Politicians in Osun State have revved up underground political activities, ahead of next year’s governorship election in the state.
The incumbent, Governor Rauf Aregbesola will serve out his tenure next year and another election has been scheduled for August 2018. Already, the two leading parties in the state, the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, are, again, at the forefront of the epic battle to produce a governor for the state.
However, other political parties have also been flexing muscles with superpower APC and PDP, in what is widely expected to turn out as realignment of forces, in the long run.
APC: TINUBU, AREGBESOLA’S FACTOR
The Point’s investigation revealed that no fewer than 20 politicians, including the incumbent Chief of Staff in the state, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, said to be the nephew of a former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, have indicated interest to succeed Aregbesola. While most of aspirants from opposing political parties had publicly declared their intention to become governor, a few made known their intention in the ruling APC but had started mobilising underground, being mindful of the backlash of making too much noise.
Those who are yet to make their ambition public in the APC are apparently obeying the order issued by the party that banned any member interested in the governorship ticket against any public declaration until the party gives approval.
The party had hinged his reason for banning members from declaring their intention in the public on the fact that the state governor, Mr. Aregbesola, who is one of the leaders of the party in the state was yet to deliver on the party manifestos, more so, his government was facing economic difficulties.
According to the Osun APC in a statement by its chairman, Prince Adegboyega Famodun, any party chieftain intending to become governor of the state in the future should put that aspiration on hold, “because it is absolutely inappropriate at this juncture.”
The party warned that it would not treat lightly, any violation of the order, adding that there were more important things to do in service delivery to the people of the state. The statement read: “What is most important for the party now is for everyone to join hands with Governor Rauf Aregbesola to solve the problems confronting the state. The governor…is right in the middle of his second term, grappling with the difficulties of economic recession.
“This is not the proper time for any aspirant to divert attention from the serious business at hand.
“Everybody with governorship aspiration should put it on hold until such a time that the party will consider appropriate. Only then will it make political sense for anyone to come out and talk about governorship aspiration.”
But two prominent chieftains of the party had disregarded the party’s order. The first was the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, the first civilian governor of the state and a senator who represented Osun West Senatorial District before his sudden death on April 23, 2017.
Also, the incumbent Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Lasun Yusuf, disobeyed the party as he publicly declared his intention.
ECHO OF THE LATE ADELEKE
Our correspondent gathered that the open declaration by Adeleke in November, 2016 did not go down well with the APC leadership in the state and the development, it was learnt, generated some disquiet in the ruling party as some, mostly in the late Adeleke’s camp, felt that the leadership of the party was not in support of Adeleke’s aspiration.
But with Adeleke’s popularity, strength and antecedents then, it was obvious that he would, barring odds, easily pick the party’s ticket, although his speculated victory would not have been spearheaded by the APC as some experts were saying that he might need to defect from the ruling APC to win on probably, the PDP platform.
NO FEWER THAN 20 POLITICIANS, INCLUDING THE INCUMBENT CHIEF OF STAFF IN THE STATE, MR. GBOYEGA OYETOLA, SAID TO BE THE NEPHEW OF A FORMER GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE AND NATIONAL LEADER OF THE APC, ASIWAJU BOLA TINUBU, HAVE INDICATED INTEREST
Political analysts in the state noted that Senator Adeleke had started his preparations for the election even before he defected to the APC from the PDP. He had started branding vehicles to be used for campaigns. As a very popular grassroots politician and very generous and large-hearted man who could empty his vault for the people, experts contended that Adeleke, popularly called ‘D Gov’ and ‘Serubawon’ would have caused ripples in the APC if he had defected to another party to pursue his ambition.
Now, with the death of Adeleke, the political games and intrigues ahead of the gubernatorial poll are assuming another dimension, which observers say may still polarize the party.
APC’S MAIN GLADIATORS
Some analysts believe the party’s machinery is structured to favour Aregbesola’ s Chief of Staff , Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, believed to be a nephew to the APC National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, and hails from Tinubu’s town, Igbajo. Others also think that Aregbesola had anointed one of his commissionernominees, Mr. Bola Bamiji, who is the Managing Director of Osun Investment Company Limited (OSICOL) who had indicated interest, discreetly, to pick the lone ticket of the APC.
