Three weeks after he spearheaded the presidential victory of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Ibadanland, the foremost Philanthropist in Oyo State and owner of Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort, Chief Dotun Sanusi on Saturday delivered his polling booth, ward in Ona Ara Local Government for the State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), serving Senator Teslim Folarin hailed from Ona Ara, same local government as Sanusi and Jumoke Akinjide, a former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory.
Earlier on Sunday, the PDP has been declared winners in Ona Ara Local Government by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) polling 14, 430 votes against APC’s 7,848votes.At yesterday’s governorship election at Ojebode village via Ilaji, Ona Ara Local Government Akanran.
APC scored 13, while PDP got 127 and ACCORD secured nine respectively.
In the House of assembly at the same unit, APC scored 28 votes to the PDP’s 89 and ACCORD’s 32.
At the Senator Folarin unit in Idiose, PDP scored 331 to APC’s 172 while in the
House of assembly, APC got 89 to
PDP’s 196 respectively.
The results so far released by the INEC in Ibadan and other zones of the State showed similar pattern as Makinde is topping other contenders; Folarin and Bayo Adelabu of Accord with wide margin.
Both Dotun Sanusi and Seyi Makinde are key players in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.
In the 2019 gubernatorial election, billionaire-businessman Sanusi supported Makinde alongside other eminent citizens of the State to emerge as Governor of the State.
At a landmark meeting held at the Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort last Saturday and which had in attendance traditional rulers, religious leaders and leaders of the markets’ who were loyal to Ilaji, the Governor appealed for the understanding of Ilaji with a promise to ‘turn a new leaf’.
At that meeting which changed the tide of the game were the foremost traditional ruler from Ogbomosoland, the Onpetu of Ijeru, Oba Sunday Oyediran, Part II chiefs in Ibadanland, Ibadan family heads popularly known as Mogajis who all declared their support for the re-election bid of the State governor.
Others who threw their weight behind the governor ahead of yesterday’s March 18 governorship election, were the market men and women association in the state, traders and artisans, the Nigerian Union of Teachers and Youth groups.
These different groups gave thier supports late on Saturday at the Ilaji Hotels and Resort, Akanran, Ibadan, when Governor Makinde, paid a visit to the Chairman of Ilaji Hotels and Resort and Otun Apesinola of Ibadanland, Mogaji (Engr.) Dotun Sanusi.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Taiwo Adisa indicated that leaders of the different groups declared their support for the governor’s re-election during the visit, as they declared that their decisions were based on the interventions by the Ilaji Resort chairman, whom they said had made it clear that he was supporting the governor’s re-election bid.
Sanusi, who gave a short address to welcome the visitors, said that he was supporting Makinde’s re-election after the governor had mobilised support for the election of Nigeria’s President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in penultimate Saturday’s presidential election.
Governor Makinde, in his response, appreciated Engr. Sanusi, whom he described as his friend and colleague from the Oil and Gas Industry, stating that he has learnt many lessons with regards to stakeholders’ engagement and that things would be better off when he is re-elected.
The governor also used the occasion to reiterate that upon his re-election, he would complete the Beere-Akanran-Dagbolu Road, adding that the road will greatly impact on the economy of axis.
Makinde, who addressed the Ibadan Baales and Mogajis at the meeting, reiterated that his administration would not approve any reform to the Ibadan chieftaincy system without due diligence, noting that his position remains that whatever review will be done to the system must
He said: “I want to thank my brother, Engr. Dotun Sanusi. Just like he said, I am from the Oil and Gas Industry, and I came out in 2007 to contest for the first time. But I didn’t care whether or not I won the election, as I just wanted to participate.
“One unique thing about where I was coming from is that it is all about your focus, your bottom-line. You assume your stakeholders are behind your common goal, and that is exactly how Oil and Gas industry is.
“I have never held any political position. My first public service is the position of governor, which I am currently occupying, and I had to learn. I came in and focused on the goals to achieve the set targets and ensure I deliver on them. Where I was coming from, I assumed that the stakeholders and I are after the same target. But in the past three plus years, I have come to understand that one has to pay attention to stakeholders’ engagement.”
The governor equally clarified that insinuations that he had issues with the Ilaji Resort chairman were untrue.
“Some people are insinuating that I don’t like my brother, Sanusi, and that that is why I have not fixed the road leading to Ilaji Resort. I came here after I became governor more than two times and I know the impact the road will have on the economy of Oyo State but there are constraints.
He equally hailed the chairman of Ilaji Hotels for the effort he made in convening the august meeting.
Similarly, the President of Association of Mogajis in Ibadanland, Mogaji Asimiyu Ariori, hailed Mogaji Sanusi for the role he played in ending the street wars in Ibadan, while also commending the governor for the great part his administration played in bringing stability to the city through the setting up of committees to address gang wars and land-grabbing.
The Ologbere of Ogbere, who is also the head of Part II Chiefs in Ibadanland and the Oniladuntan of Laduntan, called on all Ibadan sons and daughters to come out and work for the governor’s re-election.
According to Oniladuntan, Governor Makinde “is a true son of Ona Ara and he has not brought shame to us. He will continue in office beyond four years. Our votes in Ona Ara will be the highest.
“We also appreciate Ilaji [Dotun Sanusi]. He is our Arisekola in Ona Ara and Ibadanland and we assure you, the governor, on behalf of Ilaji, that we will deliver the votes.”
The Babaloja-General of Oyo State, Alhaji Y.K. Abass, Iyaloja Saratu Aduke, president of Oyo State Traders and Artisans, president of Oyo State Cow Sellers and the state chairman of the NUT all commended the governor’s good works in the last four years.
They unanimously declared that since Mogaji Sanusi has declared his support for the governor, their individual associations, some of which have Sanusi as patron or have been receiving his support over the years, will support Governor Makinde to consolidate on the good works he started.
