13th December, 2014
Abiodun Onafuye,/Abeokuta
The former Commissioner for Information and Strategy during the Gbenga Daniel’s administration in Ogun state, Sina Kawonise has emerged the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the state for the 2015 governorship election.
The Ago Iwoye born politician emerged at the end of the governorship primary election held in Abeokuta, the state capital.
The former university lecturer was the sole candidate for the primary supervised by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies, including the police, State Security Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence.
All the delegates from the 20 local government areas affirmed the former commissioner as the LP governorship candidate during the primary election.
The LP had during its congress held at the party secretariat at Adatan area last October endorsed Kawonise as its governorship candidate for the 2015 election in the state.
At the congress attended by party supporters and loyalists, the state chairman, Comrade Olabode Simeon declared that the party would contest all elective positions in 2015, except that of the presidency, which he stated that the party had conceded to President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Contesting this time is not a jamboree, we are contesting and we are confident of winning the elections. By the grace of God, our party will win the 2015 elections and we will rule this state. My humble advice to all party members is to remain calm and focused as the journey to victory is always rough but we will surely get there.
“Also, I want to reiterate the fact that all our aspirants for various offices have been campaigning and all of them are here. Our candidate for the presidency remains President Goodluck Jonathan and we will continue to work for him while we have candidates for other offices and we all need to be united so as to be victorious in 2015.”
In his acceptance speech, Kawonise fondly called “SK is OK” by his supporters, promised an all-inclusive government if voted into office in 2015.
He expressed optimism that the LP would spring a surprise during next year’s general elections in the state, declaring that, “it will be a great shock to many when our party will be declared winner of the governorship election in the state and I, Sina Kawonise is being sworn-in as the governor of the state on 29 May 2015”.
He urged the good people of the state to vote en masse for the LP as it remained the only party that had always shown concern for the masses, especially the down trodden.
Kawonise also pledged to abide by all the party’s manifestoes, urging party leaders and elders not to relent in their house-to-house campaign to sensitise the people on who to cast their votes for during the next general elections in the state.
“The party has remained relevant and its waxing stronger and gaining more grounds on a daily basis, contrary to rumour making the rounds that the party has collapsed since the former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel left the party to join the PDP with all his supporters and loyalists,” he said.