Amosun Tests Political Relevance, Gathers Mammoth Crowd In Abeokuta On 68th Birthday

ABEOKUTA – A former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Sunday, passed the litmus test of his political relevance, gathering thousands of his followers, admirers, and associates to celebrate his 68th birthday anniversary.

The Ake palace pavilion was full to the brim with different political groups, societies, and unions in the state defied the scorching sun to show their love and solidarity to their former governor.

Amosun, ruled as Ogun state governor for eight years between 2011 – 2019 under the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) which later became All Progressives Congress (APC).

Prior to that in 2003, Amosun was elected as Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District under the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He served in the same capacity in 2019 – 2023, making him one of the most successful Ogun state politicians.

Sequel to the birthday celebration on Sunday, many innuendoes already flying around Ogun state that the former governor wanted to formally declare his intention to return to the Senate, representing Ogun Central Senatorial District on the platform of Action Democratic Congress (ADC).

Sources within the Senator’s campaign organisation confirmed that substantial mobilisation efforts have already been disbursed to shore up support ahead of the announcement. A total of N500,000 was reportedly distributed to each ward across the Ogun Central senatorial district to energise supporters and ensure a massive turnout for the declaration event.

Rumour mongers said the move was part of a coordinated exit from the All Progressives Congress alongside his preferred governorship aspirant, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Ishola, who currently also belongs to the APC.

But the tall-cap crooner, shocked many political observers and pundits who were agitated about the purported senatorial declaration on the platform of ADC.

Rather, Senator Ibikunle Amosun declared his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term re-election bid.

Speaking at the birthday cum political rally yesterday, Amosun cited the need to sustain power rotation in Nigeria’s political structure.

He stressed that rotational presidency remains in the best interest of the country.

He noted that after eight years of leadership by former President Muhammadu Buhari from the North, it was only fair for power to remain in the South, adding that President Tinubu’s emergence aligns with the principle of equity and balance.

According to him, Tinubu, though a South-West indigene, represents the collective interest of the entire Southern region and Nigeria as a whole.

Amosun urged Nigerians to respect the rotational arrangement, insisting that doing so would promote unity and political stability in the country.

He said, “In the interest of Nigeria, we should observe the rotation. Rotation in the sense that if the North takes the presidency this time, the South will have to take it the next time.

“The last president from the North was President Muhammadu Buhari. He did how many years? Eight years. Now, it is our turn in the South, and we have President Tinubu in the South.

“He is now representing all of us in Nigeria, primarily, but he’s from where? The South-West, and he’s representing all of us in the South. Indeed, it is for anyone who loves Nigeria to agree that whatever we are doing, we should respect this rotational arrangement.

“And that is why today, just like what I said when we were having our convention that time, that not only in the interest of maybe even Asiwaju now or even any of us, but in the interest of all of us in Nigeria.”

The former governor also spoke on the political structure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, highlighting his role alongside former governor Olusegun Osoba as a foundational figure of the party in the state.

“So I want to inform all of you, I have read a lot of things, but I want everybody to know if we say A is our A, if we say B it will be B. We told them that we are what we are, and in any case in this Ogun State, how can they talk about APC without talking about Amosun?

“With all respect to all our leaders and our elders, I think probably the only person who will say in this Ogun State when we were forming APC that was in the forefront is Olusegun Osoba. When you take Osoba, who will you take next? It is me, and that is why you do not destroy what you build.”

Amosun further declared his pride in the state’s political heritage and reaffirmed his support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.