The odds seem to favour the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in this Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, Governor Gboyega Oyetola. JIDE ORINTUNSIN examines the chances of the 15 candidates vying for the position occupied by the APC flag bearer
On Saturday, the people of Osun State will go to poll to elect a new governor, or renew the mandate of Governor Gboyega Oyetola. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has since April released the final list of the 15 governorship candidates and their running mates.
Observer, however, believe that the two dominant political parties – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) — are the main contenders for the soul of the Governor’s Office in Abere, Osogbo. The contenders are Governor Oyetola, his running mate, Benedict Alabi of the APC and his 2018 rival, Senator Ademola Adeleke, his running mate, Kola Adewusi of the opposition PDP.
Other candidates whose names will be on the ballot are Akinade Ogunbiyi and Jimoh Adekunle of the Accord (A) Party; Awojide Segun and Fakiyesi Gideon of the African Action Congress (AAC); Kehinde Atanda and Agbaje Claret of the Action Democratic Party (ADP); and Awoyemi Lukuman and Akinloye Adesola of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM). Others are Adebayo Elisha and Akinpelu Hezekiah of the Action Peoples Party (APP); Adeleke Adedapo and Lateef Adenike of the Boot Party (BP); Yussuff Lasun and Adeola Atanda of the Labour Party (LP); and Rasaq Saliu and Olatunbosun Olusolape of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Abede Samuel and Amoo Omolara are flying the flag of the National Rescue Movement (NRM); while the Peoples’ Redemption Party (PRP) is fielding Ayowole Adedeji and Olowu Aiyedun; and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has Omigbodun Akinrinola and Oni Adesoye as flag bearers. The Young Progressives Party (YPP) is represented by Ademola Adeseye and Stella Adeagbo, and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) by Adesuyi Olufemi and Fakolade Kemi.
The election is expected to be a re-enactment of the 2018 hostilities between the candidates of the two main parties. Adeleke lost to Oyetola in that contest after supplementary elections in some polling units where the contest did not hold on D-day due to violence.
For the ruling APC, the election is not only crucial, but also a must-win, as it will reaffirm that the 2018 victory was not a fluke. It will also confirm the dominance of the APC in the Southwest. Ahead of next year’s general elections, the opposition party will want to make a statement that its candidate truly won the last governorship election. The importance of the election informed the composition and inauguration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led 86-man National Campaign Council for the re-election of Oyetola by the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
Without mincing words, Adamu gave marching orders to the campaign council to ensure victory for the party within the confines of the law and retain Oyetola at the Government House in Oke-Fia, Osogbo, the state capital.
The national chairman has refused to be carried away by the euphoria of the party’s recent victory in Ekiti State. He told the Sanwo-Olu-led council to do everything possible within the law to win the election, as the party cannot afford failure in Osun State.
The PDP is also determined to reclaim the called “its stolen mandate” from the APC. After resolving the initial internal crisis that led to the conduct of two parallel primaries, which produced both Adeleke and Dotun Babayemi, the party flag bearers, the party has since moved over the disputes.
The importance attached to the election by the opposition informed the composition and inauguration of a 128-member National Campaign Council for the election led by Governor Duoye Diri. At the inauguration of the council, its National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu said the mandate of the council was to win the poll. Ayu who was represented by the National Deputy Chairman (North), Umoru Damagun said: “Your sole mandate is to go to Osun State and win the election for us; Osun is key to our presidential election.
“I believe with the calibre of people that have been selected to steer this campaign organisation, I do not doubt that you will give us the desired result. I also want to advise you to use that opportunity to engage the stakeholders in Osun; go to every corner, we have a very popular candidate in Osun and we have no reason not to win the election.”
Oyetola’s first term has been marred by internal wrangling within his party. But, he has several people-oriented projects to showcase and campaign with.
Oyetola’s achievements:
Many people never gave the insurance mogul the chance to change the face and fortunes of Osun State when he took over from Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. But, in the last three and half years, the Iragbiji-born politician has brought about phenomenal progress in infrastructural development. He has also improved the financial base by increasing the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) to N17.92 billion. Today, IGR constitutes more than 42 per cent of the budget and this ensures an enhanced welfare package for civil servants.
Priority is the watchword for Oyetola in the face of poor and dwindling resources available to the state. Despite the global recession which had negatively impacted the nation’s economy, the governor has not only surprised his adversaries but has also beaten his predecessors in the area of infrastructural development. Indeed, Oyetola’s achievements cut across health, infrastructure, agriculture, and human capital development among others.
