OGUN 2019: Ogun State Government initiates social welfare programme in Central Senatorial district .
– Panic reigns supreme in SIA camp
– Silence of Gov Amosun leaves loyalists bewildered
– Remains silent on naming anointed successor as promised
(By Wole Adenekan in Abeokuta)
“Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown” Just like in Shakespeare’s King Henry this aptly describes the situation of SIA the Gov of Ogun State presently. It would be recalled months ago he promised to unveil his wizkid successor immediately after the Ramadan fast, but almost two months after nothing has been heard from him on the matter.
Some of his loyalists confirmed this is not unconnected with the announcement by the new National Chairman of APC Comrade Adams Oshiomole that direct primaries will be used to select candidates in APC States which was not the case before he came onboard. Hitherto, Governors were manipulating indirect delegate based primaries and in some cases were just writing names of their preferred candidates.
The camp of the Governor had previously perfected plans to use the manipulated congresses which he used to single handedly elect party officials and delegates across the States to also impose candidates for all positions in the upcoming 2019 elections. Unfortunately this plan has become stillborn with the announcement of direct primaries by the NWC of the APC.
More troubling for SIA is the realisation those he plans on imposing as State Assembly candidates come 2019 with a view of having a firm grip on the incoming Governor through the State Assembly will not fair well in a direct primaries election and he would not be able to actualise his plan on having one of them pencilled down as the next Speaker emerge as candidate in a free and fair direct primary.
A source said his Plans A and B to be speaker come 2019 have performed so woefully and if they go into a contest with party members deciding their faith they would be roundly disgraced because of their bad stewardship and nonperformance in the last four years as State Assembly members.
After consultations were held a plan was orchestrated in the form of a social welfare package of ten thousand Naira monthly stipend for deserving party members across the six Local Governments in Ogun Central Senatorial district. This plan is set to empower over 100 people in each ward and put them on the payroll of the State Government so they can be used to shore up votes in each ward during direct primary. It is a plot very similar to what Peter Fayose of Ekiti used to fill his mega rally during the Electioneering campaign in Ekiti State. As we speak thousands of forms are being distributed across the Central Senatorial District
If this will help the anointed Assembly Aspirants for State Assembly Party Primaries is left to be seen.
Time will tell if the people of Ogun Central Senatorial district will fall for this last minute effort at social welfare that has a caveat to it.
Wole Adenekan reporting from Abeokuta.
