I Salute The Courageous; I Am Grateful To All
Gboyega Nasir Isiaka
On the 11th of April 2015, I contested for the office of the Governor of Ogun State under the Platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) was returned by INEC as the winner of that election. Convinced that I must have scored the higher percentage of lawful votes cast, especially in the face of the prevailing mood of the electorates that had suffered a lot in the hands of the incumbent administration and coupled with the barefaced irregularities that marred the election, I approached the elections petitions tribunal to seek justice.
After about six months of legal battle, judgement was delivered on Friday 23rd of October 2015, in favour of Governor Ibikunle Amosun. As I said in my short comment immediately after the verdict, I still await the full text of the judgment and further comments may be made after studying it. In the meantime, I again appeal to my supporters, members of my party and the good people of Ogun state that believe in me, to remain calm. This struggle is not about me but the battle to liberate Ogun state from regression and also utilise its potentials to make it great; therefore, this cause is not worth the blood of any man or woman.
The desire for public office and my ambition to administer Ogun state is purely hinged on the passion for service especially when one knows that a state like ours has all the potentials for growth and make life more abundant for its inhabitants. Having also committed myself to a few noble things in my personal life and made relative success out of it, I feel compelled to chase objectives that are for the greater good of the people. Therefore, this cause is not about self aggrandisement, it is not a pursuit of personal glory but about the people that are today denied the opportunity of a good life while their future looks bleak.
I am humbled today because when I look back at how the course of this struggle has evolved since 2008, I am moved to tears; not that I have lost anything, but because of the favour of Almighty God upon my life and the unquantifiable effort of men and women that believe in this cause.
I appreciate all the great leaders that have played key roles in my political career so far. They are too numerous to mention here and I salute them all for their significant contributions. My heartfelt appreciation goes to all my supporters for believing in me and standing strong over the years till this point. In the course of the tribunal, many were attacked and wounded by agents of the APC. Many toiled day and night on the roads, sleeping many nights outside the campaign office. I cannot repay you all but pray Almighty God to grant your heart desires and cause men to work for your dreams too. You all are my heroes. Collectively, we have been successful, not because we have achieved our objective but it was Henry Ford who said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself”.
I am thankful to my wife, children and family members for their support, understanding and sacrifice. You are my pillars. The prayers of our religious leaders have been so useful and I pray God to reward you all. To the good people of Ogun state, I will still say thank you for giving me the hundreds of thousands votes. A people deserve the leader they get and may not necessarily get the best leader at a time. Change is good only if it is positive. I will no longer be the judge of the choice they made but sooner than later, posterity will assess that choice.
Finally, I have been true to my convictions. I have kept the faith and betrayed no one but have acted in consonance with my conscience. I have built relationships I will forever cherish. I have a bond with the people because they love me and I love them. This is not the end as greater is what lies ahead than what is behind. Like Mao Tse-Tung said, “We shall heal our wounds, collect our dead and continue fighting”. I shall continue to pursue the good of Ogun State and that of society at large. People will say a lot after now and questions will be asked on what is going to happen next but my assurances to all is contained in the words of Napoleon Hill that, “Victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting”.
To all my friends and Associates, my political leaders, supporters and admirers and my family members, I’m convinced that we have fought a good fight based on principle, legally and morally and I thank you all. In due course, I will make my next line of action known while I urge us all to remain calm and go about our normal businesses.
God bless Ogun state and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI)
25th October, 2015
