…Back Tinubu for second term

…How we persuaded him to run – Fadairo, others

Over 21 support groups and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), across all the 20 Local Government Areas of Ogun State, on Tuesday, endorsed a former High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom, Amb. Sarafa Isola is the preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship election in the state.

The stakeholders also backed the second term bid of President Bola Tinubu, at a stakeholders event that pulled a mammoth crowd, including delegates from the three senatorial districts, to Abeokuta, the state capital.

Speakers extolled the qualities of the governorship aspirant and unanimously agreed that he was the most qualified and most experienced to succeed Governor Dapo Abiodun in 2027.

A chieftain of the APC, Chief Joju Fadairo, narrated how he visited Isola in London, while he was the High Commissioner, to persuade him to prepare for governorship on the request of notable sons and daughters of Ogun State.

Fadairo and other speakers said that, of all the aspirants, Isola, a former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, had the best experience of service in executive positions.

According to them, he also has the requisite local and international exposure for the office, having previously served as an elected Local Government Chairman, Chairman of Chairmen of Local Governments in Ogun State, Minister and member of the Federal Executive Council, and as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

“His track record of compassion and service distinguishes him as a humane leader who understands the needs of the people,” one of the speakers said.

In his remarks, the former minister thanked the stakeholders for believing in him and promised to make the state proud if elected governor.

He added that he had consulted widely with all major stakeholders in Ogun State and was humbled by the great support so far.

The governorship hopeful also said he had held a series of meetings with past governors of the state, such as Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Senator Gbenga Daniel, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and the incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun.

He said the main focus of his discussion with them was how to put an end to what he called “hostile succession from one governor to another”, which he said had not been in the best interest of Ogun State.

He therefore advised all aspirants in the governorship race to eschew animosity and desperation.

Isola, a former Secretary to the State Government under the Gbenga Daniel administration, said the event of the day was not a formal declaration ceremony, but a stakeholders’ engagement.

”You do a governorship declaration in the open, not in a hall like this. Despite the mammoth attendance today, for which I thank you all, this is just a stakeholders’ engagement; the real declaration is coming soon,” he said.

At the national level,
Amb. Isola said  President Bola Tinubu had introduced many policies and programmes that had put Nigeria on the path of progress and prosperity.

He therefore called for a resolution for the endorsement of the President for a second term, and this was unanimously accepted.