The stage is getting set for the September 22 governorship election in Osun State as more chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) go public with their desire to succeed outgoing governor Rauf Aregbesola, writes Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan.
AHEAD of the September 22, 2018 governorship election in Osun state, political gladiators, especially aspirants for the governorship seat in the state within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have intensified efforts at ensuring the realization of their ambitions. This followed what observers of the politics of the state suspected to be a subtle wait by chieftains of the party on outgoing Governor Rauf Aregbesola, to give an inkling of where his preference lies.
But as the much anticipated election draws closer, with Aregbesola still preferring to keep chieftains and members of his party guessing about who he has in mind as his likely successor, party sources say APC members with governorship ambition may have decided to bring their aspiration into the open while hoping they will eventually get the nod of the governor.
Findings by The Nation revealed that before now, unlike their counterparts in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), gubernatorial hopefuls on the platform of the ruling party have been keeping their political activities in check, preferring instead to continue with what one of them described as ‘underground intra party consultations’, largely due to their desire to know Aregbesola’s disposition towards their aspiration before going too far.
Comrade Monsur Aibinuola, a former legislator from Ikire, while speaking to The Nation, said “many of them have been waiting to know if the governor is favorably disposed towards their aspiration. Some others want to find out what then position of the party and party leaders will be on the burning issue of zoning. Their are those who want the party and or the governor to openly announce who the APC will field before throwing themselves into the race.
“But as you can see, Governor Aregbesola appears not to be in a hurry to endorse or anoint anybody. Or he is simply not going to do that. I once heard him saying he will anoint anybody the party chooses as candidate. But there is no doubt about the fact that the main reason why our aspirants were not as visible as those of the PDP was because many were still waiting on Aregbesola.”
He however confirmed that the situation has changed as “APC aspirants are now shaking off their earlier complacency and giving their aspirations more bite.” The Nation also gathered that in the last couple of weeks, the presence of the ruling parties governorship contenders is now more felt as several of them are openly carrying out various political activities and consultations within and outside the party.
“It is the outcome of a recent directive to APC aspirants by our leaders. They were told to go out and popularize the party. We can only have one governorship candidate at the end of the day, but we must all work hard to take the party to the nooks and crannies of the state once again as the election approaches. This is exactly what our leaders, including the governor told them. And I am sure that is why you noticed the change in their activities,” another party source said.
Consequently, no fewer than a dozen chieftains of the ruling party are said to be making consultations in furtherance of their aspirations. While some of them have publicly declared their interest in taking over from Governor Aregbesola later this year, others are said to be making subtle moves to solidify their political bases before going public with their gubernatorial aspiration.
Thus, their is a battle royale among the many gubernatorial gladiators within the state chapter of the ruling APC. And very soon, chieftains and members would be confronted with the seemingly simple task of choosing who will fly the party’s banner at the September 22 governorship election. But pundits say given the array of aspirants now jostling for the coveted job, the task before APC faithfuls in Osun is obviously not as simple as it appears.
Some contenders
Among those jostling to succeed Governor Rauf Aregbesola within the party’s fold is Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, the incumbent Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and a former Chairman of the defunct Acton Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state. A leading chieftain of the ruling party, Adeoti is an influential politician seen as many as one of the front-runners in the race for the APC governorship ticket.
Pundits say the 65 year old politician is banking on the unwritten zoning arrangement in the state to favor his aspiration. He hails from Iwo in Osun West senatorial district. Former governors Bisi Akande and Olagunsoye Oyinlola from Osun Central governed the state between 1999 and 2010 while Osun East senatorial district produced the incumbent, Aregbesola on November 26, 2010. He is rounding up his second term in office.
Adeoti is a politician with a wide political network that cuts across the state. His experience in government and politics is also expected to be advantageous in his pursuit of the party’s governorship ticket. Sources claim he recently reactivated his political bases in all the local government areas of the state as part of efforts to further boost his chances of emerging as the APC candidate.
Also being rumored to be revving to throw his hat into the ring of the contest for the APC ticket is Hon. Najeem Salaam, the current Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly. A close political ally of incumbent Governor Aregbesola, the Ejigbo-born politician, according to close aides, is one of those who wishes to know the workings of the governor’s mind before going all out with their ambition.
“The Speaker want to contest the governorship election. But as a loyal party man, he is also considering the interest of the party at all times. He is interested in ensuring that the governorship race does not in any way create crisis for the party, hence his cautious approach to the contest. But nonetheless, he is a top contender for the ticket any day and any how you look at it,” a source told The Nation.
Coming from Osun West like Adeoti, though much younger and an astute politician in all ramification, Salaam, to many party chieftains, stands a good chance should he get the nod of the governor. He has been Speaker of the Assembly since 2011. He is one of those believed to posses the leadership and financial wherewithal to confront the opposition PDP at the 2018 goober contest.
