Osun State shall by 22nd of September, 2018 goes to the poll to elect Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s successor.ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU takes a critical look at issues at stake.
Ogbeni Aregbesola’s antecedents
The incumbent, Ogbeni Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who hails from the Osun West Senatorial District, was pronounced winner by the ruling of an appeal court in Ibadan, after it upturned the former governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s second term election bid on April 14, 2007. Having served the people to the best of his ability, Ogbeni Aregbesola’s mandate was renewed through 2015 election, when he defeated his closest rival, Senator Iyiola Omisore, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with more than 100,000 votes.
From 2007 till date, the incumbent Governor is no doubt the longest democratically elected governor to have served the state of the living spring. His political party, the All Progressives Congress, has been in the fore front of promoting the achievements of the Ogbeni-led administration, this might not be because they loved the Lagos-born Ijesha man, but most likely because some of his achievements will be used as negotiating tool by the state ruling party to maintain its grip on power come September.
Infrastructural game
Considering the background of Ogbeni Rauf, who belongs to the ‘Tinubu’s’ school of thought, many had expected that when the Ijesa man becomes the governor, the state will be transformed into haven of infrastructural hub. This no doubt was why, Aregbesola said, “since a good road network is an indicator of societal development, no effort must be spared to ensure that this critical infrastructure is put in place in other to have all round socio-economic growth and development.
Though, to the best of his abilities, Aregbesola has invested the little sum of the state federal allocation to construct some roads within the state. Notably, the Ogbeni administration is popular for the ‘Ona Baba Ona’ dual carriage road, O Schools, O Meal and O Yes among others. All these are programmes and projects that the would-be successor of the outgoing governor will probably use to bargain any other political parties that want to challenge the APC. This was why, the governor boasted that, the achievements of his party and government will make it difficult for any other political party to win in Osun state.
With regard to all these, some analysts and even the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have severally described Aregbesola acclaimed achievements as false hope and over hyped. In all fairness to them, the many abandoned roads within Osogbo, the Osun state capital is really worrisome. The schools are well renovated and equipped, but without students and teachers, the Osun Meal for school children as been described by many as the best, but definitely not sustainable. These among others, are the objective criticisms confronting the Aregbesola government, as such many analysts have opined that Ogbeni’s bite more than he can chew and that was why most of his projects are abandoned. To a large extent, infrastructural development will be used by the ruling party to woo more supporters, but the question is, has the Osun infrastructures been a blessing or curse to the in habitants of Osun State.
Workers’ salary
This is another tool that will be employed to execute the upcoming election. In this aspect it is a big blow to the All Progressives Congress and the Governor of the state. It is on record that Osun State is synonymous to non-payment of workers’ salary in Nigeria. At a point in time in the life of the APC-led administration, Osun State became the most infamous state for owing workers’ salary arrears. The state owed workers months of unpaid salaries and allowances so much so that even an attempt to pay the salary was applauded.
Promptly, the state Governor debunked that negative notion, and accused his political opponents of playing mischief on the salary issues, and urged the workers not to allow the opposition party to instigate them against the government.
Significantly, the Osun state joint labour unions declared a total strike action over salary arrears. After some weeks, Chairman of the Osun State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Jacob Adekomi, announced that the state government had acceded to some of their demands and the strike was called off. This remains one of the greatest setbacks for the APC as a party in Osun state, as it will be greatly used against them and any of their candidates as the September election beckons. While opposition parties on the other hand, shall leverage on the workers’ salary saga to change the game and most likely to gather some votes to its side.
The Death of Adeleke
It is also important to note that the death of the former governor, Senator Isiaka Adeleke will remain a pawn in the Osun state election, like that the death of Chief Bola Ige. Before his death, the All Progressives Congress, Ede, Osun West Senatorial District, Senator Isiaka Adeleke’s gubernatorial poster was all over the states. Suddenly, the inhabitant of Ede woke up to hear that perhaps the Osun greatest politician is dead. Unfortunately, his death allegedly blamed on the shoulders of the administration of Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his political party, the APC.
