As activities lined up for the 2022 governorship election in Osun State continue to draw nearer, a socio- political group in the state has lent its voice to the raging battle for the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, declaring that Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi is eminently qualified and possesses the required qualities to lead the PDP to victory and transform the declining fortunes of the state.
The group, under the aegis of the Idera de Movement, IDM, stated this in a statement signed by Mr Kunle Omolere, IDM’s Director of Strategy.
The release was made available to CityMirrorNews in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Wednesday.
Describing the lawmaker as “an improvident personality and opportunist”, the group declared that desperate attempts at blowing off Ogunbiyi’s candle would not brighten Ademola Adeleke’s chances .
The statement reads in part:
Our attention has been drawn to the spurious assertion of Mr Bamidele Salam regarding the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State and the aspiration of Dr Akin Ogunbiyi.
The self serving lawmaker remarked: ‘I know Dr Akin Ogunbiyi very well; he is a brother that I respect so much, but you know that when we talk about politics, we talk about the name, influence, networking. Ogunbiyi is nowhere near the Adelekes. I give him due honour. He is a very good and capable man but he can also be very useful in other areas but certainly not as the governor this time around.’
While it is pretty normal for high-achievers like Dr Ogunbiyi to be misconstrued for various self-propelled reasons and hedonistic egotism, it is instructive to state that Bamidele Salam’s latest spurious and highly objectionable claims on the governorship ambition of Dr Akin Ogunbiyi put a question mark on his sense of reasoning and integrity.
As a lawyer and once respected broadcaster, one would think that he knows and realises that a king is not who is not king of his time, the rich is not who lives on borrowed time. The poor is he who of himself is a zealot.
It is not surprising that the honourable member has continued to tow the path of dishonour in his desperation for a second term. We recall how he came begging to join the Ogunbiyi camp ahead of the 2018 primaries claiming that as a Christian, he could not subject himself to oath taking, a prominent activity of the Adelekes camp. After several emmisaries intervened on his behalf, he was accepted into the fold only to return to the Adelekes to take the same oath.
By now, he should have known that there is nothing momentous about an aspirant who has no distinguished virtues of his own. He doesn’t need to be told that only the unreasonable would think that a 61 year old dependent individual and accidental diploma holder is better than a self-made, learned and renowned 57-year-old entrepreneur in the race for the exalted position of the governor of Osun State and her highly industrious people.
It is shameful and rather ridiculous seeing Bamidele and other supporters of the absentee aspirant banking on irrelevancies, guilt and manipulation to push his ambition instead of rolling out the unique selling points of the man, if he has any, apart from his good dancing steps.
In PDP, and against all odds, former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola emerged the governor of the state on his own honour. Why is Ademola’s case so different and nothing else about him apart from belonging to the Adelekes counts? At what point was Bemidele’s sanity and intelligence finally sacrificed for money and power?
PDP delegates and the general public have seen through and know the aspirant who will not make a good governor if given the chance. They know the aspirant with improbable academic record, character without character, the opportunist and accidental contender with no mind of his own.
That said, it is neither in the interests of our beloved state and the good people of Osun to continue to be ruled by undemocratic forces and fascists in power, nor is it in our shared interest to enthrone a mediocre in the exalted position of the state governor. Though not perfect, Dr. Ogunbiyi is better placed and, given his track record of service to humanity and growth, having stimulated several businesses from nothing to stardom, will make a good governor if saddled with the lofty responsibility.
