Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday evening met behind closed doors with Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting started around 6.10pm when Amosun arrived the Vice President’s office.
Amosun was part of the nine All Progressives Congress (APC) governors that met President Muhammadu Buhari earlier in the day over faulty primary elections in their states.
The meeting with Osinbajo was still in progress at the time of filing this report.
Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has said he will not “surrender” the state to those he said desire to reap from where they did not sow.
The governor was reacting to the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary and next year’s general elections.
Amosun said he and his supporters were ready for those he called “profiteers” on the day of the party’s primary, whenever it takes place.
The governor, who made the remarks yesterday while addressing hundreds of APC members and supporters at the MTR Hall, Ibara, Abeokuta, the state capital, urged them to keep their “gunpowder dry” for the political battle ahead.
Amosun, who momentarily left the M. K. O. Abiola Stadium in Kuto, Abeokuta, venue of this year’s Independence Day anniversary celebration after cutting the 58th Independence anniversary cake, debunked the allegation of “security breach” by five APC governorship aspirants in the state.
The governor advised the people not to de-market Ogun State with allegations of security breaches.
He added: “Don’t worry because of them. This position we are today is by the benevolence of God. We are more now, I have told them; we have the government, we have the party and we have the people.
“They have been trying all the tricks in the book. They will have trouble having 10 or five per cent of the people. If they do it one million times, the result will be the same. They thought they are God. But God, who dealt with them before, will harmer more this time. The disgrace they got last time (2015) will be more this time.
“Keep your gunpowder dry; we will mobilise you with the necessary logistics when the time comes. If they are doing kuru-kere (scheming), tell them that they will be graced. We are on the ground here. We will give you transport fare back.
“They have been writing something; nobody is going to kill anybody. If you have the love of Ogun State, don’t de-market it. Nobody will kill anybody. We are ready for them. I’m the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the state. Something is worrying their brain. We are waiting for them.
A former Ogun State Governor Aremo Segun Osoba, has said he had discussed the drone espionage on his Ibara, Abeokuta home with Governor Ibikunle Amosun and advised that the matter.
Osoba said he had also reported the alleged security breach by two persons to the Directorate of State Services (DSS) for investigation.
The former governor said the DSS operatives drew Amosun’s attention to the incident.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, who addressed party members and aspirants for 2019 elective offices at his Abeokuta home, admitted that a security breach is no issue to be treated with levity.
But he assured the people that his home was well secured.
Osoba urged party members who wanted to hold their meetings there not to panic.
The former governor urged the state chapter of APC to learn from the experience of the party during the last governorship election and stay united, lest the fate of Osun APC befalls Ogun in 2019.
He added that the planned primary of the party would be by the direct mode, as directed by APC’s National Working Committee (NWC).
The former governor urged the party’s members to work in harmony.
The septuagenarian said he refrained from speaking on the happenings in the party because of his status as a statesman and his respect for Amosun, who he said had the capacity to handle the situation and unite the party.
Osoba said: “I don’t want you, however, to politicise this incident. I have reported to operatives of DSS and asked them to do their investigation. I have also talked about it with the governor. So, let it end there.
“My compound is a market place; if you like, bring 20 drones. My security is in place. Any of the aspirants can have their meetings here.
“We just have to learn from the defeat our party last weekend in Osun State. In fact, I have not been able to sleep very well since the result came out. We went into that election very divided.
“House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Lasun Yussuff went his way; the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Olalekan Adeoti, took another direction. I am here to preach unity. Enough of ‘I am for Amosun; I am for Osoba’. A primary is just a step; the election is the major thing. So, we just have to be united to win the election next year.”
He urged the party members to come out on Friday with their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari as AP presidential candidate ahead of the 2019 general elections.
INSURANCE must lead other sectors in the ongoing socio-economic re-engineering, Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has said.
Amosun spoke at the opening ceremony of the Insurance Professionals’ Forum organised by the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) in Abeokuta, the state capital at the weekend.
The theme of the forum is: “The insurance industry: beyond limits”.
The governor, represented by his Chief of Staff Tolu Odebiyi hoped the institute’s forum would position the industry to take its rightful place in the economy.
He said as major players, insurance professionals should fashion robust ideas that would grow the industry.
He said the perception of insurance as a critical ingredient of not only business, but also life is still an impediment to the growth of insurance practice in Nigeria.
