Amosun Shut Out As Abiodun Endorses Return Bid Of Ogun Senator

Governor Dapo Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State have endorsed the return bid of Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, lawmaker representing Ogun Central at the National Assembly.

Salisu, who is seeking a second term, was endorsed as the consensus candidate of the party for the forthcoming 2027 election.

He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity.

At the stakeholders’ meeting of the Ogun Central APC held in Abeokuta on Thursday, Abiodun announced Salisu as the consensus candidate.

Abiodun described Salisu, who was his Chief of Staff during his first term in office, as a dependable and reliable politician and administrator.

“He is consistent. He is dependable and reliable,” the governor said.

He added that the senator would continue his good work and make adjustments in areas he had not touched during his first term.

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking at the meeting, the consensus gubernatorial candidate of the party, Senator Olamilekan Adeola Yayi, implored party members to show the same support they had shown him to Senator Salisu for the good people of the state.

In his acceptance speech, Salisu, a Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society (FNCS), expressed gratitude to party members for the overwhelming support given to him.

He vowed to justify the confidence reposed in him.

ValidViewNetwork reports that more than six APC leaders have already obtained nomination forms for the Ogun Central Senatorial primary.

Some of them are former Senators Lanre Tejuoso and Olugbenga Obadara, as well as the immediate past Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Investment, Emmanuel Sofela.

Former Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun has also reportedly obtained nomination forms.

Last month, party leaders and aspirants met at the residence of former Governor Chief Olusegun Osoba in Abeokuta over the consensus arrangement.

During the meeting, Amosun reportedly told the gathering that he had the support of President Bola Tinubu to emerge as the consensus candidate of the party.

The claim was allegedly rebuffed by other aspirants, including the current occupant, Senator Shuaibu Salisu.

The meeting eventually ended in a stalemate.

But Amosun later clarified what transpired in a statement.

“Many of the accounts of the meeting were complete misrepresentations of the proceedings. The meeting was convened at my instance when there were insinuations about my candidature for the election,” he said.

According to him, at the meeting, he recalled that three senatorial aspirants from the district had visited him to seek his support for their candidacies and that each of them volunteered that, if he was interested in contesting for the office, they would withdraw their candidacies.

“Nowhere throughout the meeting did I request anyone to withdraw from the race for me because that would be undemocratic and unacceptable.

“I wish to reiterate that I am not only a democrat, I have contested and won elections twice to the office of Governor of Ogun State and twice as a Senator of the Federal Republic.

“What I said at the meeting, which I reiterate, is that I would not be part of a primary election whose result is predetermined,” Amosun said.