as we approach 2019 as I am confident the good people of Ogun State are capable of deciding who and what is good for their development at this point”, Adeola added.
While noting that Ogun state politics and governance had been influenced by experiences and resources garnered from the neighbouring Lagos State and elsewhere by former governors in Ogun State, including the incumbent, Senator Adeola, promised to build on all the positive aspects of that tradition while striving to take Ogun State to greater height from his experience in Lagos state.
Earlier, the Senator had paid a courtesy visit to the Alaye of Ayetoro-in- Council, where he promised to energize an electric transformer he had donated earlier to the campus of Olabisi Onabanjo University in the community.
Senator Adeola was accompanied to the interactive session by many top former Ogun State government officials including Hon. Kunle Adeshina, Ogun Central Senatorial APC chairman, Rt. Hon. Tunji Egbetokun, former Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Alhaji Aliu Ajibode, former Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Fatai Ajibola, former SUBEB Chairman, Mr. Samuel Aiyedogbon, former Commissioner for Cooperatives, Aare Tunde Alabi , former commissioner for Local Governemnent as well as Commerce and Industry, Hons. Ganiyu Hamzat and Tunji Osibote, both former members of the House of Representatives, and many former elected Local Government chairmen and advisers to the incumbent governor.