Four aspirants for the Ogun Central Senatorial seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday, rejected the endorsement of the current senator representing the district, Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, as the consensus candidate ahead of the next election in Ogun State.
Governor Dapo Abiodun had announced Senator Salisu as the consensus candidate at a stakeholders’ meeting of the Ogun Central APC in Abeokuta on Thursday.
The Ogun Central Stakeholders’ Meeting, held at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, the state capital, had in attendance the party chairman, Mr Yemi Sanusi; Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi; Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide; Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi; party leaders, loyalists, stakeholders, among others.
Our correspondent reports that before announcing the endorsement, the governor appealed to stakeholders on behalf of Senator Salisu, stating that “nobody is perfect,” stressing that every individual has strengths and weaknesses.
In their loud rejection, several stakeholders and party members at the meeting expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as an attempt to impose Senator Salisu as the consensus candidate in Ogun Central.
Abiodun also begged party members and stakeholders to forgive perceived shortcomings and rally behind the senator in the interest of party unity.
The governor thereafter announced Senator Salisu as the consensus candidate for Ogun Central Senatorial District.
Despite Governor Abiodun’s appeal, the crowd openly resisted the move, insisting that the people of the district should be allowed to decide who emerges as their preferred candidate.
The aggrieved stakeholders, before leaving the gathering in anger, insisted that Ogun Central deserves an open and transparent process capable of accommodating all qualified aspirants within the party.
Speaking shortly after the meeting, four aspirants — Senator Lanre Tejuoso, Senator Olugbenga Obadara, the immediate past Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Investment, Emmanuel Sofela, and business mogul, Otunba Muriana Banjoko— rejected the endorsement of Senator Salisu.
Tejuoso, who represented Ogun Central between 2015 and 2019, described the endorsement as unacceptable.
He insisted that Ogun APC members should be allowed to decide their candidate in the next election.
On his part, Obadara, who represented Ogun Central between 2011 and 2015, described the endorsement as immoral.
He said, “It’s not in any way supported by us. It’s against morality and against our discussion at the last meeting.
“We are totally rejecting the decision to endorse Senator Salisu. That’s the decision of the four of us.”
Also speaking, Sofela said: “We are practising democracy. As aspirants, we are expressing our desire to serve our people. If the people who are currently being served in the constituency, the preponderance of them, are saying no, what more evidence do you want?
“If four people who are aspirants and the preponderance of the people of Ogun Central are saying we don’t want somebody who’s representing us to go back and represent us, what more evidence is needed?”
Also responding, Otunba Muraina Banjoko said: “I align with the position of the three other aspirants. I was in a meeting yesterday night around 1:30 to 2 o’clock, and the meeting was inconclusive.
“Our people wondered why they went ahead to endorse someone today and raise his hand up.”
