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Tag: Akinlade

  • Akinlade accuses Amosun of leaving Ogun hopeless for next administration

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun preferred governorship candidate, Hon. Abdulkabir Akinlade on Friday couldn’t help indicting his godfather of being unable to uplift residents of Ogun state significantly.

    The governor, he said, was leaving the state hopeless for the next administration.

    He lamented all he saw during his campaign tour of 211wards out of the 236 wards in the state was “hopelessness of people.”

    Akinlade, who is the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) gubernatorial candidate, a party largely enjoying steady support from Amosun at the expense of the the All Progressives Congress (APC), described the people’s situation as that of “hopelessness.”

    READ ALSO: Amosun: I’ll give my all to make Akinlade win in Ogun

    The House of Representatives member representing Yewa South and Ipokia Federal Constituency made the comment while fielding questions at the just- concluded BBC Yoruba gubernatorial debate at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library(OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    The APM candidate, who was aide to Amosun on Revenue matters during his first term in office, made the comment in Yoruba to the consternation of the audience at the debate considering his affinity with Amosun and his administration in the last seven years and eight months.

    “I have covered 211 wards in Ogun state and have seen the hopelessness of people,” Akinlade said.

    Another gubernatorial candidate at the debate, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka of the African Democratic Congress(ADC) lauded Akinlade for speaking the truth.

    Isiaka noted that on his part, he has covered the whole 236 wards about four times since 2011 and was conversant with the hopelessness of the people in the state.

    This, he said, formed his quest for the governorship seat come March 2 to enable him change the narrative of the people’s situation.

  • Abiodun, Akinlade and battle for Oke Mosan Govt House

    There is a split in the Ogun State All Progressives Congress (APC). The supporters of Governor Ibikunle Amosun are sponsoring Adekunle Akinlade for governor on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) against the party’s candidate, Dapo Abiodun. What does this division portend for the ruling party? Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the succession battle.

    The war of attrition is taking its toll on the Ogun State All Progressives Congress (APC). The ruling party is decimated by the defection of key chieftains to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), where House of Representatives member Adekunle Akinlade has gone to take refuge. Analysts predict a tough battle on poll day.

    Akinlade, who hails from Yewa Division and Dapo Abiodun, governorship flag bearer of the APC, were aspirants at the primary. Ahead of the shadow poll, the party was polarised. A section of the party queued behind Governor Ibikunle Amosun, who had anointed Akinlade as successor. Other leaders, including former Governor Olusegun Osoba, were rooting for Abiodun.

    In the view of the governor, power should shift to Yewa, Ogun West Senatorial District, which has not produced a governor since the state was created. Power shift, he explained, was meant to give the marginalised district a sense of belonging and foster equity and justice.

    But, other leaders believe that the governor is trying to create confusion because of his selfish succession agenda. In their opinion, the subsisting convention favours power rotation between Ijebu/Remo and Egba/Egbado axis.

    Two parallel shadow polls produced Akinlade and Abiodun. The chapter was enveloped in a post-primary crisis as the two chieftains were laying claim to the ticket. The intervention of the APC national leadership aggravated the imbroglio. Akinlade’s euphoria of victory was short lived as the national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, rejected the primary that threw up Akinlade, saying that it was held in error.

    Oshiomhole said Amosun presided over a curious festival of imposition. He said apart from trying to force Akinlade on the party, he also imposed other parliamentary candidates on the platform. The chairman said the imposition will not stand. The governor stood his ground. He said Akinlade enjoyed acceptance and popularity in the party, unlike Abiodun, who he alleged was imposed by external forces.

    However, when the reality dawned on Amosun that the ticket had eluded Akinlade, his camp adopted APM as a platform. Up came Akinlade as the APM candidate – to the surprise of party chieftains. The confusion is underscored by the fact that his main backer, Amosun, is an APC senatorial candidate for Ogun Central District. Instead of pulling their resources together, the two APC camps are working at cross purpose.

    The mainstream APC, led by Osoba, is rooting for President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term bid. Amosun and his followers are also aggressively campaigning for the president.

    Two weeks ago, Amosun took the APM national chairman to Aso Villa to endorse President Buhari. The president welcomed the idea, although his media aide reiterated that he will campaign for Abiodun.

    Few days later, Osoba also took Abiodun to the president. The Commander-In-Chief assured the businessman-turned politician of support.