Incumbent Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuf, has left no one in doubt of his desire to fly the banner of the ruling APC during the governorship election later in the year. For nearly two years now, he has been criss-crossing the state, consulting party leaders and members over his much publicized gubernatorial ambition.
Also from Osun West senatorial district, the Ilobu-born lawmaker, according to party sources, is confident of emerging as the candidate of the APC and has been working hard to secure the support of relevant stakeholders ahead of the primary election of the ruling party. Aside being an old war horse in the politics of the state, Lasun’s supporters are banking on his perceived huge war chest to clinch the ticket.
However, pundits say his soured relationship with Governor Aregbesola may prove his ongoing when the chips are down. He fell out with the governor at the onset of his current term at the national assembly. Efforts to reconcile the duo have proved abortive on several occasions. Expectedly, many interests and forces within the party have been up in arms against Lasun’s ambition.
Gboyega Oyetola, the current Chief of Staff to the Governorb is another aspirant whose visibility has been increasing rapidly in recent weeks. Severally rumored as the preferred candidate of some power blocs within the party, the Iragbiji-born technocrat turned politician, unlike Adeoti, Lasun and Salaam, is from Osun central senatorial district. This is one tool in the hands of those opposed to his aspiration.
An experienced private sector player before coming into politics, Oyetola, according to his supporters, has what it takes to build on the many achievements of the Aregbesola administration if elected as governor. But he would have to first cross the hurdle placed on his way by the unwritten zoning arrangement among other things before he can think of realizing his governorship ambition.
“Oyetola’s background in the private sector as well as his experience as a financial expert are some of the things our dear state needs in the post Aregbesola years to remain on the path to development. Those rooting for his candidacy are doing so largely because they understand what the state needs at this crucial period. We cannot afford to hand the state over to anybody who is less equipped for the task,” a party source said.
Although he is yet to even formally tell his political family of his desire to gun for the governorship seat again, Peter Babalola, the Chairman of Osun Local Government Service Commission, is seen in some quarters as one individual who should not be ruled out of the race for the APC ticket just yet. The former PDP chieftain, who had sought to be Governor on two previous occasions, according to some sources, may be working behind the scene in pursuit of the governorship ticket.
However, he will have to battle a number of odds if he is to go far in the race. First, not many chieftains and members of the ruling party are comfortable with him as many are yet to forget how fiercely he fought the progressives when he was still in the opposition party. He is also no longer perceived as one of the trusted allies of the governor following his removal as Aregbesola’s Chief of Staff some years back.
How will APC fare?
Amidst speculations over how the people of Osun state will vote in the forthcoming election, the APC in the state says it it would conveniently win this year’s governorship election in the state going by the level of its performance and acceptability by the people. According to the spokesperson of the APC,“Not minding whoever emerges as PDP candidate, the ruling party will still win convincingly.”
“The PDP has such a bad image in Osun state that no matter who they fiedl as candidate, the party cannot convince the people to vote for them. The good people of Osun can no longer choose the PDP as an alternative to APC, notwithstanding whoever decamps from the APC to join the PDP. PDP in Osun suffers multiple political defects, which worsen by the day, as a result of the lack of respectable, focussed and dignified leadership that Osun people can trust,” Oyatomi said.
Speaking in similar vein, Ayo Afolabi, a zonal executive committee member of the APC in the southwest, said given Aregbesola’s outstanding performance as governor of the state, the APC will have little or no opposition to its return to the government house later this year. He recalled that it took the coming of the APC to return the state to the path of growth and development.
“It was when the administration of Aregesola came on board in 2010 that the state started witnessing growths and development in progressive succession. The infrastructural development under Aregbesola is unequalled despite the paucity of funds. And the good people of the state are not unmindful of these laudable achievements. So, against this background, the people, who are the beneficiaries of these developmental projects will be ready to reciprocate the good gestures from their benefactor by voting en masse for the APC as a sign of appreciation,” he explained.
But Ayoade Adewopo, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the PDP, disagrees with those who think the ruling party will find it easy to win the forthcoming election. According to the Ife-born legal practitioner, the people of Osun state are today yearning for a change from the status quo. He insisted that PDP remains the party to beat in the next governorship election.
“PDP will win the next governorship election in Osun state. The people want change once again. We asked for change some years back and we got APC. Now we are clamoring for change again. The people want the PDP to come back and they have the final decision when it comes to election. If the votes of the people are to determine who wins, then I am sure PDP will win.
“I joined PDP because that is the party of the people of Osun today. The people of Osun state have had the opportunity of tasting what both eh PDP and the APC have to offer them. They have made their choice and I can tell you that choice is PDP. I cannot ask our people to vote for APC again since they now want the PDP back in government. So, with PDP, I am also following the desire of our people,” he argued.
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