As the September 22 governorship poll in Osun State draws closer, Sunday Oguntola writes on factors and issues that will produce the winner
WITH the conclusion of primaries by contending parties in the September 22 Osun governorship election, the race for the successor of Governor Rauf Aregbesola has become wholly heightened.
Chief of Staff to Aregbesola, Gboyega Oyetola, emerged the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate while Senator Demola Adeleke will fly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag.
Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, did not only withdraw from the APC’s primary but also resigned his membership of the party. He went on to pick the governorship ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) held two parallel primaries that produced former Deputy Governor, Senator Iyiola Omisore and Munirudeen Atanda. But the National Chairman of the party, Chief Olu Falae, has thrown his weight behind Omisore, allegedly because of his war chest and perceived electoral value.
The leading candidates
Political observers believe the governorship contest is largely a three-horse race, involving Oyetola, Adeleke and Omisore. Incidentally, the candidates hail respectively from the three senatorial districts in the Southwest state. Oyetola (Osun Central), Adeleke (Osun West) and Omisore (Osun East) are not only the candidates to watch out for; informed analysts said one of them is certainly guaranteed to mount the governorship seat. This conclusion is primarily based on the perceived popularity of the individual candidates and the strength of the political parties they are flying their flags.
Party/ candidate strength
On the account of being the ruling party, the APC is considered the strongest in the contest. Aside from the power of incumbency, the party is believed to be the choicest among Osun indigenes with mass membership across the 30 local government areas.
Its candidate, Oyetola has also adopted the Ileri Oluwa(God’s promise) slogan for his campaign, a slang that sits well with most of the voters. He is seen as a technocrat and the engine room of the policy thrust of the Aregbesola’s administration. The governor, even critics acknowledge, has performed creditably well in the areas of health, education, road construction, agricultural upliftment and civil service reforms, among others.
With the perception that he represents continuity of the developmental strides in Osun State, Oyetola is highly favoured to clinch the governorship seat. There is the belief in many quarters that a change of party and government might reverse the many policy directions of Aregbesola that brought about massive development.
The Iragbiji-born politician has wide experience in public administration, finance management, private business and politics. Unlike other Chiefs of Staff who run into troubled waters, Oyetola has managed to traverse the intricate pitfalls in the office, building confidence with his principal, the public and political class without rocking the boat.
For this, he has the utmost trust of critical stakeholders in governance, winning wide thump-up for his conflict skills. The insurance expert established Silvertrust Insurance Brokers Limited in 1991, serving as its Managing Director from 1991 until he emerged Chief of Servant in 2011.
He bagged a Bachelor in Insurance in 1978 from University of Lagos and Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1990 from the same institution. In 1980, he joined Leadway Assurance Company Limited as Area Manager.
In 1987, he left for Crusader Insurance Company Limited as Underwriting Manager. In 1990, he moved to Alliance and General Insurance as Technical Controller and served in that capacity until 1991.
If narrowed down to popularity and what government sources describe as ‘competence,’ Oyetola is seen as the most favoured to win the race.
But he faces stiff opposition from Adeleke, who is from a political family with mass followership. The senator is also running on the strength of calls for power shift to Osun West, which his supporters pointed out, has not produced a governor since the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke in the Third Republic. What he has going for him is the political dynasty the family has built for decades in the state.
The PDP on which ticket he is flying has however suffered serious misfortunes since former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola was thrown out of office by the Court of Appeal. The primary that produced him was keenly contested with Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, who lost by a meagre seven votes that left a bitter pill to swallow for Ogunbiyi supporters.
Ogunbiyi did not only reject the primary, describing it as rigged, he also proceeded to court to contest the educational qualifications of Adeleke. This is after he sent a petition to the Primary Appeal Committee. Ogunbiyi’s antagonistic and combative moves are seen as polarising just few weeks to the governorship poll.
They have left PDP supporters in the state heavily divided and disillusioned over the disunity among their leaders. Adeleke is hugely popular in Osun West, especially in his Ede hometown. He also has the means to prosecute an electoral battle of this magnitude.