    Last week, Amosun visited the Aso Villa again to introduce Akinlade to President Buhari. He raised no objection. While the president is likely to visit Abeokuta, the capital, to campaign for Abiodun, he is also not opposed to Akinlade, whose party has endorsed him for a second term. To the president, the scenario is understandable. The implication is that Oshiomhole’s threat of sanction for anti-party activities pales into an empty threat. Although the national chairman has now dissolved the Ogun State Executive Committee of the party, the move has never slowed down the governor’s camp in its avowed commitment to install Akinlade as his successor.

    Akinlade’s campaign manager, Safaradeen Ishola, justified the governor’s position on succession. He said the rotational arrangement has been violated by the APC, pointing out that it has left Yewa stranded. He said Amosun supported power shift to Ogun West in the spirit of fairness and justice because the district has not produced governor since the state was created in 1976.

    There are some APC chieftains who believe that Amosun should produce his successor because he was the symbol of the battle for the soul of Ogun when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wielded political control. To them, Amosun’s performance, his infrastructure battles and people-oriented policies and programmes have popularised the APC in the Gateway State.

    Ahead of the primary, the governor also went round the state to feel the pulse of the people. Following the consultations, his supporters said reason and logic compelled him to insist on power shift to Yewa, and Akinlade from Ipokia is only fortunate to be a beneficiary.

    Ishola said the defections to APM underscored the people’s protest against injustice, adding that the APM has been waxing stronger because people are determined to make a point. He said in barely two months, the APM has become a movement to reckon with in the state.

    Now, there are four formidable parties in Ogun-APC, PDP, APM and Gboyega Isiaka’s African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    Can APC win without APM? Can APM win without APC? Will the division not reduce the chances of the two camp during the governorship election? Time will tell.

     

  • Ogun 2019: How far can Akinlade go?

    Four governorship aspirants–Dapo Abiodun All Progressives Congress (APC), Adekunle Akinlade (Allied Peoples Movement), Gboyega Isiaka (African Democratic Congress and Ladi Adebutu (Peoples Democratic Party)–are struggling to succeed Governor Ibikunle Amosun. Who gets the crown? Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the succession battle.

    President Muhammadu Buhari the Ogun State. The ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) is polarised, having failed to resolve its post-primary crisis.

    Ogun APC has maintained that Dapo Abiodun, a businessman, is its authentic candidate. In protest, a governorship aspirant, Adekunle Akinlade, a member of the House of Representatives, has defected from the party to seek refuge in the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

    Beside the split in the APC, which may affect its chances at the poll, the party will still have to contend with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)candidate, who may either be Senator Buruji Kashamu or Ladi Adebutu. Also, Gboyega Isiaka from Yewa is running on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    History is repeating itself in the Gateway State. Four years ago, APC leaders, including Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Segun Adesegun, Gbenga Kaka, Akin Odunsi and other chieftains, called it quit with the platform. They supported candidates on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Amosun was accused of high handedness and undue influence. Despite the crisis, the governor secured a second term.

    But, the governor has been in the eye of the storm in recent times. The bone of contention is succession. Amosun is supporting power shift to Yewa, old Egbado Division, which has not enjoyed the slot before. But, some people do not share his sentiments. To them, if there is zoning, it is between Ijebu/Remo and Egba/Yewa. The governor has disagreed, saying it is the turn of the allegedly marginalised zone.

    As the party broke into two, the National Working Committee (NWC) waded into the imbroglio and pronounced Abiodun as the candidate. The reconciliation mooted by the party has failed. Last week, there was a final parting of ways between supporters of Abiodun and Akinlade.

    As a huge crowd of APM converged on the MKO Stadium, Abeokuta, the capital, for the kick of the governorship campaign by Akinlade, some APC elders were locked in sober reflection. Can Akinlade win without the support of the other camp? Can Abiodun beat his PDP rival, unless the two camps put efforts together?

    Around 12.10 pm, Akinlade rode into the venue, accompanied by his running mate, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo. Shouts of the party slogan: ‘Triple A, sustaining the mission,’ filed the air as he alighted from his long campaign vehicle. Smiles lit up his face as he was cheered by the crowd. In that mood of excitement, he moved round the pavilion, waving at the supporters.

    Receiving the flag from the party’s national chairman, Mamman Yusuf, Akinlade, who hails from Yewa Division, Ogun West Senatorial District, promised to build on the achievements of Governor Ibikunle Amosun, if elected in next year’s election.