Prior to the Osun West bye-election, the state government tried everything possible to exonerate itself from the blame, clean its name and move on. But it all fell on deaf ears, as it appears the people have concluded that the former governor, Senator Adeleke, was killed because of his 2018 gubernatorial election by the APC-led government. People have a way of striking a balance. This has left the party wounded and affects the love it gets from a Senatorial District that brought it into power in 2015.
Another blunder committed by the APC government, was the failure to give the party ticket to the brother of the late Isaka Adeleke, Senator Ademola Adeleke. The state governor and few party executives allegedly frustrate the younger brother of late Isiaka Adeleke out of the party, to compensate Senator Mudashiru Hussein. The younger brother then leveraged on the party’s blunder and defected to People’s Democratic Party, where he was popularly elected by the people.
Most political pundits argued that, while the late Senator Isiaka was alive, he was a determinant factor in every gubernatorial election in Osun state and even in death late Isiaka still remains a force to be reckoned with in Osun politics. They are of the view that the PDP leveraged on the death of the former governor and brought his brother Senator Ademola in, was able to obtain sufficient sympathy votes for him to secure the senate seat.
So, just as Bola Ige’s murder has remained a serious slur on the characters of his assumed killers and the PDP, so also many are of considered opinion that the sudden demise of Senator Adeleke will remain not only a stain on the hands of the APC, a great hedge on its path. So, the death of these two late politicians will always remain a determinant factor in the coming gubernatorial election.
Divided APC
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Osun state chapter obviously is a divided house. The party is so divided that many think it seems the governor is all alone. From the build-up to the Osun West bye-election and as the search for the next occupant of the Bola Ige’s Governor’s Lodge is in earnest, it is now becoming glaring to the people of Osun state, that the APC is at war with itself and seems ill-prepared to take on its foes in the contest to rule the state.
Evidently, the main reason the crises in the All Progressives Congress have lingered is hinged on quest of many personalities within the party desperately aiming at succeeding Governor Aregbesola. Incidentally, the party has now been factionalized, the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yussuff’s group, the current Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti’ s group, Aregbesola’s Chief of Staff, Gboyega Oyetola leading another group, while Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, is on one side pulling the strings and even the attention of the governor to assume the big job come September.
PDP still at war with itself?
For now, many think the lack of uniformed resolve and common front ahead of the gubernatorial election is a huge hindrance as the aspirants’ governorship ambition is tearing the APC apart.
But analysts have observed that what seems to be tearing them apart, will also be the unifying factor when the time comes. Nonetheless, to a large extent, there is every tendency that some or one of these men will summon enough courage to dump the APC for other political party especially when he is not given the desired platform to execute his interest. Come September, it is certain that this crisis will be part of the game to watch out.
Progressives aspirants
The lead aspirant to Osun Government House under the united broom of the All Progressives Congress is the current Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon.Lasun Yussuff. The member of the House of Representative hails from the Irepodun Local Government Area, which is part of Osun Central Senatorial District. Though, the Deputy Speaker is yet to make his ambition known to the public, nonetheless, since early 2017, he has not hidden his desire to rule Osun State.
Interestingly, he emerged Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives against all odds and against the party’s preferred candidate. Hon. Lasun was then seen as an outcast in his state and the South West political extraction. This set him up for a faceoff with the party structure in the state. Since then, the Deputy Speaker has turned an opponent within the ruling party that regularly criticized the Governor Aregbesola’s education policies. According to Lasun, the education sector under the leadership of Governor Rauf Aregbesola is in ‘shambles.
Hon. Lasun, in spite of massive financial clout to pursue his ambition and with the support of the National Secretariat of the party, some strongly believe that he still does not have the needed support base that can give him an easy ride to the governor’s office. Other factors that can affect the Deputy Speaker’s candidature are that he is from the Osun Central Senatorial District and not from Osun West where many parties might zone the governorship ticket to.
Moshood Adeoti and his ambition
It is obvious to many stakeholders in the Osun politics that, the current Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti, also wants to be the successor of Aregbesola. The pioneer chairman of Osun State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), is indigene of Iwo, in Osun West Senatorial District. The 60 years old is a very experienced politician who has a good background in intra-party politics. This was obvious in the role he played which helped the current government to clinched power at the polls during the 2007 election, which had a protracted legal battle that eventually led to the declaration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the duly elected governor of the state on November 26, 2010.
