BOLA BAMIGBOLA writes that although the All Progressives Congress governorship primary holding in Osun State is an intra-party affair, it has generated a lot of interests in and outside the state
Perhaps, the last time Osun State witnessed the current tension permeating the state’s political landscape, which was caused by the tussle over the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress, was in September, 2018 when the last governorship election was held.
The incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, eyeing the APC ticket for a fresh term has the duo of ex-Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti, and the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf, to contend with.
Despite the contest being an intra-party affairs, so far, it has not been less intriguing, and the watchers of trend have been kept at the edge of their seats, as the gladiators make all manners of efforts to outwit one another.
Regardless the outcome of the contest, it is needless saying the contest for the APC ticket for Osun 2022 governorship poll would go down in the political history of the state as one of the fiercest intra-party political contests.
Besides parading intimidating political credentials, the three contestants for the ticket have powerful politically forces across the state backing them and with the intensity that accompanied activities of the aspirants towards the Saturday’s exercise, the state may be poised for a governorship primary with all the trappings of real elections.
Adegboyega Oyetola
As the incumbent governor, apart from the privileges that being incumbent governor, Oyetolais also a member of APC Caretaker National Leadership, where he represents South-West.
Oyetola’s calm approach to issues, relationship with some critical stakeholders outside political party space, relatively high rating in performance and availability of resources remain some of his strengths.
Going by the testimonies in places visited by the governor and his entourage during local government tour he recently had, major stakeholders in the affairs of the state, could be said to have rated him highly, in the face of resources available to him.
Royal fathers in many of the palaces visited during the tour, had many projects executed in their domain to thank governor for, even though more was requested for him.
His firm grip on the elected APC party structure from ward to state level could also count in Oyetola’s favour. Since coming on board in 2018, he has consciously built army of party loyalists in all 332 wards in the state and this may help his course on the day of the primary.
Since direct primary mode had been adopted and APC members in all the wards would be allowed to vote for their preferred aspirant, the last membership revalidation excercise of the party, may end up being one of the factors that would help Oyetola to easily clinch the ticket.
Notwithstanding all these factors that are in favour of Oyetola, coming up with the personalities such as Adeoti and Yusuf would definitely give the governor’s camp sleepless night.
Moshood Adeoti
He served as the Iwo Local Government Chairman, before he was made the state Chairman of Alliance for Democracy and later Action Congress.
Being chairman of the AC during the controversial 2007 governorship election in Osun unearthed Adeoti’s capacity as a fearless leader and grassroots mobiliser, as he defied all odds while the contest lasted.
Upon victory of his party at the Appeal Court, which held that AC candidate at the poll, Rauf Aregbesola won the election, the then governor, rewarded Adeoti with the post of Secretary to the government which he held till he left APC weeks to the 2018 governorship primary.
Coming out to vie for APC governorship ticket, Adeoti has not only reved up his political machinery spread across the state, he is also enjoying the support of Aregbesola, who has declared him as the one anointed to succeed Oyetola.
Without Aregbesola’s support in 2018 governorship poll and running on a relatively weak platform of Action Democratic Party, Adeoti won his local government in Iwo, also yanked off over 49,000 votes that probably would have gone to APC candidate.
With that, Adeoti’s coming out to vie for APC ticket and enjoying the support of Aregbesola and a factional party structure from ward to state level, make him a candidate to beat.
Also, many old members of the progressive family in the state are still very close to Adeoti and based on the sentiment of previous dealings, they may be giving covert support to him.
Lasun Yusuf
His tenure as Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives was a period of boom economically for many people in APC that he hired as aides.
Few years after exiting the Green Chamber, the period that the Ilobu-born politician served was also felt positively in terms of facilitation of developmental projects to his Federal Constituency, and this still endeared him to alot of people.
Yusuf is considered as a brilliant, fearless governorship material, if given right platform to run and his association with Aregbesola’s group at a point in his struggle for APC ticket, gave huge push to his chances.
Backed by enthusiastic supporters from his Ilobu hometown, Yusuf will also ordinarily appeal to sentiments of many people in Osogbo that he helped while in office, the development that may give him sympathy votes in the APC primary. ,,
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