    A party chieftain, Jide Ojuko, justified Akinlade’s ambition, saying that, since the state was created 42 years ago, Yewa has not produced any governor. He urged the people to troop out to endorse him at the poll in the spirit of equity, justice and fairplay.

    However, Yusuf and Mamman emphasised that the party has resolved to adopt President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as presidential candidate and Governor Ibikunle Amosun as senatorial candidate for Ogun West. Also, the APM chieftains said the party has adopted Lekan Mustapha as senatorial candidate for the Ogun East District.

    But, they urged members to vote for the party’s lone senatorial candidate for Ogun West, Olusegun Gbeleyi.

    Party supporters came from the three senatorial districts, holding cassava tuber, the party symbol. Royal fathers under the aegis of the ‘Progressives Obas Forun,’ led by the Olunla of Itori, Oba Fatai Akama, also endorsed Akinlade, urging the people to vote for him so that he can take the the state to the promised land.

    According to observers, the commencement of the campaigns may have further dimmed any hope of reconciliation in the APC, which Akinlade dumped for the APM, following the post-primary crisi that engulfed the ruling party.

    Akinlade is believed to be enjoying the tacit support of Amosun, who has been at loggerheads with the party leadership over the choice of Dapo Abiodun as the APC candidate.

    Although the governor was not present at the venue, his majority of his commissioners, special advisers, aides and other big wigs accompanied Akinlade and vowed to mobilise for his victory.

    The Director General of Akinlade Campaign Organisation and former Steel Minister Sarafadeen Isola, and his deputy, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, were in a happy mood. Welcoming the party faithful, Isola described the APM as a movement necessitated by the collective desire to resist injustice and inequality. In his view, the movement is beyond party affiliations.

    He said: “The people of Ogun State have decided to put take their destiny in their hands. That is why we are supporting Akinlade. Akinlade was given the mandate. The mandate was manipulated. The people have decided to use fairness to fight unfairness, justice to fight injustice and equity to fight inequality.”

    Isola added: “The crowd is a testimony that the people will vote for Akinlade, who will set up a government of continuity to sustain the vision of Governor Amosun. That continuity and orderly succession is residing with Akinlade.”

    To Ojuko, the people of Yewa should not miss the chance to produce the next governor. He said: “Let our people prepare and get their PVCs to vote for Akinlade.” Echoing him, a former APC Women Leader said: “Let us come out from the East, West and Central to vote for Akinlade.”

    Her colleague, Mrs Ogunanwo, said: “This is a movement against injustice and unfairness.” In apparent criticism of APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole’s position on the Ogun APC crisis, she added: “Tell them in Abuja that labour law cannot work for us in Ogun.”

    A leader of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Olawale balogun, lauded Akinlade’s zeal for youth development, adding that students will mobilise to ensure that he becomes the governor.

    A chieftain, Dipo Ogunwole, who spoke on behalf of Ogun East, said: “The unity of Ogun us being demonstrated here today. This is a movement to victory.”

    Oba Akama, who led other royal fathers, said: “The king of heaven who installs earthly kings will lead us to the promised land. Amosun has tried for Ogun. We cannot afford to be stagnant. We want continuity, which can be guaranteed by the APM. Amosun has performed. Akinlade will perform better.”

    Akinlade, who was accompanied by his wife, promised to set up a government of continuity in post-Amosun era so that he can build on the governor’s legacies.

    “The journey has been a long and tortuous one,” he said, urging party followers to sustain the tempo to the end.

    The flag bearer lauded Amosun for raining the bar of governance, adding that, with the right steps and determination, Ogun will rise to its potentials.

    Akinlade said the state needed a right successor, who has been part of the administration in the last seven and half years, to succeed the governor. He noted that Amosun attracted 128 companies to the Gateway State because he provided a conducive atmosphere germane to business growth, stressing that the strides in infrastructural development led to the inflow of investment.

    He said: ‘Ogun has become one of the largest producers of rice in Nigeria. Human capital development is rising. The least we can do is to ensure an orderly succession to a government that can build on the successes.”

    He also reflected on the struggle for the ticket, describing it as a fight for freedom. “The people of Ogun has inalienable right to choose their leader and resist imposition.

    Akinlade maintained that he is the best for Ogun, if the state is to consolidate the current achievements in education, health and agriculture. He also promised to address the challenge of youth unemployment through skill acquisition programme.

