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Tag: Dapo Abiodun

  • God’s goodness to my family, immeasurable – Mrs. Osinbajo

    Elated Pastor (Mrs.) Dolapo Osinbajo,  wife of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Sunday testified of the goodness of God to her family, saying it is immeasurable.

    Dolapo said she was particularly grateful to God for his mercy and compassion upon the family, which she stressed, protected her husband and pulled him out from the jaw of death unscathed when he miraculously survived a helicopter crash in Kabba, Kogi State, last February 2.

    The Vice – President’s wife who rendered her brief testimony in a core Yoruba language during an Interdenominational Service of praise and thanksgiving in Ikenne, Ogun state, also appreciated God for the re – election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The service of praise and thanksgiving was put together by Christian community in the state in conjunction with the Vice – President to express their gratitude to God for the re -election of President Muhammadu  Buhari and Osinbajo.

    The exciting event where the septuagenarian gospel singer, Dr. Ebenezer Obey entertained guests with many soul lifting songs of praise and worship, was attended by Governor Abiola Ajimobi(Oyo) and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos) who reads the bible lesson from Psalm 149.

    They were also  Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Governor – elect in Ogun state, Prince Adedapo Abiodun and ex – Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Sir Kensington Adebutu, the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state, Prince Gboyega Isiaka, traditional rulers, community leaders and Christian community.

    The governor – elect, Dapo Abiodun, who came in the company of his wife, described Osinbajo as a “worthy son of Remo” and “Omoluabi one of Nigeria.”

    He said the Vice – President is an embodiment of diligence, sincerity intellect, whom he always confidently call a leader.

    Read also: Buhari poorer now than in 2015, says Osinbajo 

    The successful entrepreneur, oil magnate and real estate player, reiterated what had kept him going in the journey of life despite daunting challenges is his absolute and unshakable faith in God.

    She said such faith was anchored on the message of Christ in Mark 11:23, which assured that an unwavering faith could relocate a mountain from one point to another.

    He pledged to run an equitable, just, accountable  and a transparent government which would create a public, private partnership for the benefits of Ogun state, the citizens and residents.

    In his brief sermon, the Archbishop Lagos Ecclesiastical Province, the Anglican Church of Nigeria, Dr. Olusina Fape, said it was the mercy and compassion of God that delivered Osinbajo from death and helped him and his principal, Muhammadu Buhari to emerge victorious in the presidential election.

    Anchoring his message on Romans 9 : 15 – 16, Fape said it is God that elevates one and not necessarily the product of one’s effort, praying that God in his mercy would also protect and keep the Vice – President safe during his second tenure.

  • Southwest APC congratulates Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun, others

    The Southwest All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated Lagos State Governor-elect Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his Ogun State counterpart, Dapo Abiodun, on their victory at the poll.

    The party, congratulated Lagos State Deputy Governor-elect, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; his Ogun State counterpart, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele; senators-elect and their counterparts in the House of Representatives in the region on their successful election.

    The APC National Vice Chairman, Mr. Bankole Oluwajana, congratulated them in a statement in Ibadan yesterday, urging the newly elected officers on the platform of the APC to uphold the tenets and values of the progressives.

    Although it lost governorship election in Oyo State, the APC won two states where governorship election held in the geo-political zone; 51 seats in the House of Representatives election out of 71 while it cleared 14 seats in the senatorial contest out of 24 seats.

    In the House of Representatives contest, the breakdown shows that in the Southwest, the APC won four seats in Ondo State; six in Osun State; nine in Oyo State; six in Ogun State; 20 in Lagos State and cleared all six seats in Ekiti State.

    Also, in the senatorial contest, the party won one seat in Ondo State; three in Ekiti State; two in Osun State; two in Oyo State; three in Ogun State and three in Lagos State, thereby affirming APC’s political control in the geo-political zone.

    With this performance, Oluwajana noted that the Southwest “is the nerve centre of progressive politics in Nigeria. We, thus, urge all those elected on the platform of the APC to uphold the tenets and values of the progressive politics the zone is known for.”

    Except in the case of Oyo State where a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Temitope Olatoye was killed on Monday, Oluwajana acknowledged that the elections were peaceful and orderly in all states of the Southwest.

    Although he lamented the party’s defeat in Oyo State, Oluwajana assured that the party would reclaim its mandate at the election petition tribunal, which according to him, was the only legitimate means available to the party.

    He thanked the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; APC National Leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu; former APC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba and the APC National Deputy Chairman (South), Otunba Niyi Adebayo for their contribution to the party’s victory in the region.

    Oluwajana, also, thanked all serving governors, former governors, ministers, federal lawmakers, party leaders at all levels and all South-west people, who contributed to the sterling performance of the APC in the just concluded elections.

     

  • The new governors-elect in Southwest

    Abiodun

    Dapo Abiodun was born May 29, 1960. He is the Governor-elect of Ogun State.  Abiodun is the board Chairman of the Corporate Affairs Commission. He is the managing director of Heyden Petroleum and the founder of First Power Limited.

    He hails from Iperu Remo in Ogun State and belongs to a royal family. He was born into the family of Dr Emmanuel and Mrs Victoria Abiodun from Iperu Remo, in Ogun East senatorial district.

    He studied civil engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University Ife, Osun State and subsequently, Accounting at Kennesaw State University, Atlanta Georgia, United States of America (USA). He is the managing director/CEO of Heyden Petroleum Ltd (HPL), an indigenous player in the downstream, midstream, and upstream oil and gas industry in Nigeria. He is also reportedly the founder of First Power Limited.

    Read also: Polls inconclusive in Kano, Benue, Sokoto, three others

    Abiodun was a member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State. He defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) after the 2015 general elections.

     Makinde

    Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde, the Oyo State governor-elect, was born December 25, 1967. He is the Group Managing Director of Makon Group Limited, an indigenous oil and gas company in Nigeria. He established his first oil and gas private business called Makon Engineering and Technical Services, (METS) at 29 in 1997, after earning years of work experience with international oil and gas companies.

    Makinde contested for the Oyo State 2015 gubernatorial seat on the platform Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    He was born to a renowned teacher turned accountant, the late Pa Olatubosun Makinde and Madam Abigail Makinde of Aigbofa compound in Oja’ba, Ibadan. He is the third child of the family.

    Makinde went to St Paul Primary School, St Michael Primary School, Yemetu, Ibadan, Bishop Phillips Academy, Monatan, Ibadan and the University of Lagos (Unilag), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.

     Sanwo-Olu

    Lagos State Governor-elect Babajide Sanwo-Olu was born on June 25, 1965. He is a graduate of the University of Lagos, the London Business School, Lagos Business School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government. He was the Managing Director/CEO of Lagos State Property Development Corporation (LSPDC).