Should the court decide in favour of Ogunbiyi on the qualification suit, the PDP might be left with no choice than to adopt him as its candidate. But even if Adeleke wins, the party will still have battles to face in healing wounds and building consensus among supporters and stakeholders.
Either way, it would be too close to the election for the party to mend fences and face others as a formidable entity.
Though Omisore has left the PDP, there is no doubt many of his supporters are still holding out to fight the party from within. Without united front consisting supporters of Ogunbiyi and remnant forces of Omisore, it is hard to see how far the PDP will go at the September 22 poll.
Omisore, the third force, is certainly not a pushover in Osun State’s politics. He is blessed with vast war chest and a cult-like followership, especially in many parts of Osun East, which he once represented at the Senate.
But he is seen as a politician with too much baggage, which was why the PDP was happy not to give him the governorship ticket in the first place. Besides, some voters in the state are believed to be indisposed to having anything to do with him, no matter what. With a depleted support base and weak party structure, Omisore’s quest to govern may remain a mirage.
Plans for Osun
The three candidates have unfolded their policy thrusts and agenda for Osun in different fora. They will certainly play major role in who the voters would eventually decide for. Oyetola said the state cannot afford to retrogress following the vast improvements recorded in the last seven-and-half years of the current administration.
According to him: “Having been a privileged member of the team that has brought the current transformation our state has witnessed these past seven and a half years, I know what the issues are.
“I know that what our people need is an agenda of continuity and revitalisation that will deepen the current gains in infrastructural development.
“I know what we need is to continue to work and even harder to increase our revenue base to support the payment of salaries, pensions and other deserved emoluments of our teeming workers.
“In furtherance of the enormous achievements we have already made, we need a leader with steady hands, whose words are his bond, who can further invest in the prosperity of our people.
“We need a bridge builder, who would continue with the leadership values of the incumbent administration to unite our people, inspire them to jettison primordial sentiments and work for the development of their people, and secure a prosperous state for the benefits of our generations yet unborn.
“What our state needs urgently is to further soar with inclusive, innovative and unwavering governance. We cannot afford to retrogress. Not anymore. The job at hand is too urgent to be left alone for just anyone unprepared.”
Adeleke, on his part, promised not to loot, if elected. He said he is already a blessed and comfortable man seeking the governorship seat only to benefit the masses. According to him, “I’m contesting because of the people. Our people are suffering and we need to liberate them.
“If I become governor, I cannot steal money that belongs to people. I have achieved everything that I could need money for in life.
“I have built houses, I have cars; I have everything. So, what would I do with stolen money? So, I won’t steal as a governor. I only want to serve.”
Omisore, on his part, said: “If I become the governor of Osun State, the salary and wages of the workers would be paid promptly and there was a testimony to this when I was the deputy governor.
“I would treat workers with dignity and respect. I will focus on building major infrastructure in the state, such as roads. We will carry out the dualisation of Gbongan junction to Kwara boundary, ensure the development of Osun airport, and see to the construction of the Ilesa/Ife dams, rehabilitate of Ede headworks, Ejigbo water supply scheme.
“We will also see to the dualisation of Mayfair Junction to Lagere-Enuwa-Moore-Ilesa bypass and the construction of Gbongan-Oyo boundary. Most of these projects were initiated and facilitated when I was chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation between 2007 and 2011.
“But all these were discontinued and their prices inflated. We shall give them utmost priority when I become the governor. Education and health shall take their pride of place in my government. I shall stop capital flight of Osun’s money.
“Osun’s money shall be spent by our people and not Lagosians. Unemployment shall be tackled using my professional and entrepreneurial goodwill to benefit Osun people.”
Come September 22, electorate will head to the voting polls to decide whether continuity is the way to go or a change in government might be another option to consider. Whichever of the considerations carry the day will certainly determine who wears the governorship crown in Osun State.