Hence, he said, it is imperative for the institute to map out strategies to get more businesses into insurance.
He noted that this requires enlightenment programmes.
He said: “There is also the need to liberalise the practice of insurance such that insurance claims can be easily redeemed by insurance firms to policy-holders.
“Insurance firms should, therefore, make maximum use of the investment opportunities available to them to strengthen their liquidity positions to enable them meet the claims of policy-holders promptly whenever the need arises.This will restore people’s confidence in the ability of the industry to deliver and redeem its obligations to its clients.”
Amosun reiterated his administration’s resolve to continue to implement the state’s its development blueprint.
He called on the practitioners to leverage the competitive advantage that the state has to offer.
“Our blueprint, tagged “Mission to Rebuild” Ogun State is expanded into a five-cardinal programme of: Affordable qualitative education for children in Ogun State; efficient health care delivery for its citizens and those who have made our dear state their home; agricultural production leading to industrialisation; affordable housing/urban renewal that will serve as catalyst for investments and socio-economic development; Rural and urban infrastructural development that will ensure even development in all parts of our dear state.
“As a matter of fact, it is on record that Ogun State has continued to break new frontiers in all socio-economic development indices. Perhaps, a fitting reward for the huge investment in infrastructure; the liberalisation of the business environment; and, our heavy investment in human capital development is the improvement on the ratings in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Study from 35th position in 2012 to a top 5 position. These interventions have helped to increase inflow of investments to our State significantly.
“In fact, according to the 2014- 2016 collated data of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) for newly created agro processing investment established in the country, Ogun State attracted 75 per cent shares of the total foreign direct and local investments in Nigeria. As at the last count, we have been able to attract over 140 new industries, who have individually invested between a minimum of $200 million and in excess of $2 billion in some instances,” he added.
CIIN President Eddie Efekoha said the theme “The insurance industry: beyond limits,” was an expression of where practitioners wanted the industry to be.
He disclosed that they were positioning the industry for growth.
‘’It is pertinent to reiterate that the theme of my presidency, advancing insurance education and professionalism, is driven by the realisation that we must consistently strive to improve the quality of our human resources to turn the change enveloping the industry into opportunities,’’ he added.
He pointed out that the balance of power was tilting towards the consumers and new and ongoing social trends were affecting traditional business patterns in the industry.
“Definitely, the relentless march of online and mobile technology will continue to fuel the constant change in customer expectations.Online social networks are becoming pooling mechanisms for insurance and whether we like to admit it or not, insurance companies are fast changing roles from being product manufacturers to administrative service providers.The evolution is here and we must embrace it.
“Advances in software and hardware are transforming “big data” into information that gives enough insight into the future for decision makers to take action. As the insurance industry reaps gains from the most recent wave of automation, new technologies are significantly enhancing operational efficiencies, increasing revenue opportunities and improving customer experience. How do we maximise the potential of Insuretech using tools like block-chain technology among others? We need to ensure persistence, respect, integrity and passion by way of ethics in the industry to boost the confidence of customers,” he noted.
The race for Ogun Central senatorial seat has taken a new dimension, as Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, Mrs. Titi Oseni-Gomez and incumbent Senator Lanre Tejuoso get set for what promises to be a crucial battle. Correspondent ERNEST NWOKOLO, who has been monitoring the situation, reports.
THE race for Ogun Central senatorial seat has never generated so much interest. The expression of interest of Governor Ibikunle Amosun for the seat has raised the stakes in the battle. But, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, an aspirant for the seat on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has declared that Amosun does not pose any serious threat; as it would be easier to defeat the governor than any of the other aspirants eyeing the seat.
At least, five persons have expressed interest for the seat. On the platform of the APC, there are aspirants: Governor Amosun and the present occupier of the seat, Senator Lanre Tejuoso. The ADC also has two aspirants: Dr. Majekodunmi and former Speaker, Chief (Mrs) Titi Oseni-Gomez. Until recently, Oseni-Gomez was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). She has since switched allegiance to the ADC, which appears to be a formidable platform in the state. Former member of the House of Representatives, Kayode Jelili Amusan of the PDP is also eyeing the seat in 2019.
Time is ticking away. The Ogun Central seat is peculiar and has always been keenly contested among contenders, because of the elites’ influence. This is understandable. The district is socio-culturally and traditionally designated as Egbaland and comprises six local governments. Egba people are culturally delineated into relatively distinct groups such as Ake, Owu, Oke-Ona, Gbagura among others.
