A newly inaugurated group-Non-Yoruba Indigenes of All Progressive Congress Forum (NYIAF), the political arm of Non Indigenes in Ogun State Zone has commended Governor Ibikunle Amosun for the efforts the governor has put to see that the state moves to the next level.
The group also warned that, come 2019, there is need to check the excesses of some political gladiators that may come up with the intentions of bringing up candidates from strange camps to succeed the current governor, adding that such development would not give room for all-inclusive development.
Speaking to journalists at the one year anniversary of NYIAF, held in Ota, Ogun State, Chairman of NYIAF, Chief (Dr.) Chris Orie advised that the current development going on in Ogun state by the Senator Amosun led government should be upheld by both indigenes and non-indigenes.
Chief Orie, while describing Gov Amosun as God sent said that since the beginning of political dispensation in Ogun State, no government has ever approved mass release of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to both indigenes and non-indigenes as much as the present Ogun State government has done.
Expressing satisfaction for the Land Grabbers’ Law initiated by the governor, Orie pointed out that such move is another landmark achievement in favour of both the Non Yoruba Indigenes and Indigenes in the State.
He therefore, warned that Ogun State people should watch very carefully and also resist any form of imposition of candidate to run their affairs in the upcoming general election in the state, adding “I see Amosun as a Devil we know which is better than that angel we don’t know”. We don’t want any imposition of candidate in Ogun State. I am of the opinion that Amosun’s successor should continue where the governor stopped. And whoever that is coming under APC should be a person that will imbibe culture of continuity and key into all the laudable projects going on in the state.
The NYIAF Chairman further emphasized that “We thank God for Amosun who has embarked on a lot of developmental projects. Many people are thinking that Amosun is not working but we know he is working because we have seen some things he did that previous governments failed to do”.
Lamenting on the plight of Non Yoruba Indigenes in the state, Orie said that, although Governor Amosun has not done much for Non Yoruba Indigenes but that, he is fully convinced that perhaps, the next governor would remember the Non Yoruba Indigenes. With about 60-70 per cent contribution to Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) fund to the state treasury, Chief Orie who claimed that non-indigenes are the backbone of commerce in Ogun State have been used and dumped after each election has been concluded. He said that, even though these non-indigenes are part and parcel of the political system, they are often seen as an opposition party by almost all the subsequent state governments in South West, but today it is not so.
Noting that Gov. Amosun has done well in the areas of roads and other infrastructural developments, Chief Orie added “Before now, we had so many governors in Ogun State; in fact, Ogun State was one of the most dilapidated States in Nigeria. But despite the infrastructural deficit, Ogun State is now one of the most industrialized States after Lagos State in Nigeria. Before now, there are lots of revenue accruing into Ogun State coffers but nothing has been going on in terms of roads and other infrastructural projects”. But under Amosun, the road networks have improved.
On NYIAF interest in Ogun State, Chief Orie said “We want to encourage Senator Amosun to continue and ignore unnecessary criticisms. All we want is unity and we want to live in peace with the indigenes. We are solidly behind any government that is controlling the affairs of the state. However, Amosun should take his time and put an eye on who will embrace continuity of the giant strides he has achieved in the state. No Doubt, Ogun State needs consolidation of developmental projects as witnessed in neighboring Lagos State”.
Advising all the Non Yoruba Indigenes in Ogun State, the chairman urged all to ensure that they get their voters card, saying that such move is the only way to checkmate the political group and ensure that external candidates from unpopular political camps are not imposed on the citizenry.
