Ogun 2023: Why Amosun’s Anointed Candidate, Biyi Otegbeye’s Guber Ambition May Hit The Rocks

Dayo Rufai, Abeokuta

Baring any last minute political move, the ambition of the African Democratic Congress, (ADC) governorship candidate, Biyi Otegbeye, may be headed for the rocks.

The ADC governorship hopeful recently had a good day when former governor of the state and the incumbent governor, Dapo Abiodun’s political arch rival, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, pitched his tent with ADC.

Amosun’s 2023 permutations shocked many of his political lieutenants who had thought the move would end up being an exercise in futility just as the missiles he launched against Prince Dapo Abiodun prior to the 2019 general election came to nought.

Investigation gathered by Gateway Times Nigeria, however, has it that Otegbeye, though a personality with sterling characters, would find it difficult to win even his  hometown, Ilaro in Yewa South local government area of the state.

One of the ADC staunch followers in Yewa axis who preferred not to be named disclosed further that one of the stumbling blocks for Otegbeye’s governorship dream is the senatorial ambition of Senator Olamilekan Adeola Solomon a.k.a. Yayi.

Otegbeye is from Ilaro where Yayi also hails from and Yayi is also from Ward 1 as Otegbeye. Senator Adeola a big spender who posseses the war chest to push his ambition,  is running on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Otegbeye had contested twice but lost on both occasions.

Gateway Times Nigeria reports that Otegbeye left the late Prince Buruji Kashamu’s camp in PDP in 2015 to team with Chief Olusegun Osoba in SDP. He was handed the senatorial ticket of the party in Ogun Central but lost to APC’s Senator Gbolahan Dada.

Precisely, Otegbeye came third behind Gbolahan Dada of APC and Lai Taiwo of PDP when he contested for senatorial seat in 2015.

Again in 2019, Otegbeye was reported to have been fielded as the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives Candidate for Yewa South, Ipokia federal constituency but also lost the election to Hon Kolawole Lawal of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Further findings have it that apart from relying solely on the political strength of Senator Amosun, Otegbeye is also banking on the support of the APM, the platform which Amosun used unsuccessfully to wrestle power from Prince Dapo Abiodun during the 2019 general elections.

On this, Gateway Times Nigeria can reliably inform that the governorship candidate of APM in 2019, Hon Adekunle Akinlade, had not only moved to become Hon Oladipupo Adebutu’s deputy governorship candidate in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he also hails from Agosasa, an ancient community in Ogun West area of the state.

Political pundits now argue that the influence of Senator Adeola and that of Akinlade, prominently known in the Ogun political circle as Tripple A, will negatively affect the governorship bid of the ADC governor, Otegbeye.

Further information obtained by Gateway Times Nigeria revealed that ADC, on which Otegbeye will be flying his guber ticket has no known senatorial candidate in the three senatorial districts of Ogun West, Ogun Central and Ogun East.

By his permutation, which he is keeping to his chest, the ADC governorship hopeful strongly believed that the incumbent governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun of APC and Hon Adebutu of PDP will split the votes from the nine local governments in Ogun East, while Senator Amosun’s influence in Ogun central will see him rise above other candidates in the district.

Another source confided in this magazine that, Otegbeye would be banking on the natural belief that being the only known governorship candidate from Yewa axis, he should be able to garner enough votes from the senatorial district to give him victory.

‘In fact another critical angle why the ambition might hit the Rock is that Biyi Otegbeye is not the biological son  of the popular Dr Tunji Otegbeye of Ilaro against the widely believed insinuation in Amosun’s camp. A big minus for Biyi even in ilaro township,’ the source revealed.

Otegbeye’s running mate, Mr Tunde Awonuga, is from Oni, an ancient community in Ogun Waterside local government area of the state.

According to investigation, Awonuga came into the Ogun political scene less than a year back. Awonuga had recently contested for the House of Representatives position for Ijebu North, Ijebu East and Ogun Waterside federal constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but came third in the primary election.

However, it is believed that Awonuga, a new breed politician, may have his political dream suppressed by the imposing weight of both the APC and PDP in the riverine community of Ogun Waterside local government which presently serves as his political base.