The Immediate Past High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, has revealed that the popular opinion amongst the Egbas is that the Ogun Central Senatorial District will produce the next Governor of Ogun State in 2027.
According to the former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, it is the first time the Egbas would be unanimous on the zoning of governoship slot to Ogun Central.
Isola stated this on Wednesday while addressing leaders and members of Ogun Women-in-Politics who hosted him for his 64th birthday.
He was hosted at the GRA Ibara residence of former governor of Ogun State and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aremo Segun Osoba.
According to him, the opinion was discovered during his various consultations ahead of the 2027 election.
“This is the first time that the Egba people will unanimously agree that the governorship position should be zoned to Ogun Central.
“Since 2019, Egba people have not clinched key political and government positions such as the deputy governor, Secretary to the State Government and the Head of Service.”
He, however, debunked the insinuation that Egba people always thwart the aspiration of the Ogun West people to produce a governor.
According to him, politicians of Egba extraction have always been the brains behind the move by the Ogun West to produce the number one citizen in the state.
“The Egba people have been a political ally of the Yewa people. Each time a Yewa person aspires for the governorship, you will find a strong Egba person as the main backbone.
“Former Governor Olusegun Obasanjo threw his all behind the late Tunji Olurin in 2011 and I served as his DG Campaigns.
“In 2019, he supported Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, while the then governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun wholeheartedly supported Adekunle Akinlade, and I also served as the DG Campaigns.
“In 2023, Senator Amosun who is an Egba man equally supported Biyi Otegbeye, a Yewa man against the incumbent governor. If you analyse my chronicle, you will see that Ogun Central has always rallied behind an Ogun Central person to become governor,” he stated.
Isola urged politicians in Ogun State to embrace politics without bitterness and eschew divisive politics, noting that no meaningful development will take place in a hostile political environment.
Isola, who observed that Ogun as a state is blessed with great and astute politicians who have made their marks in the state and at the national level.
He said politicians in the state must learn how to play their politics without severing the cord of unity, peace, love and harmony.
Isola stressed that politics must be played without throwing caution into the wind, insisting “divisive politics brings nothing but retrogression.”
He added that Lagos has continued to be the bedrock of development due to the friendly succession and continuity, emphasizing that Ogun must develop the same political template to espouse development and growth.
“We can’t continue with this hostile succession and hope to have a development like Lagos.
“From Governor Segun Osoba to Governor Gbenga Daniel, from Daniel to Governor Ibikunle Amosun and from Amosun to the incumbent governor, Dapo Abiodun, it had been a successive hostile handing over. And this has not helped our state to develop to the desired level.
“To correct this anomaly, I have visited Senator Gbenga Daniel in Abuja, Senator Ibikunle Amosun in Lagos and Governor Dapo Abiodun at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta..
“Also, I visited the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle and the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, to express my concerns. We need to work on this so that our state can fare better and achieve its full potential.”
Isola thanked the Women-in-Politics for its show of love and support, urging members to continue to preach the gospel of politics without acrimony, to engender development and progress in the state.
