A new political development is unfolding in Ogun State ahead of the 2019 governorship election, with House of Representatives member, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade, emerging as Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s preferred successor.
Akinlade, who represents the Egbado South/Ipokia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, is being positioned by the Amosun camp as its choice to succeed the governor when the latter’s tenure expires in 2019.
The development followed a series of consultations and closed-door meetings involving Governor Amosun, governorship aspirants and political stakeholders in the state.
Reports indicated that the field of aspirants was narrowed, with Akinlade and Tolu Odebiyi among the names receiving significant attention.
Akinlade, popularly known as “Triple A,” is from Ogun West Senatorial District and has emerged as one of the prominent figures in the race for the governorship ticket.
The development was also consistent with the position of Ogun West political elders, who subsequently announced Akinlade as their preferred candidate after a lengthy closed-door meeting.
Before entering the National Assembly, Akinlade had served in the administration of Governor Amosun as Senior Special Assistant on Taxation and Revenue between 2011 and 2014.
In that capacity, he was involved in the administration of taxation and revenue matters under the Ogun State Board of Internal Revenue.
He later moved to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development before resigning from government service to pursue an elective position at the federal level.
Akinlade subsequently won election to the House of Representatives, where he represented Egbado South and Ipokia Federal Constituency.
At the National Assembly, he served on several committees, including Army, Finance, Public Procurement, Climate Change, Steel, Insurance and Actuarial Matters, among others.
From Ipokia To The National Assembly
Adekunle Abdulkabir Akinlade was born on October 9, 1969, into the Akinlade family of Ipadilpopo Compound, Agosasa, in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State.
He had his early education in Abeokuta and Akure before proceeding to Ilaro, where he attended Emmanuel Comprehensive High School and later Yewa High School, Ajilete. He obtained his West African Senior School Certificate in 1988.
Akinlade subsequently attended the College of Preliminary Studies in Yola before gaining admission to Lagos State University as a direct-entry student to study Political Science.
While at the university, he participated actively in student politics and contested for the Students’ Union presidency during the politically active period of the early 1990s.
He graduated in 1995 and proceeded for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme.
After his NYSC, Akinlade began building his career in business.
He later travelled to the United Kingdom, where he undertook further professional training and established Clevland Investment Management Limited, a company involved in commodities and related financial activities.
He returned to Nigeria in 2007 and became involved in technology and revenue-management initiatives. Among the projects associated with his business interests was VCHEKMOBILE, a platform designed to assist governments with revenue data processing and the monitoring of internally generated revenue.
Akinlade also served on the boards of several companies and participated in community and professional organisations in Ogun West.
Amosun’s Preferred Candidate
As the 2019 governorship race gathers momentum, Akinlade’s emergence has generated considerable political interest in Ogun State, particularly within the Ogun West political bloc.
His supporters see his background in public administration, business and legislative affairs as part of the experience he could bring to the governorship contest.
For Governor Amosun and his political allies, however, the immediate task is to consolidate support around Akinlade ahead of the party’s nomination process.
At this stage, his emergence represents the preference of the Amosun camp and Ogun West stakeholders, rather than the conclusion of the formal electoral process.
Subsequent party primaries would determine the candidate who would ultimately represent the party in the governorship election.
With the 2019 election approaching, attention is now shifting to the APC’s internal contest and whether Akinlade can secure the party’s official ticket amid competition from other aspirants.
0 Comments