    Akinlade commended President Buhari for his good leadership, fight against corruption and agricultural revolution.  Peeping into next year, he said: “Our victory is assured. You the people have resolved to stand with us and vote for APM. Our people have tested us and found us to be trustworthy.”

     

     

  • Amosun: I’ll give my all to make Akinlade win in Ogun

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday said his anointed man, Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), has his “blessings to pursue the mandate freely given to him” by the people of the state.

    He promised to give Akinlade all he has to ensure that the House of Representatives member representing Egbado South and Ipokia Federal Constituency succeeds him next year.

    The governor, who addressed hundreds of his loyalists and supporters in Abeokuta, the state capital, promised to work for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He urged his loyalists to vote only for the President and Akinlade, saying he would not conceal his position on 2019.

    According to him, when he begins campaigning, his loyalists and supporters should know that it is only for President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Akinlade of APM.

    Amosun assured his loyalists that his consensus candidates initially listed to contest elective offices on the platform of APC but denied tickets would win in 2019 on the platform of APM to prove detractors wrong.

    The governor said his political foes plotting to destroy his political career would fail, adding that they would go into political extinction in the state.

    He recalled that he was not a political neonate when he was picked as the candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011.

    Amosun said he won his senatorial election in 2003 and contested the governorship poll in 20O7 and won but was robbed before joining the defunct ACN.

    He said: “Akinlade has my full blessings to pursue that mandate our people gave him. I will give all that I have to see that he wins. If the people gave him the mandate, the result will show. We have all our strategies ready. My senatorial ambition is the least of the problem. I will give Akinlade all that I have; I will give our people all that I have to make sure that Akinlade wins.

    “When these people came, they told me they were leaving the APC. I said ‘no’ but I couldn’t stop them. In fact, Akinlade has my full support; I am not going to stop him. Everything I have, I will use to support him. Let them try whatever they want to try. We also have our strategies, and I am not going to hide behind one finger.

    “I remain in APC because that’s what those people want: they want us to leave APC, but they are joking. I will stay in APC to ensure that President Buhari wins in Ogun State and to let them know that they can’t subvert the will of Ogun State.

    “Everyday, I will campaign for President Buhari; we will do everything possible to ensure Buhari wins massively in Ogun State. But they should not miss it: I, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, will not support anyone they are bringing (Dapo Abiodun).

    “Why would a reasonable person lord people less than 10 per cent over the majority? It can’t happen. They know there was only one primary and they have called me to say that. We have done everything possible to right the wrong but they were ready in destroying the party.

    “God will punish me if I stop Akinlade. All of you supporting Akinlade have my support and blessing. They are talking about party supremacy; what happens to party supremacy at the local level?”

    Also, 26 members of the APC loyal to the governor yesterday announced their defection to the APM, citing impunity within the former as their major reason.

    The defectors said they contested for the House of Assembly primary on October 7 and were declared winners the following day by APC Electoral Committee but that they were shocked that their names were not listed as candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

  • Ogun primary: Group backs Akinlade

    A social cultural group, Awori National Youth Consultative Council has appealed to the National Working Committee of All Progressives Congress (APC) to award Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade the governorship candidate of the party in Ogun State.

    Its National Coordinator, Prince Adesegun Ogungbayi said Ogun West Senatorial District deserves the slot.

    Ogungbayi said Ogun West which Awori is part of has been supporting Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu since 2011.

    He warned that APC risks losing the governorship election next year if it does not return the mandate to the consensus candidate chosen by their elders.

    Read also: APC forum seeks support for Ogun governorship candidate

    “The party should forget the entire votes of the distinct in 2019 if Akinlade is not given the ticket,” he said.

    The group call on President Muhammad Buhari and AsiwajuTinubu to intervene in the interest on justice.

    “After all Ogun East and Central have produced two governors each and over 70 per cent revenue used to finance the state is from Ogun West! What’s our gain?” Ogungbayi asked.

  • Amosun’s man, Akinlade, wins Ogun APC governorship primary

    The Ogun State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Derin Adebiyi, has declared Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s man, Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade, the winner of the party’s governorship primary, allegedly conducted by the governor’s caucus.

    Akinlade, a member of House of Representatives (Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency), polled 190,987 votes to win the controversial direct primary conducted on Tuesday.

    His rivals, Jimi Lawal, got 5,046 votes; Dapo Abiodun garnered 3,648 votes; Abimbola Ashiru polled 898 votes; Senator Gbenga Kaka had 833 votes and Abayomi Hunye got 208 votes.

