‘Why Oke-Ogun people must produce Oyo governor 2019’

For justice, fairness and equity, the Oke-Ogun people of Oyo State, yesterday, declared that it is their turn to produce the next governor of the state.

They said they have agreed among themselves to queue behind a candidate and urged all Oke-Ogun politicians interested in the office to begin consultations and build bridges across the state.

Addressing a Press conference at NUJ Press Centre Iyaganku, Ibadan, the chairman of Oke-Ogun Consultative Council Forum (OCCF), Dr. Olusegun Ajuwon, accompanied by prominent indigenes of the area, said, “OkeOgun as a distinct segment of Oyo State, is hereby announcing formally that for the governorship of Oyo State, it is our turn, come 2019.

“Nothing will divide us, we understand the essence of unity in this game and at the appropriate time we shall endorse a candidate and all of us will queue behind that person.”

Ajuwon, who noted that the Oke-Ogun people are located strategically in 10 out of 33 local councils of the state, said they are ready to collaborate and work with others in Ibadan, Ogbomosho and Ibarapa to achieve their objective.

The chairman, who admitted that it was going to be a daunting task, said it is achievable because they are ready to do all that is necessary to ensure Oke-Ogun person occupy the exalted office that has eluded them since 1976 when the state was created.

He noted: “It is noteworthy that the South of Nigeria had at one time or the other clamoured to produce the President rather than having the North to perpetually occupy the position.

“In spite of the numerical strength of the North, the quest for national understanding, fairness and equity have prevailed and in 18 Years of the present democratic dispensation, the South had produced two of the four presidents.”

He said Oke-Ogun is ready to present their best for the state, who he said, would take the state to the next level.

He noted that the physical distance of Oke-Ogun to the State capital has denied the area of social infrastructure just as he decried absence of Federal Government in the area.

He said: “We do not have a single Federal institution except for the Nigerian Police and a few other uniformed law enforcement agencies whose presence is to collect tax and other revenues without any compensation in form of derivation as other sections of the country that are earning resources from government through oil and gas.”