Over 100 years ago, the area had existed as a country of its own; with an independent government called Egba United Government (EUG) until the British made it part of Nigeria in 1914. It is peopled by highly enlightened, educated and politically-sophisticated personalities and has had the rare grace of giving Nigeria great sons and daughters like former President Olusegun Obasanjo; head of Interim National Government (ING), Chief Ernest Shonekan; winner of the annulled June 1993 presidential election, the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola; Nobel Laurette, Prof. Wole Soyinka; the Ransome-Kutis; among others.
As the area that hosts the administrative capital of Abeokuta, the senatorial district has enjoyed relative numerical advantage over the other districts. All of these set the district apart in more ways than one.
Since 1999, no senator that represented the district has had the chance to return to the Red Chamber of the National Assembly for a second term. The previous senators include are: Femi Okunrounmu, Alliance for Democracy (AD), 1999 to 2003; Senator Ibikunle Amosun, PDP, 2003 to 2007; Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, PDP, 2007 to 2011; Senator Gbenga Obadara, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), 2011 to 2015; and the incumbent Senator Tejuoso, APC, 2015 till date.
Senator Obasanjo, who is a former commissioner and a daughter of former President Obasanjo contested for a second term in 2011, but lost. In fact, she was roundly trounced, even in her wards and polling booth by Obadara. Iyabo Obasanjo is of Owu-Egba extraction.
Obadara, who is from Ake area, also tried to return to the Red Chamber in 2015 on the ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), but he too was floored by the incumbent Senator Tejuoso. Obadara who hails from Odeda town was until recently plotting to return to the chamber, but appears to have backed down; perhaps after weighing the odds against him.
Senator Tejuoso is of Oke-Ona extraction of Egba and a son of reigning Oba Adedapo Tejuoso. The governor’s ambition to return to the Senate on the platform of the APC had compelled him defect to the PDP. But, he has since retraced his steps.
But, he has not been fully welcomed back to the party, having been initially expelled and lampooned as a disloyal member. He indicated recently that it was President Muhammadu Buhari that advised him to return to the APC.
The medical doctor-turned politician has been in the same party with President Buhari since the time of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and they have both lost elections together three times before winning at the forth trial on the platform of the APC.
It is believed that the President and the lawmaker’s father, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, are close friends. How this would pan out to ensure the success of his second term ambition is a matter of conjecture.
Tejuoso faces a daunting task: he will have to struggle to wrest the APC ticket from Amosun, who is believed to have used his influence as governor to snatch the ticket, even before the battle begins.
The alternative is for him to seek the ticket of another political platform for the election. But this is unlikely, because he has given his word to President Buhari that he would not leave the APC, as long as the President remains with the party.
Tejuoso is now banking on the fact that the Ogun APC chapter may subject all aspirants for the contest to direct primary, to select the candidate as directed by the National Working Committee (NWC). But, confronting the all-bulldozing Amosun at the primary, if ever any is going to be conducted, is not going to be an easy contest for the Oke-Ona Prince.
He said: “I cannot leave the APC. I will only leave, if President Buhari leaves. When the incident (defection) happened, Mr. President called me and told me he wants me back in the party. What happened is just a misunderstanding within the local political scene (Ogun State) and it has been resolved.
“You know Ogun State is known in Nigeria to be the first in most things. It has been established that for democracy to thrive and to catch up with that of the developed nations, direct primaries is the answer. Since Ogun State is always the first, I am sure my governor will surely support it, because he always wants the best for the state.
“I am sure he will lead and others will follow and we are going to do direct primaries by God’s grace in Ogun State and I am sure my governor will agree. So that everybody in the party can have their say and choose whoever they want. Anybody who offers themselves for an elective position should let the people decide that he or she is competent enough. So, let everybody vote.
“It shouldn’t be a scenario of where few people will just be gathered somewhere and somebody will then tell them what to do. We want a change and that is what our party is preaching. We want direct primaries; we don’t want indirect primaries where some people will be owing some people, because they are the one who helped them achieve the success they have achieved.”
Governor Amosun, probably buoyed by the assurance that he had garnered sufficient political clout over the years, is plotting to break the jinx and make the difference by returning to the Red Chamber, 12 years after he had vacated the Ogun Centra seat.