    He holds a B.Sc in Surveying and an MBA from the University of Lagos. He is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) and Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Training and Development (NITAD). He was the treasurer at former Lead Merchant Bank from 1994 to 1997 after which he moved to the United Bank for Africa as the head of foreign money market. He then proceeded to First Inland Bank, Plc (now First City Monument Bank) as a deputy general manager and divisional head. He was the chairman of Baywatch Group Limited and First Class Group Limited. He is a board member of the Department for International Development (DFID/DEEPEN) Fund and Audit Committee of Caverton Offshore Services Group, PLC.

    He began his political career in 2003, when he was appointed Special Adviser on Corporate Matters to the then deputy governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro. He later became acting Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget and the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry. In 2007, Sanwo-Olu was appointed Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions.

  • Polls: More alliances in Oyo, Lagos, Kwara, Ogun

    Sanwo-Olu is best, says Fashola, Why I’m backing Adelabu, by Alao-Akala

    Aremu quits for AbdulRazaq, Daniel backs Abiodun, Adebutu roots for Akinlade

    Parties were consolidating yesterday their alliances in preparation for tomorrow’s crucial Governorship and States’ Assembly elections.

    Before campaigns ended last night, there were realignment of forces, last-minute defections and judicial interventions in some of the states.

    The Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a case against Ogun State All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Dapo Abiodun, saying an NYSC certificate is no constitutional requirement for an electoral office.

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja ruled that Sen. Ayogu Eze is the authentic candidate of the APC. Here is a report of events in the various states:

    Ogun

    Former Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Gbenga Daniel endorsed Abiodun. Though Daniel did not defect to the APC, he urged his supporters to vote for Abiodun tomorrow.

    This endorsement followed a Wednesday night meeting at his Asoludero Court in Sagamu.

    With this, Daniel has turned his back on PDP governorship candidate Buruji Kashamu.

    Aside Daniel’s endorsement, Abiodun also received the backing of six governorship candidates and 14 political parties.

    The party chairmen who backed Abiodun include Adeyinka Adeyemi(Alliance For Social Democrats), Olusegun Oluyemi (Better Nigeria Progressive Party), Asimiyu Arisekola(Advanced  Allied Party), Kelani Alao (African People’s Alliance), Adekunle Owode (National Action Council), Odejide Radio (Democratic People’s Congress) and Adeshina Abraham (People’s Progressive Party).

    Others are Otunba Rasheed Odebude (People’s Trust), Bolanle Bello(People for Democratic Change), Otunba Femi Soluade( Mass Action Junction Alliance), Prince Talabi Abiodun(People’s Coalition Party(PDP) and two others.

    The parties, in a statement jointly signed by their chairmen, said they shared the same ideologies and would work with the APC to take the state to a greater height.

    The six governorship candidates, in a statement signed under the aegis of the Governorship Candidates Forum, said they decided to support Abiodun because of his plans and programmes.

    The governorship candidates are: Olusegun Olufemi of Better Nigeria Progressives Party, Femi Olomu (Alliance of Social Democrats) and Adegbola   John (Advanced Allied Party).

    The others are Odejide Adio (Democratic People’s Congress), Adeshina Abraham (People’s Progressives Party) and Lanre Banjo (People’s Trust).

    Also, a House of Representatives candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Yewa-South/Ipokia Federal Constituency and a House of Assembly candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, Yewa South State constituency, Olukayode Idowu  and Boluwatife Salako, adopted  Abiodun.

    Abiodun also received a legal victory when a court yesterday ruled in his favour in a case over his National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) certificate.

    The APC governorship hopeful’s rival, Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), got the backing of the Sikirulai Ogundele-led faction of the PDP.

    Ogundele announced the endorsement at a news conference in Abeokuta. The governorship candidate of the faction, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, on Wednesday failed in his legal bid to nullify Kashamu’s nomination.

    Ogundele directed its members across the state to come out en-masse tomorrow and vote for Akinlade.

    “Ogun is an important state in Nigeria and our decision has been informed by the need to sustain the state in the area of development, which the current administration has initiated.

    “Politics is about credibility, responsiveness and integrity, among others, and we have found all these qualities in Akinlade.

    “We believe that this development will enhance his chances of winning the governorship polls in the state,” he said.

    Oyo

    The chances of APC governorship candidate Chief Adebayo Adelabu received a major boost with his adoption by 13 political parties under the aegis of the Forum of Political Parties.

    Former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala also urged Ogbomoso people to rally behind the APC governorship candidate to enhance the historic city of warriors’ growth.

    The chairmen of the 13 political parties conveyed their adoption of the APC candidate in a joint March 6 letter addressed to the APC State Chairman, Chief Akin Oke.

    The signatories include Mr. Abimbola Azeez of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN); Otunba A. Fagbemi, Allied Peoples Movement (APM); United Progressive Party (UPP), Sunday Badejo; Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN), Mr. Abass Oladimeji; and Young Democratic Party (YDP), Mr. Chris Ayanniyi.

    Others are the Northern People’s Congress (NPC), Akin Adelekan; Independent Democrats (ID), Chief Wasiu Are; Mr. Bolaji Olugbode of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) as well as the chairmen of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), Nigeria Elements Progressive Party (NEPP), Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Re-Build Nigeria Party (RBNP) and Democratic People’s Party (DPP).

    The ex-governor, who sacrificed his second term prospect under the Action Democratic Party to support Adelabu, addressed a tumultuous crowd of party supporters at a mega rally held at the façade of Soun Ogunlola Hall, Ogbomoso, on Wednesday.

    Also on the campaign trail were prominent leaders of Ogbomoso, including a former local government chairman, Chief Dayo Lawal and a Fourth Republic Senator, Gen. Brimmo Yusuf (retd.)

    Alao-Akala visited the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi, with Adelabu and his running mate, Samuel Egunjobi. He said that his alliance with the APC was in the best interest of the city.

    After perusing the blueprint of the two governorship candidates jostling for his endorsement, Alao-Akala said that he settled for the APC candidate based on what he called his superior credentials, track record, pedigree and ability to deliver on electioneering promises.

    Urging Ogbomoso residents to cast their vote for Adelabu, the ex-governor assured them that they would not regret it.

    He added that the enormity of the task ahead had made it imperative for a coalition of interests and the coming together of political parties desirous of making appreciable impact at the governorship election.

    Alao-Akala said: “You know we are not new in this game of politics. I have carefully assessed the credentials of the people seeking my support and I have no equivocation in settling for Bayo Adelabu of the APC.

    “My alliance with the APC for the governorship election is in our best interest in Ogbomoso. I have never misled you and I will not mislead you on this. The alliance will be of tremendous benefit to us. I have told the APC leadership, up to the national level, what Ogbomoso wants.

    “I told them that Ladoke Akintola University of Technology is our own heritage here, that the hospital needs attention and we want them to bring it up to the admirable standard we dreamt of it. Ilorin-Ogbomoso Road has suffered inexplicable neglect over the years and I have also secured assurances that it will receive the needed attention, if the APC candidate wins.

