2019: Ijebu elders rise against Amosun’s Yewa Agenda, pick Bimbo Ashiru as consensus candidate, reject Kaka, Mamora, Adesegun, others

The race to succeed Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State in 2019 became interesting on Wednesday as Ijebu Elders from Ogun East Senatorial District rose with one voice, backing Amosun’s Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru.
This position is seen by political watchers as against Amosun’s determination to ensure that a Yewa candidate from Ogun West Senatorial District succeeds him.
Ashiru, an investment banker who was appointed as commissioner in 2011, was adopted by the Ijebu/Remo Governorship Agenda Elders Forum as the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The state Vice Chairman of APC, Alhaji Elias Folorunsho, presented the candidate to party stakeholders shortly after he was declared winner.
But, the consensus arrangement was not without a drama.
The moment Ashiru was picked, some interested aspirants walked out of the venue.
Some of the aspirants are Senator Adegbenga Kaka, Prince Segun Adesegun, Senator Olorunnibe Mamora, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Chief Muyiwa Oladipo; Otunba Abayomi Ogunowo, Dr T. Kazeem, Chief Owodunni Opayemi and Mr. Jimi Lawal.
All the aspirants were screened by the Chief Olu Okuboyejo-led four-man committee.
While releasing results of the exercise, chairman of the Forum, Dr Gbolade Osinowo, disclosed that Ashiru scored 89 points to defeat others.
Osinowo described the exercise as “transparent”.
Other results are Mamora, 88.25 points; Kaka, 80.25; Oladipo, 87.5; Adesegun, 54; Kazeem, 58.5; Lawal, 77; Owodunni, 42 and Ogunowo, 82.
Osinowo, a former Senior Special Assistant on Political Affairs to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, explained that the exercise was organised to avoid multiplicity of candidates “which may scuttle the chances of producing an Ijebuman as governor in 2019”.
“This is only the first step. There are still many steps to victory and we are going to take those steps. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that this candidate wins the heart, the minds of everybody in Ogun State. 
“After this, we are going to launch a massive campaign. We are going to go round the state to ensure our candidate carries the day for 2019”, he said.
In his reaction, Ashiru described his emergence as “victory for all” and promised not to betray the confidence reposed in him when he emerges as governor.
“I feel humbled. I feel honoured and I believe this is a service to mankind. We will want to continue the mission to rebuild Ogun State. The need to continue the rebuilding mission is very key and we need somebody who have passion, vision and  the kind of zeal like that of His Execellency. He is somebody I have fine relationship with. He is my friend, my boss and mentor. And it is easy for me combine all of these and work tirelessly and be able to support what he has done.”