But, he too faces herculean tasks. As an incumbent whose tenure is drawing to a close, Amosun, as was the case with his predecessors in the twilight of their administrations, is experiencing diminishing returns of people’s goodwill.
Besides, he has many battles to fight, such as winning the state for his party in 2019 and successfully installing a successor-governor in Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade whose candidature has not been well received across the state. The senatorial battle would be an added burden.
All of these are germane to Amosun’s dream of elongating his political relevance, by ‘retiring to the Senate’ like other governors elsewhere in the country.
Amosun is also busy trying to fine-tune his political structure, to ensure that his successor does not whittle down his influence after he has helped him to climb the ladder of power.
All of these would task Amosun’s skills, resources and even expose all his flanks for possible attacks from political foes and the governor’s political foes have never been in short supply.
Barely a week ago, Amosun had kept political opponents in a protracted guessing game about his next move would be, using subterfuges. But last week he declared for the Ogun Central Senatorial seat. He announced his intention during an APC stakeholders meeting in Abeokuta. He told the gathering that he would purchase the party’s senatorial form and then “test his popularity” in 2019 on the field again with other contestants.
The boastful Amosun seemed to be banking on his strong connection with Abuja, political ruggedness, his achievements in the last seven and half and a huge financial war chest to win all battles in 2019 and become a member of the forthcoming 9th Senate.
But, Majekodunmi (from Ake) who disclosed that his quest for the seat was borne out of the need to be a “strong voice for Egba people and Nigeria” at the Senate in 2019, boasted of defeating Amosun on the field, saying the political momentum in the state has changed and that the change is not on the governor’s favour.
The general medical practitioner and businessman who also doubles as a Director at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), promised to make a “resounding difference at the Senate and get things done” to improve the lots of his people and Nigerians.
Fielding questions on Amosun’s plan to return to the Senate after completing his tenure as governor in 2019 and the threat such poses to his ambition, Majekodunmi said it would be easier to confront the governor on the field and floor him than any other candidate.
The Chairman, Kejide Hospitals Ltd, said the political momentum in the state today has shifted, unlike what it used to be yesterday when it was so good on the side of Amosun.
His words: “I will defeat him (Amosun). I will defeat him and there won’t be any bitterness about it. The idea that he wants to go back to the Senate is (now) true, unlike what we hear as rumour about the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) (Taiwo Adeoluwa).
“Whoever it is, be it Amosun, it will be easier to defeat Amosun than any other candidate. The situation with him now is not as good as it used to be. Many are leaving. So, I will defeat him hands down without any bitterness.”
The Bagbile of Egbaland also gave an indication why the people would vote him to represent them and not other aspirants, because with “quality legislations”, which he pledged to champion, if elected on the platform of the ADC, would help address some of the major socioeconomic challenges facing Nigerians.
Majekodunmi lamented the increasing suffering of his people and the rest of Nigerians due to what he described as “corrupt legislation”, lack of good governance, insecurity and misplaced priorities, adding that people-oriented legislations, if put in place and implemented, could reverse the situation.
For Oseni-Gomez (Ake), who happens to be the first and only female Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly (2003 to 2008), said she is in the race for the Senate to serve her people better.
There are indications that the outcome of series of consultations across political circles, associates, leaders, elders and good people of the senatorial district, carried out by the aspirant are prodding her to go on with her ambition.
Oseni-Gomez said she is going to the Senate to use legislative means to “reverse the persistent disappointments in the polity and free the people from the present political system that was built on untruths and propagandas”.
The die is cast. Who will the electorate of Ogun Central entrust behind to represent them at the National Assembly among the incumbent? Only time will tell.
A social cultural group, Awori National Youth Consultative Council, has called on the Aworis nation-wide, particularly those in Ado-Odo/Otta Local Government Area to support Governor Ibikunle Amosun for keeping to his promise to support an indigene of Ogun West (Yewa-Awori) to succeed him next year.
The group’s National Coordinator, Prince Adesegun Ogungbayi in a statement in Lagos, commended the governor for the gesture.
“Only recently, the Governor Amosun was seen reaching out, consulting and convincing the people that matter in Ogun East and Central senatorial districts to support Ogun West All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus Governorship candidate for 2019 election. This does not happen in other parties. To this end, we are appealing to all stakeholders, indigenes and non-indigenes of Awori stock of Ogun State to know that the only instrument for the transformation of all the nooks and crannies and the youth of our land is to vote for all candidates of APC in the next year’s election,” Ogungbayi said.
