Femi Ogbonnikan in Abeokuta
An Ogun State governorship aspirant, Jimi Lawal, has lent support for the governorship ambition of the current Lagos West lawmaker, Sen Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (aka Yayi), ahead the 2019 Ogun State governorship contest.
Lawal, who is one of the governorship aspirants from Ogun East Senatorial district, at the weekend, in Ijebu Ode, stressed that the controversy that has trailed the governorship bid of Adeola shouldn’t be an issue, since the lawmaker is legally qualified to contest the number one seat of Ogun State.
“The conflict over Sen Adeola’s governorship ambition is a moral issue and it is not legal. He can decide to transfer his Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) to Ogun State. The constitution provides for that. It is legal.
“So, those saying Sen Adeola is from Lagos are only crying wolves, since the contention is a moral issue, not legal. I think the Ogun State governor, Sen Ibikunle Amosun, should create a level-playing ground for all aspirants to test their popularityâ€, said Lawal.
But Lawal, the former chairman, Alpha Merchant Bank Limited, bemoaned the approach the Lagos legislator has deployed in his governorship bid, saying he is confrontational in his attacks on the governor and the state leadership of the APC, the party he belongs.
According to him, “Sen Adeola ought to have respect for the constitutional authorities, especially Sen Ibikunle Amosun, the governor of our dear state and the leaders of the party in the state. His conduct is anti-party.â€
On the commitment and resolve of Gov Amosun pledging to cede the 2019 Ogun State governorship ticket to Ogun West senatorial district, the 58-year-old governorship aspirant from Ogun East declared that the governor can’t stop him from contesting the 2019 governorship election, insisting that what Sen Ibikunle Amosun meant is that, he will only support a Yewa person but will not stop any Ijebu aspirant from contesting and also give him his support.
“Man proposes, but God disposes. So, the governor can’t stop my governorship ambition”, said Lawal.
However, the former chairman of Alpha Merchant Bank Limited, applauded the administrative genius of Gov Amosun, saying his performance in the area of economic development as evident in shoring up the Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) from the monthly paltry sum of N730 million in 2011 to N7 billion to date, is overwhelming.
“Gov Amosun has moved Ogun State to second to none in his giant stride to make the state the industrial hub of Nigeria and West African sub-region” added Lawal.