    “Therefore, I urge you to vote for Bayo Adelabu of the APC as governor on Saturday. We stand to gain a lot from an APC government at the state and national levels. I’m not in this for myself, but in the interest of Ogbomoso.”

    Adelabu expressed gratitude to Alao-Akala for backing him.

    Noting that the Ilorin-Ogbomoso road is the gateway to the North, he promised to collaborate with the Federal Government to ensure its completion, if he is elected as the governor.

    LAGOS

    In Lagos, APC candidate Babajide Sanwo-Olu reiterated his promise of a people-oriented administration. Power, Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Fashola urged the electorate to vote for him and his running mate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat.

    Fashola said that no one should trade experience for mere desperation to be governor.

    Speaking during a live television interview programme on Television Continental (TCV), where he, Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat were guests, Fashola, who is the immediate past Governor of Lagos, noted that voting for the APC candidate will guarantee continuity of the great strides that Lagos has made since 1999.

    According to the former governor, the candidacy of Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat is the best that can happen to Lagosians, as the two men are not novices to the workings of government.

    “They are not only tested, but have also been part of the process of development that Lagos has witnessed since 1999 till date,” Fashola said.

    The former governor said that Lagos cannot afford to experiment at this point in its history, that the people had gone beyond that stage where governance will be left in the hands of, inexperienced individual.

    Sanwo-Olu assured Lagosians that their needs have been captured in his planned programme tagged “THEME”.

    His running mate said technology will take the centre stage in their administration.

    He specifically mentioned education, traffic management, health, the economy and security as the sectors in which technology will play prominent roles.

    “But the first step is for you our people to go out on Saturday to vote for the APC. Its then we will be able to fulfil these promises,” Hamzat said.

    The Awori Concerned Elders (ACE) in conjunction with Awori Welfare Association of Nigeria have urged all its adults to vote for the APC governorship candidate Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Saturday.

    At a conference in Lagos, the spokesperson of the group, Prince Adeniyi Jafojo described Sanwo- Olu as the best of all the candidates, noting that the group would mobilise the indigenes to vote the candidate.

    He added that Awori people had been supporting APC right from inception. According to him, voting the APC is not only politically wise, it give room for the entrenchment of the party’s progressives policies.

    “The Awori concerned elders have reviewed the political situation in Lagos State since inception, therefore it has been considered expedient that a directive to all Aworis to vote the APC is very appropriate.

    “The continuation  will facilitate a smooth take-off of the new government and sustain the existing political landscapes.”

    The Yoruba Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAYAN) also endorsed all the governorship candidate of the APC in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states.

    Its president, Prince Adeniyi Olutimehin, said the decision was taken after extensive consultations with major stakeholders.

    Enugu

    Enugu State Governor and PDP governorship candidate Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi rounded off his campaign with some leaders commending his achievements. He also declared a public holiday to enable people prepare for the election.

    Ugwuanyi embarked on door-to-door campaign at his home local council, Udenu.

    Prominent leaders of the PDP in Enugu State at a rally applauded the governor for entrenching peace, tranquility and good governance.

    The PDP chieftains include the Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu, former Governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, Senator Fidelis Okoro, Senator Hyde Onuaguluchi, and Ambassador Justina Eze. They described Ugwuanyi as a man of history.

    Ekweremadu said it was because of the peace in the state that Nwobodo, for the first time in the history of the state, joined other PDP leaders to witness the grand finale of the party’s campaign.

    He said: “It has never happened before and I thank you (Ugwuanyi) for the peace and tranquility in Enugu State. There is no bickering or quarrels among the political leaders in the state.”

    Describing Ugwuanyi as a son, Nwobodo thanked him for bringing everybody together.

    Senator Onuaguluchi eulogised  Ugwuanyi for the “uncommon peace” “he brought to the state, noting that “all of us have come to learn from Gburugburu (Ugwuanyi)”.

    Ambassador Eze also applauded Ugwuanyi’s “uncommon leadership style” and joined others in urging the people to come out en-masse to vote massively for the governor and other candidates of the PDP tomorrow.

    Ugwuanyi appreciated the party’s stalwarts for their kind words and tremendous support for his administration as well as his re-election bid.

    He thanked the electorate for the support they gave to the PDP during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, and urged them to vote massively for him and House of Assembly candidates of the party on Saturday.

    Ugwuanyi’s challenger in the APC, Ayogu Eze, received legal backing for his ambition yesterday when the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja confirmed his candidature. The court set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court which voided the nomination of Eze as the state’s APC governorship candidate.

    The appellate court, in a unanimous judgment of a three-man panel, allowed the appeal by Eze and proceeded to affirm him as the rightfully nominated candidate to represent the party in the election scheduled for tomorrow.

    Justice Abdul Aboki, in the lead judgment, set aside the judgment of Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace Eze with George Ogara as the APC governorship candidate for the APC in Enugu State.

    Ayogu told reporters that he was back and would definitely win the election on Saturday.

    He said the judgment that led to the removal of his name suppose not to be adding that it was politically manipulated.

    “But come May 29, 2019 your brother who is talking to you now will be sworn in as the governor of Enugu state.

    “ They cannot stop it. The will be swept by a tsunami which they can’t explain where it come from,” said Eze.

    He thanked his numerous supporters for exercising patience while the judicial process was on.

     Gombe

    In Gombe State, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), consisting 39 political parties and 15 governorship candidates, endorsed PDP’s Bayero Nafada as their candidate in Gombe. This came a day after 19 political parties endorsed the APC candidate, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya.

    The coalition, in a statement signed by Mohammed Adamu and Sunday Paris, Chairman and Secretary of  CUPP in the state, said the endorsement was done after a critical assessment of the PDP government’s achievements in Gombe.

    The statement, which was made available to reporters in Gombe, particularly commended the strides in the educational, health and agricultural sectors, and urged voters to vote for continuity so as to enjoy more dividends of democracy.

    “We are endorsing our candidate based on credibility; we want to consolidate on the gains of the present administration,” the statement said.

    Akwa Ibom

    The Change Nigeria Party (CNP) in Akwa Ibom State aligned itself with the APC and its governorship candidate, Nsima Ekere.

    The CNP also said it took the decision because its manifesto tallies with APC’s thrust of providing electricity, construction of refineries, poverty alleviation, regeneration of the political space, economic rejuvenation and other people enhancing policies of the ruling party.

    Its governorship candidate, Dr. Anietie Ukpong, said the CNP would support the APC to weed out the remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), adding that ‘’PDP’s 16 years could be best described as 16 locust years in Nigeria’s history’’.

    Ukpong went on: ‘’What APC is doing is disintegrating Nigeria from the cobwebs of past failures and dysfunctional economic and political system which the PDP ran for 16 years.

    ‘’APC is blessed with leaders who have vision for the future prosperity of Nigerians. That is what CNP believes in. Nigeria’s prosperity lies with the youths.

    ‘’For 16 years PDP concentrated on building roads and all manner of infrastructure but cared less about the youths. CNP is in tandem with APC which is determined to change the narrative.’’

