2019: Amosun supports Ogun West candidate as successor

…Cautions against ‘imported candidate’

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By Olusola AJIBIKE (Abeokuta)

NIGERIA: COME 2019, should the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, have his way, only governorship candidate from Ogun West Senatorial District would succeed him.

Amosun gave this hint on Tuesday at the inauguration of members of Consultative Advisory Council for the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Authorities in the state.

The Governor, according to a release signed by his Senior Special Assistant (Media), Adejuwon Soyinka, stated that he would support and actively campaign for a governorship candidate from the senatorial district as his successor in 2019.

While addressing party faithful and others present at the event held in Abeokuta, the state capital, Amosun, who will end his second term in 2019, said that his decision to tow such line of action was based on the need for fairness, equity and justice.

According to him, no one should expect him to campaign, and he would not do so, for any candidate from the Ogun Central Senatorial District, the district which he contested twice as governor.

Similarly, the Governor said that he would not offer his support to any governorship candidate from the Ogun East Senatorial District, but that if anyone comes out he would not campaign against the person.

But, the Governor, however, counseled the people of Ogun West Senatorial District to ensure that they put their house in order.

He also warned them against any attempt to impose individuals who he described as “imported politician” to be their candidate as his successor.

“This is Ogun State, we know ourselves and we should not allow anybody to impose people we don’t know on us as Governor,” Amosun declared.

The Governor, however, stressed on the significance of the LG/LCDA Advisory Council, saying that it would further entrench participatory governance at the grassroots level and strengthens the principle of democracy in the state.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jide Ojuko, had earlier urged the appointees to be honest and justify their inclusion in governance.

At the event, some of the royal fathers from the three senatorial districts counselled the newly inaugurated Advisory Council members to see their appointments as a call to service.

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