…as Osun West contestants flock PDP
A battle of wits now looms between the Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and a former governor of the state, Chief Bisi Akande, over who becomes the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, ahead of the September 22 governorship election in the state.
While Aregbesola favours a candidate from Osun Central, preferably his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, Akande, who is equally a former national chairman of the APC, believes that Osun West deserves the slot this time.
Impeccable sources revealed to our correspondent that Aregbesola, who is from Osun East, was not happy with a recent statement credited to Akande, that if fairness should prevail, an Osun West person should become the next governor of the state.
Akande, who is from Osun Central, had said, in what was considered a veiled reference to Aregbesola, that there would be stiff resistance to any attempt, whether by any group, individual or political party, to prevent Osun West senatorial district from producing the next governor, stressing that such a plot would be resisted, as it would be taken as sheer injustice and lack of fair play against Osun West zone.
While hosting the leadership of a socio-political group, Osun New Era Group, which paid him a courtesy visit in his Ila-Orangun countryhome, recently, Akande explained that the two remaining senatorial districts (Osun Central and Osun East) had had their fair share of presiding over the affairs of the state at one time or the other, and so, should allow Osun West to govern the state this time.
Akande said, “Osun West Senatorial District is being favoured by virtually all political parties to take over from Aregbesola because the zone only ruled the state for 22 months since the creation of the state.
“Of the three senatorial districts in the state, it’s only the west that has never had the opportunity of exercising a minimum of one full tenure since the state was created in 1991.
“Save for the truncated administration of the late Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, the district has never had another shot at the governorship seat, but rather, supported others to ensure success for their candidates.”
The former governor then appealed to the people of Osun West to be united and fight a common cause to produce a credible candidate for the governorship seat.
But sources close to Aregbesola said Akande’s statement greatly unsettled the governor.
“For Chief Akande, who is one of the governor’s political supporters, to say such a thing, has proved a big blow to the governor; who would have preferred a consultation with Akande over the issue, rather than a market square shout,” the source, craving anonymity, disclosed.
Feelers have it that Governor Aregbesola, who was still trying to recover from the political loss he suffered at last year’s senatorial by-election in Osun West by the APC, in which a PDP candidate defeated the governor’s candidate, had been making efforts to outsmart the zone this time.
The governor, it was learnt, had never disguised his love for the governorship ambition of Oyetola, his chief of staff, who is the nephew of the National Leader of the APC and a former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu is said to be the strongest political godfather Aregbesola can boast of.
A source, who is a chieftain of the APC in the state, said, “You know that Mr. Governor will not want PDP to defeat him, and all indications show that Osun West’s candidate may come from PDP.
“So, considering how he (Aregbesola) lost to PDP at the Osun West Senatorial by-election, and bearing the fact that the Chief of Staff who is Mr. Governor’s candidate is a relation to his political godfather, he will try to do everything possible not to support any other candidate, not to talk of any candidate from Osun West. So, this governorship election is like a battle between Osun Central and Osun West.”
In what appears like a corroboration of this revelation, Governor Aregbesola, in his new year message to the people of the state, disclosed that only a successor who is a member of APC and who would take up from where he would stop, would be the next governor.
The governor said his administration would bequeath a befitting successor, who is capable of continuing where his own government will end by November, this year.
Aregbesola said, “We support the democratic expression of grievances through peaceful protests and other legitimate means. Nevertheless, all forms of social agitation, be it economic, political or social, must not be done to the detriment of others. We have the mandate and strong intention to protect the right of others to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, to go about their lawful duties without molestation, let or hindrance.
“This is the last New Year message our administration will pass to you as our tenure will end on November 26. This is an election year in which our tenure will end and a successor must emerge. It is my solemn promise that we will not leave in a vacuum.
“In consultation with our leaders and the members of our great party, we will carefully select and present to you a successor that belongs to our political tradition of progressive, people-oriented leadership, a person of integrity, who shares our aspirations and will take governance to the next level from where we stopped.