     Pleateau

    A group of Christians known as Catholic Social Forum yesterday declared support for APC governorship candidate Governor Simon Lalong.

    The group, which expressed its support in a statement by Sir Emmanuel Dashe and four others, said: “The Catholic Social Forum in the Shendam, Pankshin and Arch Diocese of Jos in their combined meeting of 7th March 2019 in Shendam Catechist Training Center, discussed the current political situation in Plateau State resolved that in view of the appreciable infrastructural development recorded in the last four years in Plateau State, as well as the appreciable peace experienced in the last four years, the incumbent governor should be returned to continued the good jobs he has initiated.

    “Secondly, in order to consolidate on the principle of zoning in Plateau State and in order to ensure the continuous payment civil servants salaries and pensions, and for the interest of an all-inclusive Governance and the need for a smooth transition and continuity.

    “We, the Members of the Catholic Social Forum In Shendam, Pankshin and Jos Arch Dioceses do hereby endorse, unconditionally the aspiration of the Executive Governor of Plateau State, the Rt Hon Barr Simon Bako Lalong in the forthcoming Governorship Elections in Plateau State.

    “Subsequent upon the above, we hereby call on all Catholics and the peace-loving people of Plateau State to come out en-masse and vote for the inclusive ticket of Governor Simon Lalong and his amiable Deputy, Prof Sunny Tyoden.”

    The governor also got the backing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders’ Advisory Council.

    The council’s chairman, Chief Joseph Din, in a statement yesterday in Jos, said: “As we go into this Saturday’s election, we want to fully endorse the candidature of the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong who remains the most credible and widely acceptable man for the Plateau project among all other contestants of the seat.

    “Within the three and half years he has been the governor, he has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt his love and commitment towards a united and prosperous Plateau, as against the divisive acts of his predecessors.”

    The elders said the opposition PDP was showing high level of desperation for power to loot the commonwealth of the state.

    He called on security agencies to be vigilant and ensure peaceful, credible, free and fair election and put a searchlight on the PDP in the state which, he said, is bent on winning the poll at all cost.

    ”We call on agents and supporters of the APC to be watchful to ensure that their votes really count. Going by the last elections experience where many voters were disenfranchised as a result of the slowness and malfunctioning of card readers and late arrival of election materials, we call on INEC to put all strategies in place to ensure a hitch free exercise.

    ”We call on the electorates to come out en-masse and vote our amiable, humble and promised-keeping Governor who has left no one in doubt about his sincerity to totally rescue  Plateau from the hands of self-seeking individuals who do not mean well for the state and the people.”

    Kano

    Forty-three political parties yesterday in Kano declared their support for the APC governorship candidate, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

    The governorship candidates of the parties, who threw their weight behind governor Ganduje through their spokesman and United People’s Congress (UPC ) governorship candidate Ibrahim Gaya at the African House Government House,  directed their members to vote for the APC candidate tomorrow.

    Gaya said:  “We have dropped our contest and unanimously decided to endorsed the Candidature of Governor Ganduje in order for him to accomplish his mission of staging  a comeback and consolidate on socio-economic development of the state.”

    APC Chairman Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas hailed the parties for their sacrifice.

    He said: “I have personally not witnessed a situation where a gubernatorial candidate will invite fellow colleagues to come dine and wine together in a conducive atmosphere.”

    Ganduje said he invited the candidates to the Government House to create mutual understanding between the political parties in the state to demonstrate love and unity of purpose.

    Delta

    President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to restrain APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole from taking steps capable of disrupting peace in Delta during tomorrow’s election.

    Leaders of youth organisations from various ethnic nationalities in Delta State also warned Oshiomhole to steer clear of the state tomorrow, adding that his presence would be violating the law.

    The leaders of the ethnic nationalities, led by the President-General of the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities, who is also the National President of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Pereotubo Oweilaemi, spoke at a news conference in Warri.

    They urged security agencies to be neutral in their duties in all parts of the state on the Election Day.

    They said: “While we are hopeful that Deltans will again go to the polls without let or hindrance to cast their votes for their choice candidates come Saturday the 9th of March, 2019, we are worried that certain elements from neighbouring states want to ferment trouble in the State during the elections in order that their preferred candidates win the elections by any means necessary.

    “Prominent among such characters who are boasting that they will do everything necessary to rig the elections and to subvert the will of the people including coming to Delta State on the election day to coordinate the activities for his Party, is Comr. Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the APC. While Oshiomhole is free to campaign for his Party within the confines of the law, he has a limit in meddling with the affairs of Delta State which is not his State of origin.

    “The Electoral Act, 2010 is very clear on where and how Oshiomhole should conduct himself during the elections. Sections 58, 124, 125, 127, 128, 129, 130 and 131 of the Act did not permit Oshiomhole to be in Delta State on the Election Day. We warm him to desist from his desperate act of meddling into Delta State election. The APC National Chairman’s presence in Delta State on the Election Day will be an invitation to anarchy. It will be a recipe for total breakdown of law and order in the State.

    “We the Ethnic Nationalities’ Youths Leaders in the State will not fold our arms and allow foreigners to cause an avoidable crisis for us. We will resist Oshiomhole’s desperation to plunge Delta State into a big crisis. We, therefore, appeal to President Buhari and people of goodwill to call Adams Oshiomhole to order before things get out of control. Should there be any breakdown of law and order in the State then Nigerians should hold Oshiomhole responsible.

    “We also appeal to all members of the various political parties in the State to be law abiding and refrain from acts that will lead to needless hostilities in our dear State. Let us collectively fight against electoral violence of any kind and resist the undue interference by foreigners who are heating up the polity for us.”

    Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s reelection bid received a boost after the oil and gas host communities of Nigeria(HOSTCOM) Delta State pledged to cast their votes for the PDP.

    The group observed that Okowa has done a lot for Deltans through well-executed projects and programmes to merit second term in office.

    Its Chairman, Gabriel Isibeluo, said: “All the oil and gas producing communities in Delta State hereby adopts Governor Okowa as our sole candidate for the Governorship position in the elections coming up on Saturday.

    “We will vote for someone who has track records of performance, we are aware that traditional rulers of different ethnic nationalities have adopted our Governor as their candidate too and bearing in mind that for you to be an active member of HOSTCOM that you must have your permanent voters cards, on Saturday, all the members of HOSTCOM will cast their votes for our Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa because, he deserves to be re-elected.

    “I assure you, our Governor, we will all enter Asaba for the victory dance, HOSTCOM will vote 100 per cent for you Sir, congratulations in advance.”

    Okowa  thanked HOSTCOM and all Deltans for believing in equity and partnering with his administration to deliver democratic dividends to the people.

