•The Story Of The OSUN Accord Party Guber Candidate
Over the last few weeks, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, the Accord Party Governorship Candidate in Osun State has intensified his campaigns across the state, going on visitations to traditional rulers & major stakeholders in the State.
He
has spent the last few weeks meeting with traders, opinion moulders, religious
leaders, the old and the young, NURTW members, artisans and farmers. There is
no sector that he has left out. .
Expectedly, he has changed the narrative
of politics in Osun. He has taken politicking away from money politics to
politics of issues. And he has moved campaigns away from open-air rallies to
meeting with stakeholders one-on-one, in their homes and offices, selling his
Omoluabi principles and the programmes he has for the various sectors.
Since
he declared his intention to run for governorship weeks back, on the platform
of Accord Party, he has been on the road, travelling around all the local
governments and senatorial districts, preaching politics of issues. Almost on a
daily basis, he has been meeting with traditional rulers, groups and
associations. He has met with the Christians, Muslims and Traditionalists and
he has been telling them one-on-one, why he is the right and appropriate candidate for the job of Governor.
He
usually sets out early in the morning and does not come back till late in the
night. He is always dressed in branded Tee Shirts on denim jeans, with snickers
to go with it. He usually drapes Accord party muffler round his neck with a
branded face cap to match.
His
entourage usually sets out with about 30 Vehicles (some branded) and as he
moves into villages and towns, other supporters join, with their cars. Okada
& Keke Maruwa riders also usually join voluntarily and move with them, with
Akin Ogunbiyi Stickers, affixed on their Okadas & Keke. “He enjoys
tremendous goodwill,” explains one of his supporters. “He doesn’t bribe, or,
pay them, to join his campaign "All he does, is to appeal to their reason and
conscience, to campaign for him and the fact that they will get good governance
in return”.
Everywhere he goes, both young and old rally around him, especially the youths, many
of whom are Okada riders. Everywhere he goes, he keeps promising a lot of the
youths that they will be gainfully employed since many of them are graduates.
Of
course, he does not joke with Security. He usually moves around with tight
security. He moves around with his running mate, Alhaji Kunle Jimoh and Accord
Party exco members across the South West zone.
Accord
Party is his party of choice. He left PDP a few months back to join Accord when
he was frustrated out of Osun PDP. It was after this that Accord Party leaders
put pressure on him to cross over and pick the Accord Party governorship
ticket. His Pledge is to develop Osun State. He is promising them the
following: Functional Primary Healthcare, Payment of Pensioners, Welfare to
Civil Servants across all levels, Support to Women Cooperators & Traders,
Youth Employment and Empowerment, Security of Lives and Properties, Access to
Governance Autonomy, Free and Compulsory Primary School Education, Promotion
and Development of Agriculture and Agric Related Industries, and much more.
Last
week Wednesday 18th May 2022, City People joined his campaign train to see,
first-hand, his style and manner of the campaign. His campaign team left the Osogbo
campaign office of the Accord Party in a convoy of about 25 cars (many branded in
the colours of the party) and took off to some towns, under Ife North. The 1st
port of call was Edun Abon. He stopped at the palace of Oba Adesoji Olatunde
Oladapo (JP), the Salu of Edun Abon who received the team with his Chiefs and
beautiful Oloori. With Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi & his deputy were the Vice
Chairman of the Accord Party (South West) and the State Treasurer. From there, the
team moved into town to meet with the
Elders & the Youths.
They
told him what they want for their town. And he promised to help them with their
demand From there, the team moved to the palace of Olumoro of Moro, HRM Oba Dr.
Abidoye Oyeniyi, who prayed for Dr. Ogunbiyi & his deputy. He had assembled
all his Chiefs. In attendance was his Oloori, Iya Moro, and Evangelist Irene
Oyeniyi who prayed for Dr. Ogunbiyi.
From
there, the team moved to the residence of Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade in Yakooyo
town. He was out on his farm. Many don’t know that he is a big farmer. From
there, the team moved to pay a courtesy call on HRH Oba Meshach Oyewole
Oyediran, the Olulamokun of Yakooyo, who was coronated on 12th September 2019.
That was the year he was presented his Staff of office. One of his Chiefs, the
Balogun of Yakooyo gave a welcome speech imploring Ogunbiyi to look in the
direction of Road rehabilitation, Youth Employment and the establishment of a Higher Institution in Yakooyo to bring development to Yakooyo.
From
there, the team moved to Ile-Ife to meet with the leadership of NURTW. The
Group Chairman of the Oranmiyan Group (National Union), Chief Femi Oladele led
all the other Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen and Leaders of the various chapters to
receive Dr. Ogunbiyi. He addressed them for about 30 minutes on the things he will do for NURTW members if he is
elected. He told them that he would help their sector grow bigger. He told them
how as a businessman he had supported the Transport sector in the past, how he
bought 25,000 okadas and buses in the past through his Insurance Company. He
explained how he had created wealth for thousands of people in the past. “I
borrowed N5 million from late Chief Aret Adams about 29/30 years ago to set up
Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc. He is now the Chairman of the company. He told
them how he has 5,000 workers in the company.
He
told them how his father was involved in the Transport business and so he grew up
to learn a lot about the transport business. He also preached the gospel of the Accord
Party and the beauty of the fact that the party has no Baba Isale or no
political godfather.
Of
course, the NURTW leaders spoke in turns, advising him on how to go about
making sure that the transporters are taken good care of if he wins as Governor. From there, Dr. Akin
Ogunbiyi & his team trecked to a nearby Pepper market, to address the
traders on the need to vote for the Accord party.
At
every place he went, he reiterated the fact that ACCORD party’s party logo of
the Thumb is No 1 on the list of parties on the ballot paper and that they
should all go for it.
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