A socio-political group, Ogun West Consultative Forum, has endorsed Sen. Olamilekan Adeola (a.k.a Yayi) as its consensus candidate for state governorship election in 2019 on the ticket of APC.
The president of the group, Chief Kayode Ajibola, made this known at a news conference on Tuesday in Ilaro.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adeola is a sitting senator representing APC-Lagos West Senatorial District in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.
Ajibola said that the forum’s endorsement of Adeola was borne out of the need to present a formidable candidate from the zone.
He said that presentation of multiple candidates had in the past led to the downfall of people of Ogun West in the political landscape of the state; hence its resolve to pick a consensus candidate.
Ajibola said that six aspirants were considered for the endorsement, but the choice of Adeola was largely based on his experience and political structure.
He listed some of the criteria for endorsement to include financial capability, visible political platform, people and willingness to sacrifice.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other governorship aspirants from the zone include Gboyega Isiaka, Suraj Adekunbi, Tolu Odebiyi, Kola Lawal and Abiodun Akinlade.
“We have carefully chosen Sen. Adeola as a result of his capabilities as an independent sponsor, very experienced and one that has a good political structure.
“He is also a sitting senator of the most populous senatorial district in Lagos West,’’ he said.
The forum president said that in the past, the zone, which had never produced a governor, did not have a political structure, as “everyone is on his own’’.
He noted that other senatorial districts in the state had rooted structures for them to win elections.
Ajibade said that that the inability of Ogun West to put its house in order had been responsible for its failure to produce a governor in the 42 years history of the state.
“We have followed a standard procedure with all the aspirants and whoever we endorse will send a signal to other districts that we are organised and ready to occupy the seat of power at Oke-Mosan.
“Ogun West will not support any political party that will not field our indigene as its candidates,’’ he said.
Also, Prof. Tope Popoola, a member of the forum, said that the exercise became imperative for the forum to ensure that an indigene of Ogun West becomes the state governor in 2019.
Popoola explained that all aspirants were carefully examined using some parameters with a view to tackling the challenges of multiple candidature.
“We’ve been meeting regularly for the past nine months and our mission is to educate, inform and mobilise the people ahead of 2019,’’ Popoola said.
Ogun West Consultative Forum is a group of professionals, who have the interest of Ogun West development in mind. (NAN)
