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| Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun State Governor |
EXCEPT we want to deceive ourselves, the reality on ground
on who becomes the next governor of Ogun State is between the incumbent,
Governor Ibikunle Amosun (SIA) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and his
often rival, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Amosun is from Ogun Central Senatorial District while Isiaka hails from Ogun
West, the senatorial district that has been agitating for the exalted seat in
the last 39 years of the birth of the Gateway State.
DAILY, I am bombarded with text messages on my MTN line why
I, and by extension the residents of the Gateway State, should not vote for
SIA, but that GNI is the way to go.
There are other gangrenous disparaging text messages full of
unsubstantiated allegations against Amosun, deliberately sent to dissuade
voters from voting for the governor for second term.
THE texts were from known and bogus groups claiming to be
working for the victory of GNI, who contested against the governor in the 2011
election on the platform of Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN). PPN was a break-away branch of the PDP,
funded by ex-Governor Gbenga Daniel who recently castigated the people of Ogun
State on a Rockcity FM radio programme as “educated in terms of going to school
but in terms of enlightenment, they’re not enlightened…(and they’re) naïve,
were ignorant, and were gullible”.
WITHOUT doubt, I’m close to SIA just like GNI. I know their antecedents in their areas of
public service. And I know the agitation
of Yewa-Awori (Ogun West) to produce a governor, the move I stridently supports
till date.
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| Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, PDP Candidate |
HOWEVER, despite the fact that I know some would abuse,
vilify, label and embark on campaign of calumny and character destruction
against me, I will still speak my mind, not minding whose ox is gored.
AS it stands today, Amosun is the way to go. Not that SIA is a perfect governor. No! No
one is perfect anyway, but with the present reality and for the overall
interest and betterment of my home state, my plea with my people is to return
Amosun to office, despite his personal shortcomings and his administration.
IN short, we cannot afford to be in opposition under the
Gen. Muhammadu Buhari government that Ogun people worked hard to install. No way, not in our best interest.
ALREADY, Ogun State has two APC and one PDP senators, seven
APC and two PDP House of Reps members.
This legislative platform would provide credible avenue for the state to
demand for its rightful inheritance in the scheme of the new progressive
federal government patrimony.
COME to think of it, the brain behind the conception,
sustenance and birth of APC – as a formidable opposition to the PDP – and
delivery of victory at the March 28, 2015 polls, was a powerful force which
Ogun played eminent roles. Remember the
Vice-President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is an Ogun indigene from Ikenne, the
hometown of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. For memory sake, you’ll recall that his
younger brother, Akin Osinbajo, served as the Attorney-General and Justice
Commissioner under Otunba Gbenga Daniel administration.
SINCERELY speaking, this is not the time to be in
opposition, or confrontation, with the federal government. There are federal benefits for Ogun State via
the roles played by its erudite citizens, led by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo,
in the victory of Buhari. However, do
you think Obasanjo would allow PDP, the party that stridently castigated and
embarrassed him, (led by President Goodluck Jonathan and his attack dogs of
Doyin Okupe, Femi Fani-Kayode, Reuben Abati and Ayo Fayose, amongst others)
that led to his angrily tearing his membership card openly, win in Ogun State?
ARE you similarly under the illusion that Obasanjo, the Owu
generalissimo, would open his eyes wide and allow PDP, which harbours
ex-Governor Gbenga Daniel and Buruji Kasahamu, two arch “enemies” of the former
president, win the Okemosan seat at this point in time, even if GNI is a good
material on his own?
Besides, SIA has done a lot of work (to the utmost best of
his abilities) to improve the state, via the IGR, the major cities dotted with
the construction and expansion of roads and bridges amongst many. Indeed, few of the royal fathers, Alake and
Awujale hailed SIA’s prodigy in this respect. And SIA himself has promised to
do more.
BUT, the big job left is for you and I to be alive to our
responsibilities. Let us be alive to
wake up Amosun’s government by doing the needful. Let us urge our lawmakers to do the needful
by scrutinizing and keeping eagle eyes on SIA’s administration, not to act as
rubberstamps to all his policies.
AND as patriotic citizens let’s shout where necessary and
expose any injurious move or projects that would impact negatively on the
state, but not hearsay or propaganda or “political ziggy.” This is where the like of Nobel Laureate,
Prof. Wole Soyinka, NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof. Iziaq Oloyede and others,
should use their connections to keep eagle eyes on the governor and his
administration. Please produce concrete
pieces of evidence of maladministration and corruption in government, not
propaganda. And in unison let us rise against any attempt to swindle the
state. That is the civilized way to go.
HOWEVER, I must emphasise it that truly this is the time for
SIA too to amend his ways. There is no
smoke without fire. And as we say in
journalism, there is often an element of truth in every rumour. Therefore, the governor should look into
myriad of accusations and allegations of headiness, kowtow to family
superiority in the running of the state’s affairs, and others if indeed they
are absolute truth, and adjust immediately where necessary.
FOR instance, deducting workers cooperative dues without
remittance to the appropriate quarters is detestable, unexplainable and
uncharitable. Though there is fall is
federal allocation which made the state to be financially leprosied, but then
salaries of workers, and deduction like this, should not be toyed with.
INDEED, it must be stressed that not many indigenes of Ogun
would be happy to see the “indirect comeback” of Daniel to power, through GNI,
particularly to witness any reprisal vindictiveness against SIA administration
(an allegation made against SIA by PDP and OGD supporters on his assumption of
office). And a large chunk of our people would be miles away from any
administration identified with Buruji Kashamu, a man in conflict with Obasanjo,
coupled with his alleged “uncleaned” record over drugs related offences in
US. Buruji was similarly alleged to have
entered into occult contract and monetary pledge with GNI, an issue that people
put on the table during schmoozing.
THE best bet, though many incendiary, die-hard,
autochthonous and irredentist Ogun West apologists would not concur with me,
for a candidate from that senatorial district to be the governor of our dear
state is 2019. To add more, I am not
deeply sure an alliance between Social Democratic Party (SDP) and PDP now (as
being rumoured) would guarantee victory in Saturday polls for GNI.
INSTEAD, all machinery should be deployed in four years time
to ensure Ogun West produce the next governor without equivocation for the
peaceful, mutual and cordial coexistence of the three major senatorial
districts in Ogun State.
TO me, GNI has all it takes to be the first Ogun West
indigene to occupy the exalted Okemosan seat, but the expediency on ground does
not favour a change, but continuity of Amosun’s administration, except there is
divine intervention from above for a definitive purpose in the Gateway State.
* Shodunke, former Deputy Editor, Nigerian Compass
newspaper, is the President, Olumo Progressive Association Canada Inc.
'Femi SHODUNKE (Chief),
Ba'aroyin of Igbeinland; Ba'aroyin of Agbonland (Oluwo)
Higher National Diploma (Mass Communication), Mapoly;
Nigeria
Master of Communication Arts (University of Ibadan) Nigeria
Master of Arts (Media Production) Ryerson University,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
PRESIDENT, Olumo Progressive Association Canada Inc (A
Nigerian ethnic group of Egba and Yewa indigenes in Canada).
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