His achievements in the face of a huge debt profile of N170.6 billion inherited from the immediate past administration of Aregbesola have endeared him to the people of Osun State. As of 2018 when he took over the mantle of leadership, the debt profile hanging on the state was made up of N141.1 billion in domestic debt and N29.5 billion in multilateral (external) debt. While he has carried out many capital projects, it is on record that his administration has not taken loans. Rather, he has through prudent management of the state’s lean financial resources reduced the debt profile to N134 billion.
As a civil service state, Oyetola inherited a highly demolished and impoverished workforce. Many of the civil servants were owed several months of salaries, while some few lucky ones are paid fractions of their salaries. Today, Oyetola has not only cleared the backlog of salaries owed workers, he has institutionalised a regular salary payment system that has motivated the state workforce into putting in their best.
Infrastructure development:
With a promise made to open up many communities, Oyetola embarked on massive road construction. Many communities cut off due to lack of access roads or abandoned roads were given attention.
Prominent of the many construction projects are the construction of the 8.1km Moro-Yakoyo-Ipetumodu-Asipa road, which was abandoned for 45 years; the construction of the 25km Ede-Ara-Ejigbo road; Ada-Igbajo Road, which was forsaken for 33 years; construction of N2.7 billion Ola Iya flyover; as well as the reconstruction of the 13.15km Ada-Igbajo township road; which was abandoned for 33 years. The projects also include roads in the Akindeko-Awosuru-Alekuwodo area; the Osogbo-Kelebe-Iragbiji road as well as the 20km Ejigbo-Ara Junction-Ede road.
Also, the achievements in infrastructure include the rehabilitation of Ikirun-Ekoende Road, State of Osun 2.5km; the rehabilitation of Aagba road 1.83km; rehabilitation of 1.8km Itaasin (St. Stephen) – Our Lady’s School – Police Divisional Headquarters, Modakeke-Famia Road; the construction of the 30km Gbongan–Akoda Road (Federal road); as well as the total overlay of the 6.092km Ikirun (Idi Esu)-Iragbiji Road. It also includes the rehabilitation of the Osogbo-Kelebe-Iragbiji Road, the 28.09km Idi-Odan-Anaye-Araromi road and the rehabilitation of the 3.75km Chief Adebisi Akande/Olajokun Park-Adenuga junction-Oke Church Olufi Market Gbongan, among others.
To crown his road infrastructure development schemes, Oyetola recently approved the rehabilitation of 25 roads totalling 200 kilometres across the state.
In the health sector, the governor has given the people cause to re-elect him for a second term. His administration is constructing a 120-bed ward at the state Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo, which is 95 per cent completed. It is also constructing 30 units of Doctors’ Quarters at the state Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo; rehabilitating and renovating the Trauma Centre, the New Theatre Complex, the Children’s Ward, the Main Laboratory, the Blood Bank Building and the Surgical Ward at the same hospital. Oyetla has also embarked on the renovation and rehabilitation of the Government House Clinic and the State Secretariat Staff Clinic, Abere, which had been completed. He has released N477.9 million as a premium for the enrolment of vulnerable citizens into the Osun Health Insurance (O’HIS) Scheme.
The tide against Oyetola:
But, observers have expressed concern over the lingering face-off between Oyetola and his predecessor. Despite the achievements recorded, the governor cannot write off the negative impact the influence of Aregbesola in the Ife/Ilesa axis may have on his re-election.
This ugly development may have informed the call by Kano State Governor and Co-Chairman of the Osun State Governorship National Campaign Council, Umar Ganduje, during the inauguration of the council, on the need for the party leaders to close ranks and work together.
For the APC to win, Ganduje said: “The party must ensure reconciliation among all the political stakeholders in Osun State before the election. Reconciliation is totally necessary so that we will believe in each other. We agreed that all stakeholders in Osun State will come together and constitute one force to win this important election.”
Aside from the face-off with Aregbesola, the inability of some serving federal lawmakers to clinch the party’s ticket for another term during the recent primaries may work against Oyetola. It is a consensus that supporters of these lawmakers may likely work against Oyetola’s interest.
Though the opposition against Oyetola within the party may be accurate, feelers from the 31 local government areas suggest that the odds are in his favour ahead of Adeleke, who many believe cannot threaten the governor’s re-election. His performance speaks volumes and cannot be denied; his growing popularity in recent times will propel him to win the election. Continue Reading