    “You (HOSTCOM) are giving me a clear mandate as Deltans; I want to thank you for recognising our achievements in the last four years and for endorsing us for continuity till 2023; in our second term, we will continue to have townhall meetings because, a Governor that is not connected to the people is not a Governor; I like to identify with my people, all Deltans without discrimination; we approved that host communities should monitor Delta State Oil Producing Area Developmental Commission (DESOPADEC) projects and report back to me because of our desire for jobs to be executed to specifications; we are aware that there is no state government in this country that has constructed the number of roads like we have done and in the next four years, we shall continue to move from town to town, village to village to execute projects, so, if it has not gotten to your place, be patient, we will get to you, your happiness as Deltans gladdens our heart as government.”

    Rivers

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot lose the governorship and State Assembly elections.  The Rivers people, he noted were firmly with the party.

    According to him, tomorrow’s polls would end what he called “the illegal activities of the political monster” in the state.

    Read also: 9th National Assembly: Buhari, APC leaders to decide zoning

    Speaking during a town hall meeting with leaders of Rivers East Senatorial District in Port Harcourt, Wike charged the people not to be intimidated by soldiers, as they have a duty to cast their ballot.

    He said: “There is no way that the PDP will lose Rivers State and they tell the world that the elections are free and fair. Even if we want to play politics, how would they explain to the International community that PDP lost to an unknown party that did not campaign?

    Kwara

    In Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, a group, known as O2 Liberation Movement, marched through major streets to rally support for the APC governorship candidate AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in tomorrow polls.

    The group was confident that the APC would repeat the feat of the February 23rd presidential and National Assembly elections in the Governorship and States’ House of Assembly elections.

    Speaking with reporters, Chairman of the movement, Alhaji Hassan Owoyale said: “We are organising one million-man march in solidarity for the APC governorship candidate in Kwara State and we are calling on all Kwarans to support and vote en masse just as they did two weeks ago for the party and all its candidates at the polls.

    “We believe in the ideology of APC, President Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. We are confident that if Alhaji

    Abdulrazaq becomes the governor, he will govern differently. Nothing is working in Kwara. We believe that Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is bringing in change. His government will work and be for the people. Not the government that will take our commonwealth to another part of the country.

    “The entire people of Kwara State are tired of this administration. They want change and that is what we are clamouring for. This liberation struggle has been on for the 10 years and we have been talking to people that we want a government that will give us free education, free health for our people and many things that we deserve in democracy.

    “The Liberation movement group at the last weekend visited some APC stalwarts to celebrate the party’s victory during the presidential and National Assembly elections.”

    Some chieftains visited included former governorship candidate Mohammed Dele Belgore, Alhaji Olosasa, Alhaji Musa Maiyaki, Dr Saliu Ajia, Lanre Sulyman, Dr Amuda Aluko among others.

    Sokoto

    In Sokoto, leaders of the Ardos and Magajis) and thousands of their members Silame,  Wamakko, Tangaza,  Gudu,  Yabo, Shagari, Binji and Tureta local government areas dumped the PDP for the APC.

    APC Chairman in the state, Alhaji Shehu Aliyu said that they left their former party sequel to their recurring neglect by the leaders of the PDP.

    According to him, the leaders and their followers have resolved to pitch their camps with the APC, as well as assiduously work to ensure the success of its candidates during the forthcoming governorship and assembly polls.

    The leader of the APC in Senator and Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, yesterday organised special prayers for peaceful polls.

    Wamakko said: “God gives and takes leadership and we solely rely on Him to succeed. Fervent prayers are potent armours against any ill-will.

    “The prayers are being offered to seek divine protection and to ensure the conduct of the forthcoming polls peacefully. The prayers are also aimed at ensuring sustainable peace, unity and socioeconomic prosperity in the State and Nigeria at large.”

    The former governor said the relationship between the APC and the Sultanate remained cordial.

    “The Sultan is apolitical and he is a Father to all. We have an excellent and perfect relationship with the Sultan, as well as the Sultanate Council of Sokoto. He is a highly revered leader, whom we all cherish and respect. Our party will also continue to uphold the dignity and exalted status of the traditional rulers.”

    In a statement by its Secretary,  Mr Umar Faruk Ladan, The Sultanate council also advised voters and members of the public to maintain adequate peace before, during and after the election.

    It further urged electorates to continue to cooperate with security agencies at all levels to help them provide peaceful atmosphere during the exercise.

     

  • Breaking: Court dismisses suit against Abiodun

    A Federal High Court on Thursday dismissed suit seeking to disqualify the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Adedapo Abiodun.

    An argument filed by Abdulrafiu Adesina Baruwa, with the APC, Abiodun and the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) as defendants claimed that Abiodun made false claim about his educational qualification, in the Form CF001 and the accompanying affidavit he submitted to INEC.

    Read Also: Ogun APC: Court to determine Abiodun’s fate before March 8

    Baruwa claimed that Abiodun limited his educational qualification to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate, to avoid answering questions about his alleged non-participation in the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

    Delivering judgment,  on Thursday, Justice Adeniyi Of the FCT High Court 15 dismissed case against the governorship candidate, says NYSC certificate is not a constitutional requirement for electoral office. The Court said that Dapo Abiodun is qualified to contest in view of Section 177 of the Constitution.

  • Dapo Abiodun woos voters in Ogun Central

    OGUN State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Prince Dapo Abiodun yesterday pushed for voters’ backing in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, for Saturday’s election.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Governor and the party’s leader, Chief Segun Osoba and Senator representing Lagos West Solomon Olamilekan Adeola also joined Abiodun to ensure his victory in the poll.

    Osinbajo, who addressed the mammoth crowd at Ake area, said just as they voted for him, their son and President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates to emerge winners during the presidential and National Assembly elections, they should also come out en masse to cast their votes for Abiodun and APC state House of Assembly candidates.

    The vice president assured them that the Saturday’s election would be peaceful in the state as the Federal Government had made adequate arrangement for security agents to provide effective security to protect lives and properties during and after the polls.

    The APC leaders also used the occasion to receive a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Kayode Amusan and former Speaker of the state House of Assembly and Senatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for Ogun Central, Titi Oseni – Gomez into the APC fold.

    The two PDP chieftains defected to APC with thousands if their supporters to help push for the victory of Dapo Abiodun come March 9.

  • Abiodun lock downs Ogun as Osinbajo, Osoba campaign for APC

    Prince Dapo Abiodun, the All Progressives Congress(APC) governorship candidate locked down Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital on Wednesday as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Governor and leader of the party in the state, Chief Segun Osoba, and Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola joined him in a final push to ensure his victory on Saturday.

    Osinbajo, Osoba, Abiodun, Adeola and enthusiastic thousands of party members and supporters marched on Ake area of Abeokuta, in unison, chorusing repeatedly they will vote for Abiodun and other APC candidates.

    They also expressed confidence the APC governorship candidate and others going to the state House of Assembly will win landslide.

    Osinbajo, who addressed the mammoth crowd, said just as they voted for him and President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates to emerge winners during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, they should also come out en masse  to cast their votes in bloc for Dapo Abiodun and APC state House of Assembly candidates.

