2019: Oil magnate, Dapo Abiodun, joins Ogun governorship race SAYS ZONING UNCONSTITUTIONAL

OIL magnate and real estate guru, Mr. Dapo Abiodun, has declared his intention to run for the governorship seat of the state in the 2019 general elections, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Abiodun, the chairman of Corporate Affairs Commission, at a news conference on Thursday, described zoning of political positions as unconstitutional.

Tribune Online recalled that the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and the party in the state had zoned the governorship slot to the Ogun West Senatorial District, which had not produced a governor in the 42 years history of the state.

He said the resolve of Amosun and the party to zone any position to the senatorial district was not equitable argument to advance.

Abiodun explained that the state had two major divisions, that is, the Egba/Egbado and Ijebu/Remo Divisions and that by arrangement, the two are expected to produce the state governor.

“There are two divisions in the state. We have the Egba division which is the Egba/Egbado division and the Ijebu/Remo Division. And it has also come to the understanding that when things come to one division, it’s appropriated within that division. So it came to Ijebu division and they decided on where whoever occupies that office emerges from. It also goes to the Egba division and the Egbas decided on who emerges from that division.

“You will recall that in 2011, it was an arrangement and understanding that the Egba/Egbado division produce the governor and it is up to them to decide if they found a candidate or whoever emerges. So in 2011, when the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had candidates from Yewa. The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate was Ibikunle Amosun.

“For us in Ogun state, that division has had their own fair share. That’s an argument. It’s been zoned to that division and Ibikinle Amosun emerged from that division. If at that time, the candidate of PPN or PDP had emerged, we would have satisfied that division as well. But unfortunately, it was Ibikunle Amosun that emerged.

“So for anyone to begin to insist on the fact that in 2019, the governor of Ogun State should come from that division again, I believe it is not an equitable argument to advance,” he added.

On the issue of direct primaries, the governorship hopeful, commended the decision of the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole on his determination that all party primaries are direct.

He said the system would enable the people to elect their chosen candidate in an open manner, describing it as one of the best democratic practice.

“Our National Chairman has in different fora expressed his determination to ensure that all our primaries henceforth are direct. And I believe that the argument is not far-fetched. It makes a lot of sense.

“If politics is indeed for the people and by the people, I think that the more inclusive politics we practice, the better for the everybody. Direct primaries afford every card-carrying member of the party to determine who represents them. I believe there is no better democratic way of arriving at who represents us because it beats having just a few people who are perhaps sometimes completely compromised by someone to choose who represents the party or governs the state,” Abiodun added.