Ilaro agog on Friday as Engr. Temitope Stephen Kuyebi, formally declared his intention to vie for the governorship of Ogun State, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) come 2019.
Engr. Temitope Stephen Kuyebi, an Ogun West APC governorship aspirant, took no one in doubt over his governorship intent. With a retinue of party leaders and supporters of his “Divine Mandate” group, he walked into the arena and exchanged pleasantries with his guests who are Ogun State government workers, specifically from Ogun West senatorial district, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), APC Ogun West senatorial leaders, APC Youth Leaders amongst others.
Kuyebi, who could not conceal his emotion for the ample opportunity given to Yewa-Awori axis, charged the people of the zone to continue to pray for the incumbent Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, not to renege on his promise to zone the 2019 gubernatorial seat to Ogun West senatorial district, as pledged.
Kuyebi, who is the youngest among Ogun West Governorship aspirants, said the “2019 Ogun West Governorship Agenda” can’t be achieved, without the intercession of the governor, who is more passionate and committed to ceding the governorship baton to a Yewa candidate as his successor in office come May 29, 2019.
He however promised to continue with the unprecedented good governance of the incumbent governor, Amosun, in office and even raise the performance bar chart, if elected into the office.
He reiterated that the leadership of our great party (APC) in Ogun State has zoned the governorship ticket to Ogun West which translates to our prayers being answered. So, we must not toy with this opportunity.
Zoning brings an opportunity to all and sundry to enjoy the spread of government presence in all ramifications. It means, being the first priority on the list for the purpose of even development. So, we must not let this golden opportunity to elude us, but take a full grasp of it and make Ogun West a place to be reckoned with.
In his words,
“Our gathering here today is to raise ambassadors and partners for this great opportunity coming ahead of us in Ogun West. Teamwork has always been one of my core values in life, because together we can make it and achieve much, but alone I cannot go far. This is not just about leading. It is about making a difference. Not just about occupying the office but achieving the desired goal. Our goal is to make Ogun West great. It is our hope, it is our future, it is our legacy and it is our land. We are in its development together.
“Secondly, we are gathered here to interact and brainstorm on how to uphold and support my aspiration to be the next governor of Ogun State come 2019.
This synergy with the Ogun State civil servants, the professionals and non-political class in Ogun West will form an alliance and coalition that will promote and foster my candidacy and thereby, establish a strong link between the government and the civil service in the future,” said Kuyebi.
The 43-year-old politician and an indigene of Imasai, in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State stated that time has come for the sons and daughters of Ogun West to rally round and support his aspiration to be the next Governor of Ogun State come May 29, 2019.
“I am not new in this governorship project. I had once taken a shot at the number one plum job in the state in 2011 and that was on the platform of the Action Congress (AC). I was the consensus governorship candidate that the Ogun West elders, leaders and the people had elected and endorsed to fly the AC ticket but after a meeting led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, late Lam Adeshina and other leaders and held at Bourdillon, Ikoyi, Lagos, and I was asked to step down for Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who later emerged as our candidate and became the governor-elect. I was asked to step down for two reasons. That I didn’t have much political experience and also, because I was still young. I was 35 years old, then.
I took another shot in 2015, but this time around, for the Ogun West senatorial seat.
“It is interesting to note that, despite these two instances, I neither dumped the AC which metamorphosed to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and subsequently, All Progressives Congress (APC), nor defected to another party, unlike other aggrieved co-aspirants did. Rather, I have stayed put in the progressive party and worked for the common good of it,” added Kuyebi.
However, guest speaker at the occasion, Mr Bisi Idowu, appealed to the sons and daughters of Ogun West to bury their differences and support the Yewa-Awori governorship agenda.
“This is the right time for us in Ogun West. Let us throw our weight behind Engineer Temitope Kuyebi to be the governor of this state come 2019.
Let us encourage our youths and Kuyebi, who is 43 years old, he is one of us. Let us support his aspiration. He is capable. He is reliable. He is qualified to be the next governor of Ogun State. He has paid his dues within the ruling party, APC, in the state,” said Idowu.
