Adejoke Adeleye,Abeokuta
Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun on Tuesday protested over alleged plan by Governor Dapo Abiodun to impose candidates for the impending local government election in the state.
The protesting members who stormed the Ogun NUJ Secretariat, Okelewo, Abeokuta in their numbers bearing placards with inscription such as ‘We want man of the People, Tajudeen Ishola is our man ,’We don’t want Ayorinde, ‘We want Ishola,We love Our Governor,’ We want best for Abeokuta North too, ‘We support Tajudeen Ishola,’We say no to Candidacy of Ayorinde,’We want TJ Ishola as Chairman.
The APC in Abeokuta North local government had shortlisted 3 out of the eight aspirants for the chairmanship aspirants for the contest. It was gathered that Ayorinde later emerged as the flag bearer of the party ahead of the local government election.
But while addressing newsmen during their protest on Tuesday, the former Chairman of the Local government Alhaja Faidat Sarumi Akintunde asked Governor Abiodun to intervene for amendment of the list of candidates for APC, especially as concerned Abeokuta North.
“We in Abeokuta North know that Tajudeen Ishola Olamilekan is the one that have been taking care of us since four years ago, most especially during the Covid-19, he was there for us with both cash, food stuff and some necessary things needed to survive during the pandemic and he’s the most popular candidate in Abeokuta North Local Government and we stand by him.
“Some baba cannot sit down in a room, and for no reason, say because they don’t like Tajudeen Ishola.Is that the way they do politics? The Governor should look into our matter.
“We want the Governor to call on our aspirants and to call some leaders so that we can dialogue,” She said.
“Our candidate in person of Engineer Tajudeen Olamilekan Ishola has been standing by the party members right from the onset. This man had to drop his ambition to go to the House of Assembly for this Abeokuta North local government chairman. During Covid -19 crisis, we see him helping the members. He stood by the party, he is our leader a great leader a philanthropist, capitalist, economists. Why is it now the time he want to eat from the fruit of his labour he was being denied ?
“What we want the Governor to do is to call our candidate. We are not against his choice of Ayorinde. But we want to know what our governor want to do for our candidate, Tajudeen Olamilekan Ishola. who has been taking good care of us.
“Ayorinde cannot take good care of us. You can see the majority of the people are here, he is a minority against the majority and that is why we are here that our governor should call our candidate Engineer Tajudeen Ishola an have a dialogue with him and to let us know what he want to give to him to take good care of us.
Sanni Aliyu omosowon also said ” Tajudeen Olamilekan Ishola is the choice of the people of Abeokuta North local government and not Ayorinde”.
He added that the [eople of Okeogun are in support of Ishola.
“So we don’t know why the Governor has chosen Ayorinde as our chairman because he is not active in politics of Abeokuta North. Our mandate is with Tajudeen Olamilekan Ishola,” he submitted.
The leaders who led the protest included former Chairman of Abeokuta North Local Government, Alhaja Faidat Sarumi Akintunde, Mr. W.A. Tiamiyu Dr. WAT, from Gbagura, Mr. Aliu Omoshowon and Mr. Dasofunjo, Mrs. Aishat Ogunleye, Mrs. Muinat Sogbesan from Oke Ogun, Hon. Sulaiman Makinde Ciroma, Gani Alamu Galoway, Alhaji Surajudeen Abati from Owu, Alhaji Isiaq Adesanya, Mrs. Adedayo Sanni, Akeem Odeleye Labak from Oke Ona.