The man, who Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun recently hinted would accompany him to the 2019 Eid prayer as an ex-Governor might have finally emerged.

He is Honourable Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade, a serving member of the House of Representatives who represents Egbado South and Ipokia Federal Constituency of Ogun State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Akinlade (49) was adopted as the consensus candidate of the APC by the Ogun West Elders very early on Thursday morning, after hours-long meeting in Ayetoro, Yewa North Local Government Area of the state, to pick the zone’s governorship candidate for the 2019 election.

According to The Nation, Governor Ibikunle Amosun preferred Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade to Odebiyi and subtly ensured that the Ogun West elders picked him.

Amosun had during the last Eid -El – Kabir prayer at the Muslim Prayer ground, Lantoro, Abeokuta, declared in sober tone that this year edition drew the curtain to his observing the Sallah prayer with them as a serving Governor.

The Governor added that by next year, he would not attend the Eid prayer in his “capacity as a governor,” but as someone that would accompany his successor as an ex-Governor.

Since he did not mention the name of the person at the time, many of his Muslim audiences in their hundreds, looked sideways at each other, prompting them to wonder if he planned to install a Muslim as a successor from among a dozen of aspirants on the platform APC jostling to succeed him.

With Abdulkabir’s adoption by the Ogun West elders following what many believed was the product of a behind – the – scene influence of the Governor, there is no more guessing who Amosun’s whizkid or successor – Governor he would accompany to 2019 Eid prayer, is.
Amosun will formally present him to the party as the governorship flag bearer for APC in 2019 election today (Thursday). Already, a press briefing to this effect has been slated for 11 am at the APC state Secretariat on Abiola Way, Abeokuta.

•Excerpted from The Nation report

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