He can best be described as a grassroots politician, who has over time gained the love and support of the common man on the street. Politically, Mashood Adeoti has the support base and structure to take him to the Promise Land, but his financial status will indeed affect his ambition. Though from a Senatorial District (Osun West) that will likely produce the next governor of Osun state, but his inadequate financial status could remain a stumbling block to eventually domiciling at the Government House.
Is Gboyega Oyetola also a stakeholder?
The current Chief of Staff to the Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, is also an aspirant who reckons that the Government House come September is within sight. He is from Boripe local government of Osun Central Senatorial district, also in his sixties. Before joining politics, through his appointment as the Chief of Staff to Governor Aregbesola in 2010, Oyetola dominated the private sector.
Perhaps, the time and moment he had left to resign and enjoy the dividends of his long service to humanity, the call beckoned on him to serve his people in the State of Osun.
According to reports, “his track record as a financial expert dates to about three decades where he showed responsibility, diligence and unrivalled service to humanity. His tenure in the last seven and a half years as the Chief of Staff to Governor Rauf Aregbesola has shown him as a man that has the technical know-how to govern a state like Osun.
The Boripe man has contributed to the Ogbeni’s administration immensely, especially in the area of finance management and labour/government dispute resolution. These, amongst others, are why many party stalwarts in the South West and in OIsun State in particular are seriously rooting for him.
PDP, still at war
The leading opposition party in Osun State is still at war with itself. During and even after the power tussle that rocked the part at national level, the PDP Osun State chapter appears to be factionalized into two; that is the Osun Senator Ali Madu Sheriff faction and the Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s Osun faction, with both factions claiming ownership to the leadership of the party. To end the crisis, the National Working Committee under the leadership of Prince Uche Secondus constituted the Sarafa Tunji Ishola’s committee to conduct another wards congresses and settle the crises.
Unfortunately, the Sarafa committee failed in the assignment. This led to further polarisation of the party, with Senator Iyiola Omisore and Bayo Faforiji heading one faction while Olusoji Adagundo and other party leaders lead the other faction. This, if not check, will certainly affect the performance of the party in the September 2018 election.
Senator Iyiola Omisore’s interest
Though, the two-term Senator, Iyiola Omisore, who hails from Ife Central Local Government and part of Osun East Senatorial District same with the incumbent Governor, has not declared his intention to contest, but many pundits have opined that the Ife-born PDP stalwart might be eyeing the seat. Christopher Iyiola Omisore is a known face in Osun politics dating back to the 3rd Republic.
He came to limelight sometimes around 1999 when he emerged as the Deputy Governor to Governor Adebisi Akande. Omisore was impeached and imprisoned on his alleged controversial role in the death of the former Governor of the Old Oyo State, Chief Bola Ige. When he returned, he became the Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District in 2003 and was returned in 2007.
In the last gubernatorial election at Osun state, Omisore contested against the incumbent Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in 2014 and lost. Interestingly, he has won his Ife stronghold in most of the elections he has contested.
His handwriting is visible in the crisis currently rocking the Osun the PDP. Omisore wants to use his man, Bayo Faforiji to secure the 2018 Governorship ticket on the platform of the PDP.
As such, both of them it is alleged have done a lot to scuttle state congress that produced Soji Adagunodo in 2015. Despite his experience, money and connections, the major impediment to his acceptability is that he hails from Osun East senatorial district where which produced the incumbent governor of the state.
Lere Oyewunmi of PDP
The former chairman of Irewole and National Commissioner National Population Commission, Lere Oyewumi, who hails from Osun West Senatorial District is probably the most popular aspirant seeking for governorship under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party. He has declared his intention, in almost all parts of the state.
Akogun as he is fondly called is well read politician. Significantly, Lere belongs to the Olusoji Adagunodo faction that is the Ali Modu Sheriff group. In his bid to become the next Osun state governor, the Ikire-born politician has been able to win most stakeholders to his side.
Though from Osun West Senatorial District and also a grassroots politician, but his biggest challenge is funds. All things been equal, Akogun is a force to be reckoned come September 2018 gubernatorial election.
