Why Insiders Say Amosun Is Working For Abiodun’s Re-Election

On Friday, August 5, 2022, the former governor Ibikunle Amosun made a declaration that is generating a lot of heat in the political space of Ogun state.

The Senator representing Ogun Central has declared that he doesn’t want Dapo Abiodun as Governor in 2023.

But insiders insist that unlike in 2019 when he mustered a spirited, but futile effort to stop Abiodun from becoming the Governor of Ogun state, Amosun is heading into the latest political battle with a divided house and as the underdog.

In 2019 Amosun was the governor of the state with the influence of two terms in office – 29 May, 2003 to 29 May, 2007 – and a strong connection with the Presidency behind his unsuccessful bid against Abiodun.

In 2022, he is a Senator without the formidable backing of the presidency, limited to a single term, and was unsuccessful in his attempt to become the Presidential candidate of his party for the 2023 election.

” And to compound his situation, the loyalty of his fanatical following is split. Some of them are backing the main opposition party, PDP (People’s Democratic Party) through the involvement of one of their own Adekunle Akinlade, some remain rabidly pro- Amosun while others are undecided while trying to decide which side is the surer to win to avoid ending up on the loser’s side. And some have joined Abiodun in the name of keeping faith with the mainstream APC in Ogun state” SocietyNow.Ng gathered.

Akinlade planted in the Allied People’s Movement (APM) as the preferred successor by Amosun in 2019 has joined ranks with Ladi Adebutu, the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP as his deputy governorship candidate for the 2023 election.

Akinlade joined Adebutu with a chunk of Amosun’s supporters across different zones of the state.

“With claims that Amosun is backing Biyi (Otegbeye) who is from the lowest votes area in Ogun state (Yewa) as Abiodun’s likely successor on the platform of APM for the 2023 election, the feel about town is that he has further reduced his chances of stopping Abiodun with more of his supporters who are passionate about not having anything to with Abiodun likely to team up with Akinlade in PDP, while those who don’t want to leave APC team up with Abiodun

but the key thing here is that through his actions and inactions Amosun is splitting his support base with Abiodun getting a share of it”

Checks by SocietyNow.Ng revealed that the political influence in Yewa which is the base of Amosun’s touted “candidate” is shared between Gboyega Ganiyu Isiaka (GNI) and Senator Solomon Olamilekan (Yayi) two politicians who are in the camp of Governor Abiodun.

It is also to the gain of the Governor’s camp that Gbenga Daniel, the most influential – and active – political player in the Ogun state PDP is now a member of the APC and aligns with Abiodun for the 2023 election.

Like he did in 2019, Daniel is expected to shore up support for Abiodun across the states, especially in the large votes area of Ijebu-East where he hails and Amosun’s strongest base in Ogun central where the former governor’s die-hard loyalists are conflicted.

“So, the analysis is that Amosun who stood a fighting chance to stop Abiodun teaming up with Adebutu and the PDP as started frittering away his support base and political influence by attempting to go it all alone on the platform of a lesser known party and candidate” SocietyNow.Ng gathered.

Amosun with a depleting “force” is going against a more experienced Abiodun with the power of incumbency and added gain of getting some of the former governor’s loyalists to his corner while negotiating fresh alliances with other political players alienated by Amosun’s latest move SocietyNow.Ng learned.