As the race for the 2019 gubernatorial election continues to gather momentum in Oyo State, names of the three aspirants who have been pencilled down by Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the state to succeed him have emerged.
The three aspirants who are all from Ibadan, the state capital, the same city where the Governor hails from were “narrowed and screened” to three out of the over twenty aspirants jostling for the coveted seat in the party, a source close to Agodi Government House told DAILY POST.
While two of them are alumni of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, one of them is a product of The Polytechnic Ibadan.
The three “favourites” of the Governor according to the source who confided in DAILY POST on Saturday include former Deputy Governor (Operations) Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a grandson of late Ibadan political icon, late Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu, Chief Adebayo Adelabu; Senior Partner and Head of the Technology Advisory Services and Markets of KPMG, Mr. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe and former Chief Press Secretary to former Governor Lamidi Adesina and former Chairman, Oluyole Local Government Area, Alhaji Kehinde Isiaka Olaosebikan.
The trio, according to the source were been considered by the Governor because “They are technocrats of long profile, because of their age and closeness to their people”.
Adelabu (48) who recently resigned as a Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria is a 1992 Accounting graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and became a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria [ICAN] in 1994.
The OAU alumni is also a fellow of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria [FCIB].
Before his appointment in the Central Bank, Adelabu was an Executive Director in First Bank of Nigeria. He attended Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan and hails from Kudeti, Ibadan South East Local Government in Oyo South Senatorial District, the same senatorial district with the incumbent governor.
Joseph Tegbe (52) studied Civil Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and later proceeded to Lagos Business School, Nigeria, where he obtained an MBA.
Tegbe is currently a Senior Partner and Head of the Technology Advisory Services and Markets of KPMG Professional Services in Nigeria. He is also the Chairman of the National Council for Management Development [NCMD].
Tegbe went to Federal Government College, Ogbomosho. He is from Labo, Ibadan South East Local Government in Oyo South Senatorial District.
Alhaji Kehinde Isiaka Olaosebikan (56) is a 1987 Mass Communication graduate of The Polytechnic Ibadan and also holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Language Arts of the University of Ibadan.
Olaosebikan disengaged from active journalism practice as the Regional Editor, North for Vanguard Newspapers in 1999 when he was called upon to serve as the Chief Press Secretary to the late Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina till 2003.
He once served as Chairman of Oluyole Local Government and attended Ibadan City Academy, Eleta, Ibadan. He is an indigene of Onipe, Oluyole Local Government in Oyo Central Senatorial District.
The source added that the trio, “have varied degrees of affinity with the incumbent governor ranging from professional to politics and have been given some assignments under the administration where they performed well, that is one of the reasons he is considering them to succeed him”.
Adelabu, the source added had been visible in the programs of the state government in the last two years after he was appointed by Ajimobi as the Chairman of Oyo State Security Trust Fund. He is holding the position till date.
Tegbe is said to be an informal adviser to the Governor on commerce and economic development. His company, KPMG, according to the source performed the recent staff auditing of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) that led to the redistribution of many workers of the corporation.
The source added that Olaosbikan is a known leading edge promoter of the APC and Oyo State Government’s policies and programs even before he was appointed as Chairman of School Governing Board by Ajimobi.
While both Adelabu and Tegbe have formally made their intentions public, Olaosebikan is at the moment said to be concentrating efforts in winning endorsements and buy in from critical stakeholders including youths.
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