    Declaring Akinlade the winner yesterday at APC state secretariat on Abiola Way, Abeokuta, the state capital, Adebiyi said the lawmaker polled the highest number of valid votes in the primary.

    The chairman said the primary was conducted throughout the 236 wards in the state by local government and ward election committees constituted by the state chapter of the party “in compliance with the constitution of our party and the guidelines released by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC”.

    Adebiyi told reporters that he announced the result and declared the winner instead of leaving it to the Muhammad Ndabawa-led electoral committee, as it had allegedly been compromised.

    He said: “The committee was here and they were emphatic, after cancelling the exercise twice, that the election would hold yesterday. This was after we had submitted the names of local committee and venues, in obedience to the guideline.”

     

    “Yesterday (Tuesday) morning, they still agreed that the primary would hold and we mobilised to our wards. But we waited endlessly as the phone numbers of the committee members were switched off and electoral materials were not available.

    “Up till now, we don’t know the whereabouts of the committee and we’ve not seen them at the party’s secretariat. They’ve been heavily and highly compromised.

    “The guideline is straight and unambiguous: it is open secret ballot, which is Option A4. But they said they brought ballot papers from Abuja, in a direct primary? To do what?”

    Adebiyi noted that the Election Committee from APC national headquarters in Abuja directed that the governorship primary be held on October 2, which prompted the closure of all primary and secondary schools by the state government for the exercise.

    He added: “The governorship primary was conducted and monitored by relevant agencies.”

     

  • Akinlade declared winner of Ogun APC governorship primary

    The State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief Derin Adebiyi, has declared Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s man, Hon. Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade, as the winner of the governorship primary,  conducted by the governor’s caucus of the party.
    Adekunle Akinlade, current member of House of Representatives (Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency,
    polled 190,987 votes to emerge winner in the controversial direct primary conducted on Tuesday.
    Other contestants – Jimi Lawal came in a distant second position with 5,046 votes, while  Dapo Abiodun garnered 3,648 votes followed by Abimbola Ashiru with 898 votes, Senator Gbenga Kaka with 833 votes and Abayomi Hunye with 208 votes.
    Declaring Akinlade the winner on Wednesday at the APC State Secretariat on Abiola Way, Abeokuta, Adebiyi said Akinlade polled the highest number of valid votes in the primaries.
    The state party chairman added that the primary was conducted throughout the 236 wards in Ogun  by Local Government and ward election committees constituted by the state chapter of the party “in compliance with the constitution of our party and the guidelines released by the National Working Committee (NWC) All Progressives Congress.”
    Adebiyi told reporters that he elected to announce the result and declared the winner instead of leaving it to be done by the Muhammad Ndabawa-led electoral committee, saying  the committee was heavily compromised.
    Adebiyi said: “the Committee was here and they were emphatic, after cancelling the exercise twice, the the election would hold yesterday, this is after we’ve submitted names of local committee and venues in obedience to the guideline.
    “Yesterday morning, they still agreed that the primary would hold and we mobilised to our different wards but we waited endlessly as the phone numbers or committee members were switched off and electoral materials not available.
    “Up till now, we don’t know the whereabouts of the committee and we’ve not seen them at the party’s Secretariat. They’ve been heavily and highly compromised.
    “The guideline is straight and unambiguous, its open secret ballot which is option A4 but they said they brought ballot papers from Abuja, in a direct primary? To do what?”
    The party chairman noted that  the Election Committee from the National headquarters of the party in Abuja directed that the governorship primaries should be held on 2nd October 2018 which prompted the closure of all primary and secondary schools by the state government for the exercise.
    According to him, “the governorship primaries were conducted and monitored by the relevant agencies.”