    Read Also: Ogun forum canvasses support for Isiaka

    The Vice – President assured them the Saturday’s election will be peaceful as the Federal Government had made adequate arrangement for security agents to provide effective security to lives and properties during and after the poll in the state.

    The APC leaders also used the occasion to receive a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the state, Hon. Kayode Amusan and former Speaker of the state House of Assembly and Senatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress(ADC) for Ogun Central, Titi Oseni – Gomez into the fold of APC.

    The duo had just defected to APC with thousands if their supporters to help push for the victory of Dapo Abiodun.

  • Amosun’s treasonable mischief and other stories

    Not until Muntader al-Zaidi’s act of suicidal daring was the world jolted to shoe-throwing as a form of Arab expression of deep social anger. Visiting President George Bush was only beginning to warm into a joint press conference with the Iraqi leader in Baghdad in the winter of 2008 when the shoe missile came rocketing from the Iraqi journalist in the gallery.

    Seeking to make light of the grave embarrassment after ducking, chuckling Bush was famously quoted as remarking that, “This was a size 10 shoe he threw at me, you may want to know”, soon after the assailant had been wrestled down and bundled down the hallway by secret service agents.

    Culturally, hurling shoe at someone is Arab expression of grave insult. So, the nationalist in the journalist wanted to thumb down Bush for perceived emasculation of Iraq in that decade in pursuit of what turned out phantom Weapon of Mass Destruction. A ritual gesture that resonated well that winter across the entire Arab world increasingly made to feel humiliated under America’s vaunting supremacy.

    In Abeokuta last week, we saw a rehash of the Iraqi script for an entirely profane cause. Without fear, without respect, unruly party stalwarts threw missiles at President Buhari as he tried to stamp his patriarchal authority at APC campaign rally. So spontaneous was the assault, so intense was the heckling that a column of bodyguards with fierce look had to form a cordon, thus framing momentarily a portrait of presidential vulnerability.

    Nothing could be more defiant, more irreverent of Nigerian sovereignty as embodied by PMB.

    Cynically, host Governor Ibikunle Amosun would then urge the thugs in Yoruba to stop and “don’t disgrace me before our father… (T)his sort of negativity is what they always wanted to happen” in a tone that sounded more like jest than an appeal to reason.

    But it was too obvious their sole mission was to spoil what would have been the finest moment of Dapo Abiodun, the governorship candidate of APC.

    Many saw it coming, though. Long before Buhari’s helicoptered over from an earlier political engagement in Ilorin that day, the Ogun governor, who has not hidden his bitterness over his anointed’s loss of the party’s governorship ticket, was sighted fraternizing with the “rebels” at the campaign ground. To the perceptive, it was too obvious from that moment that Amosun had much more concealed in his sky-high, “shalake” (machete) cap than readily meet the eyes. You don’t bring the cat to the gathering of the pigeons and not expect disorder.

    If nothing at all, such patronizing statement to the rampaging thugs by Amosun surely confirmed his familiarity – if not complicity – with those who came to assault the president. By bringing battalions of the “rebel” Allied Peoples Movement (APM) to such assembly, it was clear Amosun sought to forcibly enlist his illegitimate children in APC family meeting. Even after the community had said they found their presence abhorrent, they still would not stop grating the public ears further with the proverbial unsolicited song.

    Not only Abiodun was targeted for embarrassment in the circumstance. The tumult and booing were also contemptuous of the usually self-effacing Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Ogun’s highest-ranking political figure presently.

    Nor could such low conduct be flattering of Aremo Segun Osoba, two-term governor of the state, who was also present and undeniably one of Ogun’s best in the last three decades on account of his tireless contributions.

    So, what else could have goaded the provincial to saunter into the metropole in loincloth other than contempt for others who are urbane.

    When Amosun whines, shouting himself hoarse today against “the Lagos godfather” like a schoolboy dispossessed of candy, people are left wondering whether it is not the same benefactor of yesterday, the one whose round specs exemplify embroidered broken shackle in the invocation of the motif of liberty, whose generosity had afforded him the incisors to dare and bite then rampaging OGD in 2011 and on whose back he rode comfortably to the Abeokuta Government House in 2011.

    Well, it is one of the supreme ironies of life that the tramp we offer shelter in the hour of need, the one we gave teeth would later use same weapon to attack us, even without offence.

    Taken together, the Abeokuta show of shame is undoubtedly another symptom of the deep fissures within APC, exacerbated by the mismanaged primaries. It is obvious that the ghost of the last primaries is still haunting the party, awaiting decent interment and proper repose.

    Even at that, truth be told, President Buhari partly shares in the blame for a number of monstrous abberations since. The seed of confusion was inadvertently sown when he hosted APC’s governorship candidate at Aso Rock and in another breath, was sighted smooching the main contender in the same contest. At best, a mixed message is thus sent.

    It is easy to situate Buhari’s psychology in the hour, though. He seems sold on the promise by his party’s enemy to work for him in the presidential election. Apparently, the trade-off is for him to enjoin voters at such rallies to “vote your conscience in the other election”. But such convenient deal only imperils the party’s candidates in other elections, undermining the party’s larger interests in the long run.

    To be fair, the spirit of justice surely obliges us not to feign incomprehension of the grave words Amosun has continued to expressed in parables. Of course, very familiar now is the salacious tale of how some little men in big offices had convulsed and constipated on a dollar binge over APC tickets during the party primaries on a scale that caught the likes of Amosun and their anointed completely unawares.

    But that will still not be a justification for the show of shame in Abeokuta penultimate Monday nor can it excuse the grievous public assault on the office of Mr. President. The popular reading is that the old fakir from Daura is well aware of the lurid details of the the murky buying and selling that transpired and, on account of his fabled near psychotic aversion to barter of this nature, is only showing native prudence by waiting for the elections to be over before acting.

    So, while it is quite legitimate for Amosun to seek a pound of flesh for his failed investment, he and his supporters should have exercised a little bit more patience for Buhari’s expected avenging scythe on the extant dollars debauchery and not carry their anger across the border of treason like they did recklessly last week.

    The same apparition of mixed message is also manifest in Imo. When his campaign train earlier stopped in Owerri on January 29, Buhari had similarly romanced the candidate of the “rebel” party there. While the party’s position would seem a fierce denunciation of Okorocha’s monarchical aspiration – a progressive stand worthy of commendation, Buhari would rather cut a deal insofar his presidential stool is secured.

    And those familiar with the semiotics of his much-touted “body language” would then argue that his open flirtation with the Imo Governor during the Owerri fiasco of January 29 was a coded quip that he was equally aware of the abominable story of dollars there and the trafficking of party tickets to the highest bidders.

    Meanwhile, in Rivers, the dagger that stabbed APC in the back in still dripping fresh blood. It is a catastrophe of epic proportions that a ruling party is completely defenestrated from the ballot in perhaps the most strategic state in the Niger Delta, both at the state and National Assembly levels. It is a first in Nigeria’s electoral history.

