Lekan Yusuf, Ibadan
The Ogbomoso Concerned Group has called on the people of Ogbomoso Zone and beyond to rally behind Engr. Muftau Open Salawu, FNSE, following his nomination as the Deputy Governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) for the 2027 general elections.
The group drew a parallel between Salawu’s nomination and the widespread support enjoyed by the late Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala when he was nominated as Deputy Governor to Senator Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, saying history appears to be repeating itself 23 years later.
The APM has nominated Engr. Salawu as its Deputy Governorship candidate to Hon. Bimbo Adekambi for the 2027 general elections.
Salawu, who holds the traditional titles of Babalaje of Ogbomosoland and Giwa Adini of Oyo State, hails from Ile Alapa, Isale Ora, Ita Alasa, in Ogbomoso North Local Government Area.
The Ogbomoso Concerned Group urged residents and indigenes of the zone to extend to Salawu the same level of support given to the late Alao-Akala, citing his contributions to community development, religious activities, education, empowerment and infrastructure.
On community and faith, the group highlighted Salawu’s donation of a bus to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ogbomoso Zone, in 2021. It also noted that he has sponsored Rev. Dr. Titilade Adetayo’s Christian radio programme on Parrot FM every Friday for the past 10 years and donated to various churches across Ogbomoso. According to the group, he has also sponsored Muslim and Christian programmes on the station over the same period.
On the Islamic faith, the group said Salawu built the Central Mosque in Ilajue, Surulere Local Government Area, and the Central Mosque in Olokoto, Oriire Local Government Area. He also built mosques in Ile Ogiri and Tara in Ogbomoso, supported the foundation of the Ikoyi Central Mosque and roofed several Jumat mosques.
The group further stated that he initiated the Itikaf programme at the Ogbomoso Central Mosque and has funded the feeding of 100 participants annually since 2023. It added that he has provided meals for 9,000 people every Ramadan for the past eight years.
In education and empowerment, the Ogbomoso Concerned Group said Salawu is providing full scholarships for 20 students from primary school to university, many of whom are now in higher institutions. It also cited his donation of 50 laptops to indigent students across Ogbomoso and his recent provision of N1 million each as start-up capital to several traders, alongside financial support for other small business owners.
The group also listed his donation of 300 bags of rice and cash to party members during festive periods over the past three years, as well as the distribution of food items worth more than N10 million to community members during the COVID-19 pandemic. It added that he donated N10 million to the Ogbomoso Education Endowment Fund, consistently supported development programmes in the zone and serves on the Board of Trustees of the proposed Ogbomoso University.
On infrastructure, the group said Salawu distributed 50 motorcycles, known as Green Bikes, to beneficiaries across party lines, drilled several boreholes in different communities and provided a 200KVA transformer at Okin Apa. It further stated that he facilitated 46 kilometres of township roads in Ogbomoso, with work reportedly at an advanced stage.
Regarding employment, the group credited him with facilitating appointments for indigenes of Ogbomoso into federal and state government services, including nine federal appointments and 65 state government appointments.
The Ogbomoso Concerned Group maintained that Salawu, like the late Alao-Akala, had consistently demonstrated commitment to the development of Ogbomoso, adding that his relationship with traditional rulers and religious leaders across the zone reflected his longstanding engagement with the community.
The group therefore called on the people of Ogbomoso Zone to consider his record of interventions and extend support to him as the 2027 general elections approach.
