Ismaeel Uthman
No fewer than nine political appointees who are serving under the current administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola have resigned their appointments, investigations have revealed.
The political appointees, it was gathered, resigned their appointments between Monday April 4 and yesterday, Thursday, April 21 to pursue their ambition ahead of 2023 general elections.
OSUN DEFENDER authoritatively gathered that three commissioners, two special advisers, two board chairmen and a director general are among the appointees that resigned.
The Commissioners for Human Resources and Capacity Building, Alhaja Lateefat Giwa, Water Resources and Energy, Engr. Amidu Tadese and Commerce, Cooperative and Empowerment, Mr. Henry Olanipekun, have quitted their appointments.
Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Rasaki Adeosun and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Water Resources and Energy, Engr. Ibitoye Adeniran Kilomodemo have also resigned their appointments.
OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Hon. Ajibola Famurewa and the Chairman, Osun Primary Health Care Development Board, Hon. Leke Ogunsola, have also resigned their appointments.
This is just as the General Manager, Public Procurement Agency, Bello Adegboyega (BABS) and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Bureau of Special Duties, Engr. Saheed Ganiyu, tendered their resignation letters on Wednesday.
Ganiyu has declared his intention to contest Iwo Federal Constituency ticket of the APC.
Giwa, according to one of her aides, resigned her appointment early this month in pursuit of her ambition to be the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Osun West Senatorial District in the 2023 National Assembly elections.
Tadese is also contesting the ticket of the party for Osun West Senatorial District, while Famurewa will clinch the ticket of the APC to contest Ife/Ijesa Senatorial District election.
Olanipekun, who was said to be the first to resign his appointment this week, is eying Ila/Boluwaduro/Ifedayo Federal Constituency seat at the House of Representatives.
Kilomode wants to contest the House of Assembly election to represent Odo-Otin State Constituency, while Adeosun is eyeing Osogbo Federal Constituency seat at the House of Representatives.
Ogunsola, who reportedly resigned his appointment yesterday, is eyeing Iwo Federal Constituency seat at the House of Representatives.
It would be recalled that Governor Oyetola had on Tuesday directed all political appointees in the state with interest to contest the 2023 general elections to resign their appointment with immediate effect.
This is in consideration of Sections 84 (12) and 29 (1) of the Electoral Acts, 2022 and the 2023 elections timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Sections 84 (12) of the Electoral Act states: “No political appointee at any level shall be voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election”.
Though Sections 84 (12) has been nullified by a Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State, controversy still rages on the clause, just as the National Assembly has appealed the nullification.