    All the facts considered, there is no doubt that if the spirit of compromise had been imbibed the crisis would have been averted. Egos were not well managed. And those who should tell the truth were either distracted by the aroma of dollars (or “Aroma-dollars”, as someone pithily put it) or busy negotiating venal trade-offs in self-interest.

    Surely, APC will have to exorcise these demons after the elections to ensure the return of harmony and balance.

     

     

    Before we crucify INEC boss

    It is doubtul if INEC boss, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, would have had a rest of mind since last weekend. What with the torrents of barbs that greeted the last-minute shifting of the February 16 presidential polls to February 23.

    Naturally, various conspiracy theories have since mushroomed with some either suggesting he is APC’s agent or PDP’s mole.

    True, keeping the nation in the dark over the much-awaited polls till the eleventh hour is condemnable. But beyond that, it would appear nation is only back to a familiar sport – shopping for scape-goat for a crisis long foretold.

    While it is now politically correct to abuse Yakubu, no one will addresss the odds INEC faced all along. Funds were released to the commission less than two months to the elections. Had the cash been received as and when due, perhaps the electoral umpire would have been able to mobilize printers and contractors on time and the materials delivered ahead of time.

    In fact, a reliable source told me a cargo plane bearing some of the vital documents from Belgium only landed Abuja in the early hours of February 16!

    Another issue is the necessity to unbundle INEC. Going forward, it surely will be helpful to set in motion the process to streamline its functions after this general election. Given the nation’s exponential growth, sticking to the old template of election administration will only result in the kind of embarrassment of last weekend. For more efficiency, INEC should be reconfigured in a way that enables it focus essentially on its core manadate: conduct of election.

    To this end, three successor agencies have been proposed. The first should cater for registration and regulation of parties, the second for electoral offences and the third for constituency delimitation commission.

    Proposal for this has long been prepared. What remains is the political will to execute. For instance, part of the reforms is the formulation of legal ceiling that ensures that disputes arising from elections are dispensed with before the inauguration of the new dispensation. This is to ensure litigations don’t last forever or give custodian of a disputed mandate the unfair advantage of using public funds to fight their legal battle.

  • Don’t vote against Amosun, Osoba begs

    Former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba has asked members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to put behind attacks on the party’s campaign rally in the state and ensure victory for all candidates of the party, including Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

    Suspected political thugs believed to have been hired by a party attacked the APC campaign rally in Abeokuta, pelting some dignitaries including President Muhammadu Buhari with stones.

    Amosun, who is APC candidate for Ogun Central, backs the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate, Adekunle Akinlade to succeed him against APC’s Dapo Abiodun.

    Osoba, who lamented no arrest has been made over the incident till date, said he has told supporters in the state to leave vengeance to God and vote for all APC candidates.

    He said: “Yesterday, I told stakeholders in Ogun state that on no account should anybody vote against Amosun as a person.

    Read Also: Osoba lashes out at TraderMoni critics

    “A governor is a governor and he will be in office till May 29. So, why are we worrying ourselves?

    ‘Amosun is just an individual. I still respect him as my governor up to May 29 this year and will not do anything to undermine him as governor.

    “I was governor twice. I told our people that vengeance is not ours and that nobody should go for vengeance.

    “Amosun is just a person but the office of the governor deserves respect and I give respect to that office.”

    He added: “Ogun state is first in several areas. The leaders of the progressives in this country are from that state and it is the home state of the Vice President.

    “I told the President that I apologised to him and that uptill today, nobody has been arrested. I see that as a failure on the part of some elements of the security agencies.

    “Actually, the bulk of APC in Ogun state, we are one family and instruction has gone out that despite what has happened, we should vote for APC candidates at all levels and when the result is out, it should reflect that.

    “At least we should respect the Vice President, who is busy preaching welfarism for the downtrodden and I am sure that appropriate action will be taken on that issue later.

  • “I’ll not mind being an active ‘spare tyre’”

    Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, running mate to the Ogun State All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Prince Dapo Abiodun, may be new to partisan politics, but she is obviously not a push over. An engineer with about thirty years foreign and local experiences in the private sector, Salako-Oyedele, in this interview with Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, explains how she intends to add value to the next administration in the Gateway State if the APC wins the next governorship election.

    THERE are so many versions of the story of how you emerged as he deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State. Can we here straight from the horse’s mouth?

    Following his victory at the primary election and his subsequent emergence as the governorship candidate of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), my principal, Dapo Abiodun, had to get himself a viable running mate. The expectations were high, as such party leaders got talking about who the deputy governorship candidate should be. A lot of factors were being considered as the search continued.

    Eventually, the leadership of the party and the candidate agreed that the position be zoned to my Local Government Area, Ado-Odo-Ota. Also, it was made clear that a Muslim was needed because the governorship candidate is a Christian. And you will understand that in our part of the world, we do well to balance all these factors whenever we are talking about politicos and governance.

    Let me make this very clear, I am in this race prepared. It wasn’t forced on me. I was interested because I have always wanted to be in a position where I could contribute my ideas to running the government so that I will bring to the table the things I have been turning over and over in my head over the years. I have always been interested in how our common patrimony is being used for the people.

    It was a good thing I got to know of the search for a Muslim running mate from my part of the state. So, I went for it. I put in my curriculum vitae and told those who should know. Quite a number of us were interested and eventually we were shortlisted to six eligible aspirants. We were invited for a screening session. We had interviews and then there was voting. After everything, I was announced the deputy gubernatorial candidate of our party.

    What was your initial reaction on being confirmed as the running mate to Dapo Abiodun?

    My initial reaction was relief. I knew all along that I am well qualified for the post. I am also very passionate about people. An opportunity I have always wanted presented itself and I went for it. Fate, providence and destiny also played significant roles in it all. It was a process that took about two months of hoping and waiting. And in all those two months, I was thinking and praying about it all. Wishing that I will get the chance to do the things I have always wanted to do.

    It was a time to wait and dream. And as I dreamt of the things I will contribute to good governance if I am selected, I will also step back when I remember that numerous others want the same opportunity. There was uncertainty but I was optimistic I can be the person to be given the chance. No doubt, I was on edge too. Especially after the interview. I remember somebody telling me as I entered that ‘oh, you are the number six aspirant.’ I almost fainted. I repeated the ‘number six’ like three times.

    But I composed myself and gave my best at the interview session. I felt I did well but it was left for the panel to decide. I had to wait while they compared notes. So, when eventually they said I was the one nominated, I felt really relieved that Thursday night. I went home relieved and partly fulfilled. I was no longer anxious. Rather, I had my eyes already on the tasks ahead as I join my principal to seek the mandate of the good people of Ogun State.

    However, by the next morning, I had received over hundreds of calls, messages and visits. My face was being splashed on all the newspapers and blogs here and there. You put my name on Goggle and all sorts of stories are there about ordinary me who, before then, used to be a very private person! That was when it dawned on me that I was in proper and the expectations of people from me hit me and I became challenged by the tasks ahead. No doubt, I am ready to live up to these expectations.

