From: Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

As the race for the governorship seat in Ogun  State gathers momentum, a strong indication emerged, on Friday, that Governor Ibikunle Amosun, may have concluded plans to throw his weight behind the emergence of any governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) below the age of 50 years, Saturday Sun has reliably gathered.

According to a reliable source, the governor, who gave this hint during a political meeting held in Abeokuta and attended by Amosun’s core loyalists and party leaders across the three senatorial districts, said he preferred a young, energetic and tested hands who can continue his rebuilding mission of the state, to take over the mantle of leadership from him.

The source, who also attended the meeting, further informed Saturday Sun that the governor maintained his vow to resist any ‘imported’ politicians as gubernatorial aspirants in the party and also made it clear he would support aspirants from Ogun West senatorial district in 2019.

It would be recalled that Governor Amosun, during the inauguration ceremony of local government advisory committees during the week, had declared that he would oppose any governorship candidate from Ogun Central, but support and campaign for candidate from Ogun West. He, however, said he would neither oppose nor campaign for any gubernatorial candidate from Ogun East.

He also added that any attempt by politicians he termed as ‘tekobo’ to govern the state, would bee opposed.

But the source pointed out that the body language of the governor at the meeting,  suggested he was positively disposed to the emergence of Ogun West person not up to 50 years, as his successor in 2019.

He added that though, Amosun, never mentioned any specific person, the criteria, if eventually adopted by the governor, will make the race to be narrowed down to the trio of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Suraj Ishola Adekunbi, the immediate past chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota local government and the present chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Rotimi Abdul-Rahman known in political circle as ‘Arugbo’ and the former Commissioner for Environment, Ayo Olubori.

The governor, according to the source, therefore, urged politicians from Ogun West to close their ranks and support their own reiterating he was ready to support the zone to bring the jinx.