Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The immediate past governor of Ogun State and the senator representing Ogun Central at the National Assembly on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Wednesday, led the governorship campaign of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state.
Amosun, who had rejected the governorship candidate of his party, Dapo Abiodun and openly declared his support for the ADC gubernatorial candidate, Biyi Otegbeye, stormed the Ake Palace Ground, Abeokuta, venue of the formal inauguration of the ADC campaign, accompanied by his political associates and scores of loyalists
The immediate past governor had since declared that he would work against the reelection of Governor Abiodun, who was until 2019 his close political ally.
It would be recalled that a similar scenario had played out during the 2019 governorship election when Amosun, as a sitting governor, declined to support Abiodun and put his political machinery behind the governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Abdukabir Adekunle Akinlade.
The senator, who had not attended the campaign rally of his political party, APC, including the Bola Ahmed Tinubu presidential campaign held last Wednesday in the state, arrived the campaign ground of the ADC at exactly 1.48p.m and was received amidst rousing welcome by supporters of the party.
Addressing the crowd, Amosun disclosed he was not in support of Governor Abiodun’s second term bid because he had taken the state backwards from the development path his administration laid.
He, therefore, urged the people to instead cast their votes for the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye, who hails from Ilaro in Ogun West Senatorial District of the state.
Amosun explained that for justice, equity and fairness the next governor of the state must come from Ogun West Senatorial District which has never produced governor since the creation of the state.
The former governor said, it was regrettable that his successor derailed from the development plan his administration stated, insisting that only Otegbeye can return the state to the positive trajectory his government recorded.
“This is my annointed candidate (raising Otegbeye’s hand up). I’m APC, but for the governorship election, I’m going to support him, I’m going to work assiduously for the candidature of Biyi Otegbeye and his deputy, Tunde Awonuga.
“The good works we started during my tenure must continue and this is why I’m supporting Biyi Otegbeye. Everybody knows me, I don’t hide behind one finger and evil thrives when good men refuse to talk, you know me, I’m APC, but this election that is coming, I support presidency coming to the South and that is why I’m supporting Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that is why all the Amosun political family are supporting Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“There are two reasons why I’m doing what I’m doing. The first one is based on equity, justice, fairness. Ogun state is almost fifty years now, since the creation of this Ogun state, nobody from Ogun West has been governor. Some characters are saying Yewa section don’t have good people, I know they have. Yewa has good children I know that they can do it. He (Otegbeye) is a lawyer he has been tested and trusted.
“The second reason and that is very important is that, Ogun state must not derail. We have set the path of development for Ogun state, we must not allow it to be derailed.
“I feel sorry, I feel disheartened everyday when I see what is going on in the state, we must revert back to that beautiful concept, we have prepared it, for the next 35 years so that people will come after us will continue to do their own. If you see Lagos, you will say Lagos is doing this, Lagos is doing that, that is what they call continuity, just look at what we have designed for Ogun state.
“What we are here to do today is to take Ogun state back to that great position. I’m not the only governor, so it is not about Amosun, Amosun has done his bit, but Ogun state must go back to that positive trajectory and one person that I know can do the job very well is Biyi Otegbeye”. Amosun stated.