    Why did you accept the offer to run considering the crisis trailing the ticket at the time?

    I accepted because it is something I have always wanted to do. As I told you, I presented myself for the job. I heard about it and I told myself it is something I can do. So, when it was offered to me, I gladly accepted because I want an opportunity to help do so many things right in our dear state. I have been an armchair critic for long. I have seen many things not being done right. I have not had this opportunity before now, maybe I would have done this long before now.

    But while criticising the things I thought were not being done right, I had my plans. I was always thinking about how it would be done if I am opportune to be in a position to contribute to policy formulation and implementation. For me, this is a case of preparedness meeting opportunity. I am well prepared for this job. I am educated enough; exposed enough; qualified enough and I have had a career that equipped me. Then, the opportunity came and I went for it.

    Have you been in politics before now?

    No. I haven’t really been much of a partisan politician before now. But I have always exercised my civic rights to vote. Even whenever I am abroad, I ensure I carry out my civic responsibilities on election days. I didn’t have politicians in my nuclear family. My dad was a thoroughbred professional. I have some of my extended family members being council chairmen and the likes. A cousin of mine is the immediate past federal legislator that represented our constituency here.

    Would you say women are getting what they deserve in politics and governance today?

    More women are engaged in political activities. You go everywhere and you see that women are the larger number of party loyalists and canvassers. At campaigns, it is the women who are more actively involved on the field, singing and dancing. They are the strength of the parties. But when it is time for representation in governance, we make use of less number of women. These are the things I have discovered.

    There are reasons for this. Women are limited by certain factors. One of such is finance. Not many women have the financial wherewithal to really participate at certain level politically. They are checkmated by finance at some stage and the men take such opportunity to move ahead and grab the position. Secondly, not many women have the mind and the strength to stand shoulder to shoulder with men when it comes to dragging political positions

    The mere fear of the violence men can unleash will frighten some women and they will opt out. It is not every woman who can go all the way when violence is introduced into politics. But the men will go all the way. Men can withstand more violence than we women. In such situation, women are forced to step aside and this is one factor that militates against women a lot.

    But I tell you, when the factors are based largely on merit, women do pretty well. Women can stand their own anywhere when it is about merit. Check the civil service and see how women are holding their own effectively. It is not a competition between men and women. We are saying if merit is applied in politics more than brute force and big pockets, more women will do well.

    Also, women need to be more pushful than they are now. The opportunities are there. The men are not holding us down. If we push and ask to be given opportunities, many men will support us. When we come out like I did, to say, ‘here we are, send us’, the system will look our way and give us more opportunities. But as it is today, women are still being limited. I am hoping my candidature will open the doors for more women to come aboard.

    If elected, do you think the Dapo Abiodun administration will allow women to flourish in politics?

    Very strongly, I believe his administration will create more rooms for us women. Already, he has shown he is not gender-biased. Among six people; four men and two women, I was nominated as his running mate. It is a sign that he will not discriminate against women. And he has even professed his readiness to allow merit to determine who gets what in his administration.

    Even now, as we seek the peoples’ mandate, he tells everyone that I am significant in his team. He is surrounded by a lot of competent people and there are a lot of women among these people already. I see in him a man who recognises efficiency. I am not surprised. He is a successful entrepreneur in the private sector, so he must have worked with a lot of competent women.

    We will not be in government for the women alone. We will be in government for everybody. Women are, however, special and I will do all I can to propagate more roles for women within and outside government. If you check Dapo Abiodun’s mission statement, it states clearly that women will receive special attention from him. Programmes like ‘Okowo Dapo’, a free interest loan scheme and others like it, will put smiles on the faces of our women once we are elected.

    Deputies are regarded as spare tyres and many of them are usually redundant in office. How will you cope with this given your active background?

    Spare tyres are very important. I am sure you have a spare tyre in your car as you drove all the way here from Lagos. I doubt if anybody will embark on a journey from here to Abuja without a spare tyre in the booth. I say it is not derogatory to call deputies spare tyres. In my case, my principal made it clear he wants an active running mate who will add value to the ticket and the government.

    He said he wants somebody to form a solid team with, so as to take Ogun out of the woods when we get elected. The meaning is that I am going to be a very active spare tyre. I won’t mind that at all. It will be interesting to work with someone who understands the use to which he can put an active spare tyre like me. Already, I have been a very good spare tyre for him as we campaign. I have represented him at some places and he got good reports. I think he is happy to have me as his spare tyre.

    So far, how will you describe your experience in politics?

    I will start by admitting that my life is not the same again. A lot of things have changed about me surprisingly. Since joining Dapo Abiodun on the ticket, I have been dragged out of my privacy into the public to feel the pulse of the people and relate with them better. I can now sing, dance and speak in Yoruba language for a long length of time unlike I used to do before. And I am enjoying it all.

    Very importantly, I have gone round the state the way I have never done before, and I have seen things I have never noticed before. I have a very strong sense of despair for what our people have had to endure all these years. The people of Ogun State, especially the people at the grassroots, need urgent help. We must do all we can to bring succour to these people. Life is really hard for our people.

    Infrastructure is in dire state and the people lack basic amenities in most parts of the state. Health, education, roads, name it, are all in need of attention. Campaigning round the state was an eye opener and one is able to understand why our people are eager for a better government. I am saddened by what I have seen and challenged by the tasks ahead. We have a lot to do.

    We have a task of bringing hope to these seemingly hopeless situations across the state. The people received us well. They told us their needs. They pleaded that we must come to their aid. They want a new direction that will give them hope and they are trusting us to bring about this new direction. They are ready and eager to vote for us on March 2nd. We also must be prepared to meet their expectations.

    People need to feel the impact of government. Beyond what we see in the cities, the ordinary people of Ogun State in the rural areas need to be shown there are some people at the helms of the affairs of government. Currently, they feel no impact of the governments. These are things we will urgently go about addressing once we take office. My principal is as eager to touch the lives of the people as I am.

    The task is daunting but I am sure we have the right attitude and intentions and those are the things that matter. We will work with all and sundry to bring about the much needed changes and I believe the good people of Ogun State will be the greatest beneficiaries of this struggle we have embarked on. Our state is a state of many firsts. We shouldn’t be backward. Today, our youths are languishing around the towns and villages without hope for the future. We want to change this narrative.

    We will bring in new sets of skills from our various backgrounds to complement what the civil servants have on ground. That way, we will achieve more results and touch more lives. We will learn from the civil servants, they will learn from us and that way, the state will witness a better administration.

    From the private sector, what new things are you bringing into governance?

    Government is a continuum, as such we intend to continue the good things being done while introducing a lot of new things that will further bring about the desired results. We will work with the civil servants. I want to assure you that I will bring my experiences to bear on the administration. My principal is also a well grounded private sector player. We will work for Ogun State, and together, we will change the narratives.