+OGUN House Of Reps Seat
As the race for Ogun Senate hots up, more and more aspirants have indicated interest. And this has made the race become stiffly competitive. As it is, it promises to be a big battle between the 3 incumbent Senators and the new aspirants. Some have also come out for the House of Reps Seat.
Currently, the 3 Ogun Senators are a former Ogun Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun Central Senatorial District), Senator Odebiyi (Ogun West Senatorial District) and Senator Lekan Mustapha (Ogun East Senatorial District). The 3 Senators have tried their best. They have all been active. They all want to go for 2nd term since two of them are first-timers.
But what will determine their fate is how the fight within Ogun APC plays out between the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun’s camp and that of Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s camp. Both Abiodun & Amosun don’t see eye-to-eye. Both have been at war for the past 6 years, in a fight that has become intractable. The fight has split Ogun APC into 2 factions, right down the party structure, with one faction that is loyal to the Governor and the other, loyal to Amosun, who is often described as the strongman of Ogun politics.
What changed the political equation in Ogun politics was the recent recognition of the exco of the Governor’s faction as the authentic and approved exco of the party. What this means, reveals an insider, is that it is the governor’s camp that now controls the party. And the new exco has called on the Amosun group to join hands with the new exco.
How does this affect the Senate race in Ogun? Insiders say it would go a long way in fielding candidates for the 3 senatorial districts. Because the exco is in the hands of the Governor, it is very unlikely for the exco to give the 3 incumbent Senators return tickets. Insiders say that would give the Governor, who is also desirous of a 2nd term, an opportunity to field his choice of candidates at the primaries, and using the Consensus model, he could get them picked as candidates.
Already, many senate aspirants have come out to join the race. Some are still consulting with stakeholders and waiting for the right time to declare their ambition. Many of those who have shown interest in the race is from Ogun APC, while not many have come out from Ogun PDP.
Some of those who have come out included 2 bigwigs, former Ogun governors, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who is eyeing the Ogun East seat and Senator Olamilekan Adeola (the Lagos Senator) who is eyeing the Ogun West Senatorial seat come 2023. Others include a former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole (DB), from Ogun Central. DB has not really indicated his interest in any office because he is playing his politics in Yobe. But he is on the card as a replacement of Amosun according to permutation.
Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI), who recently celebrated his 60th birthday, is also eyeing the Ogun West Senatorial Seat.
So also is Otunba Oluseyi Oduntan (Triple O), Sen. Ibikunle Amosun’s SSG, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa (BTA) is also running for Ogun Central Senatorial District in 2023. He has a group, Egba Parapo for BTA Group. Incidentally, he used Isara in Remo to serve as SSG. What happened was that the issue was raised then that how could Amosun from Ogun Central be Governor and the SSG will also be from Ogun Central. But they claimed his mum is from Isara Remo. And it was on that ticket that he was made the SSG.
Many are wondering why he is contesting against Amosun and on which party’s ticket?
Also on the list is Ogun APC Chieftain, Engr. Deji Ashiru, says he would make his decision known at the appropriate time. “If I decide to agree to the request of the good people of Ogun East Senatorial District, I will ensure that I assist them in passing a bill that would be of benefit to the district… As of today, I have not declared my intention to vie for any office.
It is on record that I traversed 103 wards, 9 Local Government Areas and 1,135 polling booths twice in 2019 when I contested as a Senatorial seat to represent the people of Ogun East. Although I lost, I am happy that I won the hearts of people and that gives me joy”.
There is also Mrs Olatorera Majekodunmi-Oniru, a young and energetic woman, who desire change in society. And she is leading the change for a Greater Nigeria. She is running for elective office in Ogun State. She wants to be a Senator. She wants to be the next Ogun Central Senator. And she is serious about it.
Also on the list is Hon. Segun Senbanjo in Ogun East. He is also vying for the Ogun East Senatorial District seat.
There are many aspirants coming out of Ogun Central like Olumide Aderinokun on the platform of the PDP. His billboards are all over Abeokuta and its environs. Also from PDP is Engr. Dada Kolawole Oduntan (DKO). He is also from Ogun Central. Also from Ogun Central is also Ganiyu Hamzat from APC and Pastor Biodun Sanyaolu (APC). Although he has not come out to say so, Chief Remi Bakare, a top Ogun APC Chieftain’s name has been cropping up. He is also from Ogun Central.
One other top contender for the Ogun Central Senatorial seat is Senator Olugbenga Obadara. He is a ranking Senator. City People spoke to him recently and he confirmed his interest in the seat. “To date with over 133 verifiable projects across the 74 wards, no Senator before or after me have matched the records of achievement,” he explained. “This informed the reasons for the clamour for a return to the Senate in 2023, by the people across all the Senatorial district by everybody across the party line. Even after leaving the Senate in 2015, I have continued distributing and energising Transformers and constructing classrooms with furniture and toilets”. He is currently the Ogun SWAGA Chairman.
There are other aspirants like a top banker, Mrs Adeola Azeez who has joined the House of Reps race for Ijebu Central. There are strong indications that Adeola Azeez, widely acclaimed women’s advocate and professional banker has joined the race to represent the people of Ijebu Central Federal Constituency in the House of Reps. Ijebu Central Federal Constituency is made up of Odegbolu, Ijebu-Ode & Ijebu North-East LGA. Adeola Azeez is the daughter of Pa Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere.
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