Meet The Men Who Will Decide Ogun’s Next Governor!

Ogun State occupies the position of one of the most politically active states in the South West and in Nigeria as a whole. The state has the record of being the only Yoruba state that has produced Nigerian Heads of State. And since the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates 100 years ago, Ogun indigenes have proved their mettle as people who cannot be undermined.

Nationalists and activists in the mould of the “Lioness of Lisabi”, Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, “the weird one, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and his brother, Beko did a lot to put Ogun State on the map as a state of people that do not condone oppression.

As it stands, Ogun, being one of the two states in the South West where governorship elections will hold, is part of the factors that will determine the fate of the main political parties jostling for power at the national level. While Ondo and Ekiti States are already known to be Peoples Democratic Party territory, Osun is in the kitty of the All Progressives Congress while the fates of Oyo and Ogun will be known in February.

It is an open secret that the PDP and APC are battling to outdo each other to win the state. The Anchor has gathered that a number of well respected indigenes will be largely instrumental to the emergence of the next Governor.  One of them is the sitting Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who some believe is doing a damn good job of running Ogun State. His style has however been continuously faulted by the opposition. Though Ogun has been a developing state long before now, Amosun took the development a bit further. He dared to be different; he changed Ibara as he built the first overhead bridge since the creation of Ogun State in 1976. He has also promised to construct two rural roads in each local government.

His projects have however been the main objects of criticism, especially the cost; though the criticisms have not been enough to dampen his morale as he goes on with gusto. He is set for the governorship battle and he has the belief that his score card will go a long way in giving him the confidence of the people.

That belief may not be wrong as the main thing that will determine whether the Governor’s Office, Oke ‘Mosan will have a new occupant in 2015 is be the performance of the present governor.

So, while Senator Amosun, the incumbent Governor has the status of the man to beat, it is also obvious in Ogun State and beyond that there are some people, who do not want to see his face in the Governor’s Office from May, 2015. Top on the list is the immediate past Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

Incidentally, Amosun and Daniel were close pals when Aremo Olusegun Osoba was the Governor of Ogun State. A wedge was however drawn between them when Amosun decided to contest against OGD before the 2007 elections.

Since then, the friendship has undergone various tests. The Amosun-led administration undid quite a number of things the government before it did. When Governor Amosun met his predecessor, at the funeral service for the latter’s dad in Sagamu, they embraced and chatted like old friends. About a fortnight later, the government revoked the certificate of occupancy of the land where the church that hosted the funeral was situated, declaring both the church and the burial site of the former governor’s dad, government land! Bulldozers moved in soon after.

Amosun also fired a bombshell recently when he declared openly that Otunba Gbenga Daniel does not actually have his roots in Ogun and is an indigene of another state.

Now, OGD has retraced his steps back to the PDP and with the political strength he wields, the Ogun 2015 race seems to have become more interesting. Though it is believed that Daniel’s return to the PDP has much to do with the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, to achieve that, Ogun is one of the places PDP has to win. OGD is one of those being counted on to deliver the Remo axis.

Another man bent on ensuring that Senator Amosun is shown the way out is Prince Buruji Kashamu. The massive man with a complementing purse has been a mobilizer for years now, working through his Omo Ilu Foundation.  The billions he has spent have not gone unnoticed and the PDP chose to make him the Chairman of its South West Mobilization Committee. Though he is running for a senate seat, the governorship election means a lot to him. In 2011, he spent a lot just to ensure that Otunba Gbenga Daniel's candidate did not win.

Kashamu or Esho Jinadu as some love to call him is not without his own battles though. Before he and OGD made up recently, they had been at daggers’ drawn for years. But now, they have agreed to work together in the interest of the PDP. They however have someone that seems to be a common enemy; Chief Obasanjo. 

There seems to be no end in sight to Buruji’s clash with former President Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo. The former President has cited Kashamu’s emergence as a leader in the zone as his reason for giving the PDP a wide berth.

Meanwhile, those who know and have studied Chief Obasanjo well over the past few decades have arrived at the conclusion that “not only is Ebora Owu unforgiving, once you wrong him, there can never be true reconciliation as no one ever knows where he stands on issues.” Ogun governorship seems to be one of such knotty issues to which OBJ may not give a direct answer. His body language is however being read with great caution. The PDP and APC want to be in his good books. While he has told leaders of the PDP his grievance against the party, leaders of the APC too have gone to “consult” him.  

The only people Obasanjo may not host at his Hilltop residence anytime soon are Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who was prevented from gaining access and Buruji Kashamu who doesn’t even seem ready to visit the place.

It is also worthy of note that Governor Amosun is Obasanjo’s kinsman from Owu. Incidentally, at a recent function, the former President lauded the governor for his achievements so far. But in political circles, it is an open secret that dining with Obasanjo doesn’t mean he is on your side, Chief Audu Ogbeh is a living testimony of that fact.

And whoever says Aremo Olusegun Osoba is not relevant in Ogun politics is only giving himself in to self deception. The former Governor still wields a lot of influence in the APC and with his frosty relationship with his godson, it might be tough for Amosun. The question on most lips is “will Osoba sponsor a candidate against the governor?” Some have found the answer to that in the belief that the “Mat’ agba Mole” Group, which is loyal to Chief Osoba might work against the incumbent Governor if he eventually gets the APC’s ticket.

Of course, apart from Aremo Osoba, a major force in the APC that could be instrumental in determining who gets the ticket is Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Take it or leave it, Asiwaju has been in the business of installing governors for some time now. If the race in Ogun wasn’t interesting to him, he would not have paid a visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta.

In any case, Ogun indigenes are watching with keen interest whether it will be the turn of Ogun West District to produce the governor or the status quo will remain.

Colour has been added to the race with people like Hon Dimeji Bankole, the former Speaker of the House of Reps, Sina Kawonise, the former Commissioner for information,  Hon Abiodun Akinlade and others joining in.