Estimated reading time: 16 minute(s)
Sodiq Mojibola
Electorates in Ogun State have started to question the whereabouts of the former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun after the March 18th gubernatorial election didn’t go his way.
“People of Ogun state, please where is Mr. Ibikinle Amosun ???” Asked a tweep, YoursTrily, in a tweet that has garnered 122 views at the time of filing this report.
People of Ogun state, please where is Mr. Ibikinle Amosun ???
— YoursTruly ♠️ (@L0ne_Surviv0r_) April 18, 2023
Several efforts by PLATFORM TIMES to reach the APC chieftain proved futile as sources close to his camp claimed to be out of town.
In a telephone conversation with his media aide, Bola Adeyemi said, “whoever wants to speak with Amosun will have to wait till he is back in town.”
When contacted to react to the just concluded election and give a reason for his advertent silence after the election, Adeyemi simply stated that nothing can be said.
“As for me, I cannot speak for him in his political affairs at this time. So, I advise you wait till he returns to town so you can ask him,” said Adeyemi.
Senator Amosun who is a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the state, threw his weight behind the Governorship Candidate of the African Democratic Congress , Barrister Biyi Otegbeye in the just concluded election.
But, 39 days after the election which was described as a three-horse race ; among the APC, People’s Democratic Party and ADC, Amosun has been silent since the election result was announced in favour of the incumbent Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun of the APC.
Contrary to the general belief that Amosun may sway victory for his adopted candidate, he was able to Garner 94,754 votes.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Amosun’s anointed party ; ADC could not win one out of 20 local government areas of the state, nor a seat of the state of house of assembly out of 26.
To many Ogun residents, the 94,754 votes garnered by ADC went down the drain.
The returning officer in the state for the Independent National Electoral Commission, Kayode Adebowale, who announced the election result, said the APC candidate scored 276,298 votes to emerge the winner of the keenly contested election.
The March 18th gubernatorial election results were announced by the INEC on Sunday, 19th of March after Dapo Abiodun polled the highest votes while Adebutu and Otegbeye followed the lead respectively.
In the controversial election, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ladi Adebutu polled a total votes of 262,383 while Otegbeye, trailed him with 94,754 votes.
PLATFORM TIMES observation of Amosun’s Twitter account depicts absence since 16th of February, 2023 after posting on the flag-off of the ADC campaign.
The post reads: “At the ADC flag-off event held for @thebiyiotegbeye at Ake Palace in Abeokuta, Senator Ibikunle Amosun emphasized the importance of continuity in the plans and projects of Ogun State to ensure sustainable growth and development of our dear State.”
At the ADC flag-off event held for @thebiyiotegbeye at Ake Palace in Abeokuta, Senator Ibikunle Amosun emphasized the importance of continuity in the plans and projects of Ogun State to ensure sustainable growth and development of our dear State. pic.twitter.com/Rq68SVm2L6
— Sen. Ibikunle Amosun (@SIAmosun) February 16, 2023
It is a general belief that after squandering 94,754 votes, the political father, after flaunting his support for Otegbeye, would speak on the reason for the turn-out of the election; however, reverse is the case.
Hence, the question on people’s lips, ‘what next for Barrister Biyi Otegbeye and his camp?’
Barrister Biyi Otegbeye, is the Group Managing Director of Regency Alliance Insurance Plc, he is also the founder of Building Opportunities For Tomorrow (BOT), an NGO established in 2010 for youth development, women empowerment and medical intervention.
Amosun believed Otegbeye was the next in line to be governor of the Gateway State, as he stated that the Ogun West businessman cum politician should be given a chance at governance since his senatorial district has never produced a governor in the state.
He said during a campaign, “you would be wondering, ‘Isn’t Amosun in the APC?’ Well, the reason I’m here is in two folds. Ogun Central has produced the governor, Ogun East has produced the governor. Why is it that Ogun West has not produced the governor?
“Some others are saying that Ogun West, Yewa/Awori, don’t have anyone. They say, ‘They are very poor.’ You see, that is mindless talk.” Amosun refuted.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the former governor and APC chieftain went against all odds to campaign against his party’s candidate to support a candidate from another party, like he did in the 2019 gubernatorial election.
“It is Biyi Otegbeye, that is the person I am supporting. Otegbeye of the ADC.” Declared Amosun in October 2023 during an interview with BBC Yoruba.
In February, the former governor went on, again and against the interest of his party, to canvass support for Otegbeye at the ADC flag-off campaign at Ake Palace in Abeokuta.
“As you see me, I am an APC member. For the presidency in Abuja, we will vote for Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In Ogun State here, by God’s grace, it is Biyi Otegbeye,” he said while addressing the anxious crowd.
His declaration could have left many jaws ajar and in wonder of what must have influenced and prompted his decision, but his antecedents speak volume of his action.
It will be recalled that in 2019, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and his candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, having lost in the APC primaries to Abiodun, he blatantly spewed unreserved dissatisfaction at Abiodun as the party candidate for the 2019 governorship election.
Describing Abiodun’s emergence as a “falsification of the people’s will,” Akinlade crossed the carpet, to join Amosun in the APM.
Disgruntled over Abiodun’s emergence as the party candidate, Amosun threw his support to the Allied People’s Movement (APM), leaving the state APC in a rift of political turbulence.
His public campaign for the APM candidate despite being a sitting governor of the state under the umbrella of the APC was a height of inter-party activity that could only be managed by the party stakeholders.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
FOOTNOTE: Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 or email: platformtimes@gmail.com