  • Ogun APC: Akinlade, Amosun’s preferred guber candidate emerges

    The whizkid and Muslim who  Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun recently hinted he would accompany to the 2019 Eid prayer as an ex – Governor might have finally emerged.
    He  is Honourable Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade, a serving member of the House of Representatives who  represents  Egbado South and Ipokia Federal Constituency of Ogun State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
    Akinlade(49) was adopted as the consensus candidate of the APC by the Ogun West Elders very early on Thursday morning, after hours – long meeting in Ayetoro, Yewa  North Local Government Area of the state, to pick the zone’s governorship candidate for the 2019 election.
    Almost a dozen of aspirants from Ogun West   were desirous of succeeding Amosun on the platform of APC and they included  Speaker Suraj Adekunbi,  Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s Chief of staff, Tolu Odebiyi, the  Commissioner for Forestry, Kola Lawal, Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Rotimi Rahmon, Hon. Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade, Hon. Abdulkabir Akinlade and Abayomi Hunye.
    The long list of aspirants was trimmed to  the duo of Tolu Odebiyi and Abdulkadir Akinlade who made the final list.
    The Nation gathered that Governor Ibikunle Amosun preferred  Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade to Odebiyi and subtly ensured that the Ogun West elders picked him.
    Amosun
    Amosun had during the last  Eid -El – Kabir prayer at the Muslim Prayer ground,  Lantoro, Abeokuta, declared in sober tone that this year edition drew the curtain to his observing the Sallah prayer with them as a serving Governor.
    The Governor added that  by next year, he would not attend the Eid  prayer  in his “capacity as a governor,” but as someone that would accompany his successor as an ex – Governor.
    Since he did not  mention the name of the person at the time, many of his Muslim audiences in their hundreds, looked side ways at each other,  prompting them to wonder if he  planned to install a Muslim as a successor from among a dozen of aspirants on the platform APC jostling to succeed him.
    With Abdulkabir’s adoption by the Ogun West elders following what many believed was the product of a behind – the – scene influence of the Governor, there is no more guessing who Amosun’s whizkid or successor – Governor he would accompany to 2019 Eid prayer, is.
    Amosun will formally present him to the party as the governorship flag bearer for APC in 2019 election today (Thursday). Already, a press briefing to this effect has been slated for 11 am  at the APC state Secretariat on Abiola Way, Abeokuta.
    Abdulkabir hails from  Agosasa, Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State. He was Senior Special Assistant to Governor Amosun on Taxation & Revenue between 2011 and 2014, overseeing the Directorate of other Taxes at the Board of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Ogun State.
    He  was later redeployed to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development before resigning in October  2014 to contest the House of Representatives seat. He is a graduate of Political Science, Lagos State University, Ojo.

  • Ogun 2019: Four lawmakers to join APC, says Akinlade

    A former House of Representatives member, Hon. Abiodun Akinlade, has  disclosed that four members of the Ogun State House of Assembly will soon defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Akinlade, who is one of the Yewa – Awori sons aspiring to succeed Governor Ibikunle Amosun on the platform of APC,  urged  the ruling party to prepare and accommodate defectors from other parties, ahead of the 2019 elections.

    He made this known in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area, while declaring his ambition before the leaders and members of APC in Ogun West Senatorial District.

    Akinlade,  who was in the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly between 2003 and 2015, said he will build on the achievements of Amosun, if given the APC ticket and entrusted with power.

    He said: “I have the experience, I have the connection and I have what it takes to take our state to the next level. I have come with added value to APC.

    “APC has value already and my own value with that of APC will take Ogun State to another level. I want to tell you that, soon, four serving members of the Ogun State House of Assembly are coming with me (to APC).”

    The ex – member of House of Representatives, also revealed that a serving councillor elected on the platform of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) as well as more of his political associates will soon move to  APC.

    He said he has a five-point agenda for the state, which are centred on  peoples – oriented  government while women and youth will also earn  special recognition through empowerment and entrepreneurship.

    He pledged to ensure holistic economic policy by harnessing the state’s comparative advantage in the three Free Trade Zones of Olokola, Kajola and Agbara.

  • High society agog for Akinlade at 50

    On Saturday March 25, the entire Owode-Yewa community in Ogun State will stand still for the birthday celebration of one of their illustrious sons, Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade, as he clocks 50 years. In a double celebration, the three-time member of the House of Representatives will also be conferred with the coveted title of Baba Adinni of Yewaland.

    On hand to witness the history-making event will be prominent sons and daughters of Ogun State led by the governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. Lawmakers from both chambers of the National Assembly, speakers of state assemblies, traditional rulers, political and religious leaders and members of the organised private sector are expected to troop to the sleepy town for the momentous event.

    Akinlade has through the years forged a reputation as one of the most upstanding politicians from the Gateway State. Already touted as a contender for the governorship seat in 2019, he represented Yewa South/Ipokia federal constituency for 12 years and engaged in many laudable projects which have over the years won him the love and respect of his constituency and the state at large.

    As the date of his 50th birthday celebration draws near, the event is expected to triple as a rendezvous point for the biggest names in the state’s politics to put heads together over his rumoured candidacy.