Ogun West Elders Forum has reacted the position of the Ogun West Elders Forum on the 2019 governorship position in the state saying their opinion did not represent the people of the Ogun West Senatorial District
The Organization is a forum of respected and concerned leaders of Ogun West who have diversely held exalted political and public offices in varied capacities in Ogun State and Nigeria in general
At a press conference held in Abeokuta recently, the group said the said Ogun West Elder’s Council did not consult or indeed have the mandate of the good people of Ogun West to cast aspersion on any Ogun state leaders more so a former governor of the state and a national leader of a leading political party in Ogun State, the APC in person of Aremo Olusegun Osoba who by all standards is not only a pride to Ogun State, the entire Yoruba race but the whole country as a whole.
“The ‘elders’ purporting to speak for Ogun West cast various aspersions on the person of one of the leaders and former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba insinuating that he was opposed to the emergence of an Ogun West indigene becoming the Governor of the state in 2019.”
According the paper read by Chief Olu Agemo former chairman of Social Democratic Party in the state, the group posit that “the Elders Council, never known before obviously are loyalists of the incumbent Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. They reechoed their paymaster by insinuating that some of our sons and daughters from the Ogun West who are in the gubernatorial race are “Tekobos” (strangers).”
“ We therefore wish to also state categorically that these set of ‘elders’ are in no position and have no authority whatsoever to refer to any of our sons and daughters of Ogun West as Tekobos.
“We strongly suspect that these so called elders are merely acting as pawns in the hands of their paymaster to attempt to exclude a particular Ogun West gubernatorial aspirant from Ogun 2019 race. It shall not happen ! Whatever is the intent of these elders’ ploy by their pejorative labelling, they and their paymasters must be told that the coming election shall be decided not by them but by the good people of Ogun State.”
“For us in Ogun West, we see this deprecatory ‘tekobo’ labeling as a ploy by ‘these elders’ and their paymaster to divide Ogun West people and break our resolve in supporting some aspirants who are already very popular among the mass of our people to create the much needed space to force their far unpopular candidates on the good people of Ogun West and by extension Ogun State. “
“ All well meaning Ogun State people including Chief Osoba have condemned this divisive stratagem and we in Ogun West Elders Forum boldly state that none of our sons or daughters would be excluded from the gubernatorial race of 2019 on the basis of a Tekobo appellation. In any case all previous Governors of the state including the incumbent Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun can rightly be described ‘tekobos’”
“We want to place it on record that Ogun West Elders Forum is working hard behind the scene to encourage all political parties in Ogun State to field their gubernatorial candidates from Ogun West.”
“We passionately and humbly appeal to our leaders in these parties to tow this line in the interest of equity, justice and fairness.. This way, the state will re enact the glory of 1999, when in the interest of justice in Nigeria the two major political parties fielded Yoruba candidates to achieve a desired democratic outcome.”
The group thanks former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for authoring great developmental strides in Yewaland in ensuring the Senatorial Districts measures up to other districts in terms of development. “ Chief Obasanjo’s commitment to Ogun West for Governor in 2019 on the basis of merit and popular acceptance is commendable and we recommend is as a worthy model for other leaders to take a cue from”
The group also thank the incumbent Governor of our dear state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun for his public statements to support Ogun West for Governor in 2019. ”It is ironic that the Ogun West Elders Council in the statement of their press conference of October 26 implicitly indicted Senator Amosun of robbing the Ogun West of its chance in 2011 when a Yewa candidate from Ogun West has already emerged only for Amosun to be inexplicably chosen at the eleventh hour. Our hope and prayer is that in 2019, Paul will not be robbed to pay Peter as the Ogun West Elders Council alleged”.
