By Dare Olawin
In the 2023 governorship election, Ogun State voters may have to choose between two indigenes of Iperu, Ikenne Local Government Area of the Gateway State.
Coincidentally, these two kinsmen are running under the platforms of the two major political parties in the country – the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
While one is already occupying the Ogun governorship seat and seeking reelection, the other is hellbent on fulfilling what could best be described as a “lifelong ambition”.
At the primary election of the APC held recently as the MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, Governor Dapo Abiodun was declared winner of the party’s ticket to seek Ogun people’s votes for another four-year tenure, from 2023 to 2027.
Likewise, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also conducted its governorship primary election at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, where a former House of Representatives member, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, was declared winner.
INSIDE POLITICS reports that the duo of Abiodun and Adebutu are from the same Iperu community of Remo.
Except there is a last-minute change, the the two ‘brothers’ would be on the ballot to slug it out in the two leading political parties. What this posits is that if the two candidates remain the front runners in the 2023 election, Iperu, Ikenne Remo and Ogun East would retain the number one seat in the State.
To many Ogun indigenes, especially those from other regions like Ogun Central and Ogun West, it is better for Abiodun to get reelection than for Adebutu to win in 2023.
According to them, at the expiration of Abiodun’s tenure in 2027, power would definitely shift to other zones of the State. The Ijebu/Remo bloc would have completed two terms of eight years and those from Yewa/Awori and Egba would be in the race.
However, there are permutations that if Ladi Adebutu becomes the governor in 2023, the Baba Ijebu son would seek reelection in 2027; fuelling speculations that the two other zones would have to wait till 2031 before they could produce a governor.
To the Egbas, this may not be a serious issue. But the question many are asking is, “what becomes of those from Yewa/Awori, who are yet produce a governor since Ogun was created in 1976?”
During a political gathering in Iperu a while ago , Gov Abiodun had described Adebutu’s gubernatorial ambition as laughable, saying “how will someone think he will be governor from this same Iperu where I hail from?”
Nevertheless, Adebutu, has said Gov Abiodun should get ready to vacate office come 2023.
He said, “Dapo Abiodun is not carrying out governance, he is just marking time. His time is up!”
In all of this, the ancient town of Iperu, might be the beneficiary of whatever the outcome of the 2023 election might be.