“I want you, therefore, to conduct yourselves with the same dignity and courage of ‘Omoluabi’– a people whose conscience and soul cannot be bought, that cannot be intimidated with guns and dogs and who stand firm behind the progressive rock of political leadership,” he said.
From the records, however, out of the three civilian governors that had ruled the state, only the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke (1992 – 1993) hailed from Osun West Senatorial District, but his governance was truncated owing to the aborted Third Republic. Other former governors include Chief Adebisi Akande (1999 – 2003) who is from Osun Central, and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (2003 – 2010), from Osun Central.
APC ASPIRANTS WOO AKANDE
Meanwhile, with Akande’s stance, aspirants from Osun West under the ruling APC have been visiting him to secure his support before the primaries of the party are conducted.
Notwithstanding Aregbesola’s touted annoyance that Akande is not in support of Oyetola’s candidature, the governor, according to sources, has been making serious efforts to woo Akande to his side.
Sources said Aregbesola had taken Oyetola along with him on visits to Akande’s Ila-Orangun countryhome about three times in the last few weeks, to romance the APC leader so he could anoint Oyetola.
Other potential governorship candidates of APC include Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti (Osun West); Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Nojeem Salaam (Osun West); former Chief of Staff, Elder Peter Babalola (Osun West), Barrister Kunle Adegoke (Osun Central); Senator Babajide Omoworare (Osun East); Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Ajibola Bashir (Osun Central); House of Representatives member, Hon. Mojeed Alabi (Osun West); and the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji (Osun West).
PDP GEARS UP
Potential candidates in the rival Peoples Democratic Party, especially from the Osun West senatorial district, are not left out in the state’s political activities, as they are gearing up to throw their hats into the ring.
Senator Iyiola Omisore (Osun East) is one of the possible candidates of the PDP. Although Omisore has the financial war-chest and political clout to vie and win a governorship election in the state, his ambition has been facing rejection and threats by members of his party who are his close allies.
Some of them say since he is not from Osun West where the target candidate is expected from, he should, in the interest of peace, stand down and become a political godfather.
Top on the list of possible contestants from Osun West under PDP is Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke, the younger brother of the late Isiaka Adeleke. While the lawmaker is yet to declare his intention publicly, some of his constituents have warned him against contesting the governorship election, asking him to resist plans by some of his supporters to lure
him into it.
According to the constituents under a pressure group, Osun West Peoples Assembly, “in the interest of justice, fair play and equity, Osun West Senatorial District should be allowed to produce the successor to the outgoing governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola.
“We urge our representative at the upper chambers of the National Assembly, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to shun the antics of those urging him to contest the governorship seat later in
the year.”
On why Adeleke should refrain from joining the race, the group stated, “As it is today in the senatorial district politically, Ede federal constituency comprises Ede South, Ede North, Egbedore and Ejigbo local governments held by Adeleke currently as Senator representing the senatorial district, and it would not be out of justification if we allow Ikire Federal Constituency comprising Ayedaade, Ikire and Isokan Local governments and Iwo Federal Constituency comprising of Ayedire,Iwo and Olaoluwa local governments areas of the state, to field the candidate for
the race.”
The summary of the group’s counsel to Adeleke is that, since he hails from Ede constituency, he should remain in the Senate and allow Iwo constituency to produce the governor, stressing that the latter is being marginalized within the Osun West District.
Other possible PDP contestants include: Alhaji Fatai Akinbade (Osun West), who is a former Secretary Osun State Government; Chief Lere Oyewumi (Osun West), a former local government chairman; a former House of Representatives member, presently Commissioner, National Population Commission; Hon. Adejare Bello, who is also a former Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly from Osun West; Senator Kola Ogunwale (Osun Central); Barrister Kayode Oduoye (Osun West); Dr. Ayoade Adewopo (Osun East), and Chief Gbenga Owolabi (Osun East), who is a former chairman of Ife East Local
Government.
