Osun Decides 2018: Who Replaces Aregbeola?

 


By Eric Elezuo
Finally, September 22, 2018 is here, and a plethora of political gladiators are set to await the outcome of their long drawn combat. The mantle and seat of Abere Government House, home of the Osun state governor is the coveted trophy. A lot of discordant tunes from political gladiators had been the order of the day as each bombarded the sensibilities of the electorate with slogans such as ‘experience is all that counts’, ‘let new voices be heard’ among many others. However, the big question on the lips of the voters as well as observers is who takes the seat of Aregbesola?

While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that 48 parties will be participating in the election, it is reported that AD’s James Olugbenga Akintola and ADP’s Moshood Adeoti have collapsed their structures in favour of Iyiola Omisore of the SDP further brightening the chances of the former deputy governor. However, it is common that while some are real contenders based on their popularity and structure already put in place, many others are pretenders. Going by the fires the aspirants are spitting, the election promises to be very interesting and keenly contested even as the primaries presented no less an intriguing contest.

For the ruling party in the state, the All Progressive Congress (APC), a new card was played which practically deviated from using the delegate system of election which is in fact the routine and opted for the direct method which gave power and franchise to members of the party in the various wards to choose their own aspirants. This move elicited a number of controversies as some of the party’s members were against the move, stating that it smacks of favouritism and was filled with shenanigans of unfairness to favor the eventual winner, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.

Following the drift in the APC, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti defected to the Action Democratic Party on the last day of submission of candidates name to INEC and following a hurried primary, he was crowned as the sole candidate for the party.

Meanwhile, the major opposition party was having its own crises as Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi who came second vowed to get to the end of the earth to get his mantle from the said winner, Senator Ademola Adeleke.  Petitions were written for the exercise to be conducted again or the votes be recounted but everything seemed a futile approach. That was not all, the issue of Adeleke’s inability to write WAEC was brought to the fore, and much as the exam body declared that he wrote the exams, Police still invited for legal prosecution. The move was halted by President Buhari till after the elections.

Senator Iyiola Omisore, a former deputy governor of the state emerged as the flag bearer of his new party, the Social Democratic Party in what could be termed a landslide victory in a primary election led by Dr. Bayo Faforji. However, that was not without its own raise of dust as another primary led by Chief Ademola Ishola using delegates method produced Mr. Kehinde Atanda as its candidate.
The Accord Party on its part gave its mandate to a United States of America based cleric of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Olopade Okunola.

While a number of the candidates have experience having served in one way or the other in the political space, the people of Osun State would be looking forward to voting that person who appears certain of fulfilling promises made during the campaign, not one who would turn a deaf ear to their pleas once they assume power.  They will be seeking to vote an individual who has what it takes to lead the state to the proverbial Promised Land.

Below are the real contenders, one of whom will occupy the prestigious Abere government House.