The group described as “unfounded” rift rumour that the Olota of Otta Awori Kingdom, Oba Abdulkabir Adeyemi between Amosun and the Alake of Egbaland Oba Gbadebo Adedotun.
Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ogun Central senatorial district.
He and the party’s elders unveiled consensus candidates for the National Assembly.
Amosun was Ogun Central senator between 2003 and 2007, and he will be displacing the incumbent, Lanre Tejuoso.
The announcement was made on Tuesday at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Six of the nine candidates for the House of Representatives were also announced.
Apart from Amosun, other adopted candidates for the Senate are: Chief Lekan Mustapha (Ogun East) and the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Tolu Odebiyi (Ogun West).
Mustapha was the occupant of the seat between 2007 and 2011, as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The six adopted candidates for House of Representatives seats include House of Assembly Speaker Suraj Adekunbi (Egbado North/Ipokia); former chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Mr Rotimi Rahman (Ota); the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Leke Adewolu (Ewekoro/Ifo).
Others are: the Director General of Bureau of Lands, Mr Biyi Ismail (Ijebu North/Ijebu North-East/Ogun-Waterside); Mr. Biyi Otegbeye (Egbado South/Ipokia) and Mikail Kazeem (Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode/Odeda).
The announcements, which followed the House of Assembly’s adoption of candidates on Monday, were met with mixed reactions by members of the party.
While some hailed the governor and jubilated over the choice of their preferred candidates, others considered some of the choices as unpopular and “imposition”.
Amosun described the reactions as “the beauty of democracy”, saying aggrieved members should wait till the time of primary when the party will finalise all issues.
The party, on September 5 at a stakeholders’ meeting, adopted consensus arrangement for selecting its candidates for next year’s polls with a provisio to resort to direct primary should the consensus arrangement fail.
Last week, then governor presented House of Representatives member, Abdulkabir Akinlade, to party members in Abeokuta as the consensus governorship candidate, as well as Mrs Peju Adebajo as his running mate.
•Says 40 APC candidates ready
•Peju Adebajo emerges as Akinlade’s running mate
Governor Ibikunle Amosun has revealed that the list of 40 candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2019 elective positions in the state has already been drawn and dares whoever that is not comfortable with it to meet him and the team on the day of direct primary.
Amosun added that the party elders are aware of the selected 40 candidates and that the list will be displayed on Monday at the appropriate location.
The list included the governorship candidate, Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade, and his running mate, Mrs. Peju Adebajo, Amosun’s Commissioner for Agriculture, from Sagamu.
The governor made this known at the Government House, Isale-Igbein, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, while addressing party members from Ogun East and Ogun West shortly after the former had adopted the candidature of Hon. Akinlade as the party’s governorship candidate even as the chairman of the party, Chief Derin Adebiyi, used the occasion to announce Mrs. Peju Adebajo as Akinlade’s running mate.
Amosun recalled that some people, who joined APC in the state in mid afternoon, were accepted in the spirit of “magnanimity” but said such people do not want to follow the right procedure in dealing with issues in the party.
He noted that he met the party in “carcass” in Ogun State and had to build it to the attractive APC it has become, wondering if he had left it unattended to, whether such people would have had a place to run to today.
“We have said we are having consensus. We have done the consensus, we have arrived at the candidates, not just for the governor, we have arrived at all the 40 candidates in Ogun State.
“We have 26 Assembly members, nine House of Representatives members, three senatorial members, deputy governor and the governor. We are going to display the names of the 40 on Monday.
“Anybody that is not in agreement, we are not going to say he is not a member of our party, they will come and try; that is the beauty of democracy.
“By the grace of God, by May 29, 2019, Akinlade will be our governor. I congratulate everyone for the success recorded by the party, and appreciate all other aspirants for their cooperation. We will have a landslide victory in the coming elections.
“The entire state in unity has adopted Akinlade. We thank God for the success we have achieved in Ogun State. No state in the federation has achieved what we have achieved in this issue.”
Earlier, elders of the party from Ogun East met with the state party leaders among who were the national financial secretary, Alhaji Tajudeen Bello, and Derin Adebiyi.
Adebiyi later presented Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade to the leaders of the party from Ogun East, seeking their support.