Battle for the soul of Osun hots up
Senator Iyiola Omisore
The epic race to the Oke-fia Government House, Osogbo, has begun in earnest. Expectedly, political gladiators in Osun state are already mapping out their strategies for the election. In their bid to match strength for strength, aspiring candidates and their political parties are not leaving anything to chance. The governorship poll is scheduled for September this year.
As usual, the political atmosphere is getting gradually charged. Various political groups have emerged on the scene. Although campaigning is yet to go full blast in apparent compliance with the guidelines stipulated by the Electoral Act, virtually all registered political parties in the state have been working round the clock to woo the electorate.
Among the major political parties which have signified their intentions to field candidates for the forthcoming gubernatorial election are Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Action Alliance (AA), Labour Party (LP) Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). While the UPN and APC have resolved the issue of their gubernatorial flag bearers, others are still contending with intra party rancor arising from the intrigues over the choice of their candidates.
So far, the PDP, which is the main opposition political party in the state, has been parading three aspirants. Sunday Sun reliably gathered that the three aspirants had paid N5 million to obtain intention form sold by the state chapter of the party. The payment of the intention fees, however, generated some controversies within the party. This is in view of the fact that similar money was paid in 2011 before the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan nullified the election that brought Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the PDP into office as the governor of the state.
Bad blood arose from agitations for the refund of the N2 million intension fees paid by the aspirants who had wanted to contest the governorship election under the platform of the party in 2011. An aspirant of the party, Chief Tunde Odanye, insisted that the party should refund the money to the aspirants since election was not conducted.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the party in the state has assured that a primary election will be conducted for the best among the three aspirants to emerge. The state Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa, was quoted to have stressed that the leadership of the party would create a level playing ground for the contending aspirants. This is contrary to the widespread rumours that the party leadership had thrown its weight behind Senator Iyiola Omisore, a former Deputy Governor of the state and one-time chairman, Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriation. Until recently, former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade was believed to be among the front runners for the exalted position. But as at December 31, 2013 when the party closed submission of form by all aspirants, Akinbade had not signified intention for the governorship position.
It was however, rumoured that Akinbade might have defected to the LP in order to realise his dream of governing the state. Although the governorship hopeful has not declared publicly for the new party, it was gathered that a good number of his loyalists and supporters had left for the LP.
Already, the three aspirants of the PDP have started moving round the state to solicit the support of party leaders and other members for their quests. While the APC has zeroed in on Governor Rauf Aregbesola as its flag bearer, both the PDP and LP are still struggling with the choice of their candidates. In the LP, a former governorship aspirant of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) and former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, Hon Niyi Owolade has declared intention to contest the governorship position on the platform of the party.
He said his decision to contest the election on the platform of LP was borne out of the crisis rocking the PDP at both the national and state levels, saying that he would achieve his goal in the LP with the support he enjoys from the masses.
Aspirants of the PDP who have already signified intention are Senator Iyiola Omisore, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi and Hon Oluwole Oke.
Senator Iyiola Omisore
Omisore today prides himself as the leading aspirant of the PDP in the state. He is generally believed to be in good control of the party’s structure based on the fact that he was instrumental to the emergence of the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa and other prominent members of the state executive committee from his political camp.
An indigene of Ile-Ife in the east senatorial district of the state, Omisore was between 1999 and 2001 the Deputy Governor of the state. He was the running mate to Chief Adebisi Akande in the 1999 election and it’s on record that he sponsored the campaign of the then Alliance for Democracy (AD) that produced Akande. He, however, parted ways with Akande following his alleged intention to take a shot at the governorship position at the expense Akande’s second term bid.
In the ensuing face-off, Omisore was impeached by the state House of Assembly in a controversial circumstance and he eventually pitched his tent with the PDP in the state. He was detained for months following his alleged complicity in the killing of the late Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief James Ajibola Ige, who was murdered at his Bodija, Ibadan residence in December 2001.
While in detention, Omisore contested the seat of the Ife/Ijesha Senatorial District of Osun State and won in 2003. He was re-elected into the senate in 2007.
He, however, lost in his bid to return to the senate in 2011, having lost to Senator Jide Omoworare of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Omisore is a force to be reckoned with in the state as he has the financial muscle to contest any election.
He is also believed to enjoy the goodwill of President Goodluck Jonathan. Besides, he has a strong political structure within the PDP in all the 30 Local Government Areas of the state. In preparation for the contest, he has started strategizing on how to take over from the incumbent governor.
Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi
An indigene of Odeomu in Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun state, Akinlabi represented Osun West Senatorial District of the state at the upper chamber of the National Assembly between 2003 and 2007. He was appointed the Minister of Youths Development by Late President Umar
Musa Yar’Adua and was also retained by President Goodluck Jonathan before he was later sacked.
Senator Akinlabi has designed his blueprint for the state and has also organized his campaign organization which he tagged “SOAR”.
Since he declared his intention to contest the governorship election in the state, he has been moving round the state to solicit support of all members of his party.
He has always been clamouring for a transparent primary election within the PDP, even as he prides himself to be the only one who has the tactics to wrestle power from the incumbent Governor Aregbesola. Akinlabi in his bid to rule the state has also been holding consultations with relevant stakeholders in the state with a view to achieving consensus on what should be the priority of the state in line with the vision of its founding fathers. He assured that he would ensure that changes are effected in the desired areas for the good of all and sundry in the state.
Hon Oluwole Oke
A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Oke represented Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State for two terms between 2003 and 2011. His campaign is anchored on the need for an Ijesha man like him to contest against another Ijesha man in person of Governor Aregbesola. A businessman, politician, lawyer and scholar of note, Oke who hails from Esa-Oke in Obokun Local Government Area of the state is highly popular within the PDP, especially in the six local government areas in Ijesha zone.
As LP gradually gains strength and popularity in the state, Owolade has openly declared his intention. On the other hand, sources said Akinbade was yet to make an open declaration. Owolade was a commissioner under Oyinlola, while Akinbade was Secretary to the State Government. It’s not yet certain whether a primary election would be conducted between the two of them. But it is crystal clear that the party would field a candidate for the next governorship election in the
state.
Akinbade’s defection potentially would have significant effect on the PDP, a party he co-founded in the state and where he has a good number of supporters. He has a strong political structure in the state tagged FACO. The group has been championing his governorship ambition since his days in the PDP.
However, in the ruling APC, it is an easy ride for Governor Aregbesola. The party places its strength on the acceptability of Aregbesola by the people of the state who are delighted about the numerous projects executed by him in the last three years of his administration.
Aregbesola’s numerous achievements cut across all strata of the state’s economy and especially in education, works, transportation and urban renewal. Aregbesola enjoys considerable public confidence for effective service delivery.
This is going to be a plus for him as he seeks the support of the masses of the state for another term.
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