Like the late Adeleke, Lasun Yusuf, House of Reps Deputy Speaker, is not getting the blessings of the leadership of the APC in the state in his bid for the party’s ticket. It’s no longer news that since Lasun emerged Deputy Speaker under controversial circumstances, the backlash of which made him lose the support of his party leadership, a special hierarchy that flows from Tinubu to Aregbesola.
To the leaders, he erred by teaming up with Speaker Yakubu Dogara to alter the zoning arrangement for the House’s leadership. To this end, the deputy speaker has since been passive in virtually all the activities of his party in the state, apparently owing to the cold relationship that exists between the party and himself.
Consequently, some political analysts in the state have noted that the party would deny Lasun the ticket, adding that he may defect to another party to make his dream come true. Aware of his chances in the party, Lasun, like other aspirants, had reportedly sought the services of footsoldiers and local political mobilisers to traverse communities in the state to shore up support for him.
But, despite this crisis, the APC in the state is holding consultations that would boost their chances in the 2018 struggle, though in quiet manner. For the party, the candidate to succeed Aregbesola would be someone that should be ready to continue with the projects and governance style of the present administration.
Governor Aregbesola, while speaking at a forum in Osogbo recently, debunked the rumour that he had endorsed his chief of staff, saying, “Though I am yet to endorse my successor, anyone that will take over from me must be able and ready to continue with our projects and plans.” To Aregbesola, that is one of the yardsticks for meriting the party’s ticket.
The other people in the governorship race in the APC are the current Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salam; a current member of the House of Representatives, Prof . Mojeed Alabi, and Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Moshood Adeoti.
PDP GRAPPLING WITH CRISIS
The PDP, which is the main opposition party in the state, appears to have been giving the people reasons to doubt their chances for victory in the forthcoming poll, owing to the severe internal crisis that has enveloped the state since the party’s state Congress in May, 2016.
The party is sharply divided into two factions while the seeming unity and cohesion that existed within it has collapsed as it can no longer speak with one voice on serious issues that affect the fate and chances of the party in the state.
Doubtless to mention that the leadership tussle at the national level of the party, leading into the emergence of two national executives of the PDP, led by Senator Alimodu Sherrif and former Governor Ahmed Markafi has further exacerbated the crisis in the state PDP.
As at the time of writing this report, one of the factions is being led by Honourable Soji Adagunodo as the state chairman, while the other faction, believed to be loyal to Senator Iyiola Omisore, the governorship candidate of the PDP in the last election, is led by Dr Bayo Faforiji.
Our correspondent learnt that Adagunodo’s faction is being financed by Sheriff and should the latter be favoured in the muchawaited Supreme Court judgement, the governorship race in the state would be tougher.
Despite the intra-party disputes, some of the notable members of the PDP in Osun have indicated interest in reclaiming the state from the APC. Notable among the PDP stalwarts who have begun underground campaigns and nocturnal meetings is Senator Iyiola Omisore, a former deputy governor in the state.
Aside from Senator Omisore, others include the former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Honourable Adejare Bello, who was the running mate to Senator Omisore in the last governorship election; Chief Lere Oyewumi; Dr Kayode Oduoye, who also contested for the seat of Ifelodun/Boripe/ Odo-Otin Constituency in last House of Representatives election.
Other aspirants from the PDP are the immediate past commissioner representing the state on the board of the National Population Commission, Chief Lere Oyewunmi; a former Minister of Youth Affairs, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, among many other aspirants who are also seeking to pick the party’s ticket.
LABOUR PARTY
Another political party making moves to take over the governance of Osun is the Labour Party. However, a former governorship candidate of the party in the state, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, and a former Social Democratic Party governorship candidate, Mr. Sunday Akinwusi, are also seeking opportunities to have another shot at the governorship seat.
