Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Strong indication emerged, on Friday night, that some political aides of the Ogun State, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, have been registered as National Assembly candidates of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) for the 2019 general elections.
Speculations were during the week that the governor, had evolved alternative plans to deal with the outcome of the governorship and legislative primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, which has made him to be at loggerhead with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC.
The discovery of the governor’s aides’ names on the DPP lists at the Ogun State Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abeokuta, however, confirmed the growing speculation.
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Those whose names were found on the DPP list as pasted by the INEC, were until Friday members of the ruling APC.
On the list as candidates for three senatorial seats in the state, were the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye (East); a Senior Special Assistant to Amosun, Alhaji Bola Adeyemi (Central) and another Senior Special Assistant on Energy, Chief Taiwo Fagbemi, as the senatorial candidate for Ogun West.
Whereas the names of Amosun, his Chief of Staff, Tolu Odebiyi and his ally, Senator Lekan Mustapha were listed and pasted as senatorial candidates of APC for Ogun Central, West and East seats in the National Assembly, respectively.
Sunday Sun also gathered that the names of APC executive members and political appointees “planted” in DPP would be substituted with all the names of the consensus candidates of APC on or before the December 1 deadline for withdrawal and final substitution of candidates.
On the DPP list as candidates for the House of Representatives are former APC chairman for Egbado South Local Government, Odebiyi Safiu Abiodun (Egbado South /Ipokia Federal constituency); a younger brother to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adekunbi Fatai Aremu; Alhaji Taofeek Olabode, a serving chairman of Abeokuta North Local Council Development Area as candidate for Abeokuta North/ Obafemi-Owode/Odeda Federal Constituency.
Others on the list are the General Manager of the State Housing Corporation, Ms. Olajumoke Akinwunmi (Abeokuta South); the current chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, Wale Shittu (Ijebu Central Federal Constituency).
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Also on the list are Odumosu Olugbenga (Remo North); a Commissioner in the Civil Service Commission, Mojeed Ekelojumati (Ijebu North/Ijebu East/Ogun Waterside); the current chairman of APC in Ifo LG, Saheed Ariori (Ifo/Ewekoro) and Lamidi Rasheed (Ado-Odo/Ota).
However, it is likely that the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Suraj Adekunbi would be substituted with the name of his younger brother Fatai, as the candidate of DPP for Egbado North/Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency.
Sources said Olabode’s name might be substituted with the name of the current occupier of the seat, Mikhail Kazeem.