MAGAZINE In Determining Osun Next Gov: Issues And Chances

The D-day is Saturday, September 22 when the people of Osun would determine who they want to govern them for the next four years. They have a choice to either vote for consolidation of symbolic progressive governance or do otherwise. KAZEEM MOHAMMED reviews the activities of political parties and their strength.

Saturday, September 22 is the day the dye will cast, as the people of Osun would go into the poll to determine who governs them for the next four years after the expiration of the symbolic progressive governance of the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola-led administration.

Forty eight political parties have been listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to participate in the election, highest in the history of governorship poll in Osun and Nigeria as a whole.

Inspite this huge number of contenders in the race and considering the fact that some of them have decided to join forces, findings showed that the electorate have zeroed down on only five major contenders, among who a winner might emerge. They are Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Moshood Adeoti of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and Fatai Akinbade of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). This might not be unconnected with the fact that these are the contenders whose campaigns have been pronounced among the populace.

Going into the poll however, different political parties have come up with different issues, ranging from payment of salaries, pensions and allowances; repositioning of education, development of infrastructure, debt profile of the state and many more.

Oyetola, the APC candidate has continued to emphasised on the need to build on the current development going on in the State, talk of infrastructure development, education development, social interventions like OYES, OREAP, OMEAL, O’Ambulance, Agba Osun and many more.

In his declaration speech shortly after he was elected the party’s candidate, Oyetola said, about eight years of Aregbesola’s administration which he has been part of, has been service-driven, purposeful and untainted vision, saying, there has been “a wave of massive infrastructural renewal and revolution in agriculture, education, job/wealth creation, health and other social investments across our state – with all resulting in improved quality of lives of our people.

“Although, we are yet to arrive at the Promised Land, we have certainly begun a journey of most remarkable progress, even as there is still room for improvements. And we must not stop, nor give up, till we are able to evolve a state that works for all.

“The welfare of workers shall top our list of priorities. While the current administration has tried its best possible to enhance the welfare of workers, our administration shall intensify efforts and come up with stronger strategies to ensure prompt payment of workers’ salaries and pensions of our senior citizens. We shall pursue workers’ welfare with all the energy in us. We will seek a gradual and inclusive civil service reform, make the work environment more conducive, stimulating and development-oriented, with sustained reward mechanisms and keep workers morale high. We will promote an enviable culture of excellence and service.

“We will work with our well-meaning bureaucrats, urgently increase our internally generated revenue (IGR) base, block all leakages and waste of the Osun commonwealth. While working even harder to improve our IGR, we will specifically continue to cut leakages in tax collection and tax administration processes. Consequently, we will run a transparent and accountable government, steeped in single-minded pursuit of reducing dependence on federal allocation as a means of funding government”.

Above all, the major focus of his tenure, Adegboyega said, would be to build on the progressive development in all sectors of governance.

This has always been considered by political pundits to be a strong point of canvassing for votes among electorates considering the impacts that have been made by the Aregbesola’s administration.

A public affair analyst, Adebimpe Adebayo said besides the issue of modulated salary, which is now being taking care of through the ongoing payment of arrears and subsequently full payment of salary and pension, there is no any other area you can score this government low.

“We should all not forget that the issue of modulated salary was the consequence of economic crisis that hit the country and subsequent reduction in allocations to states. Also, the issue of Osun debt profile is no big deal in government, none of them will tell you that when they get to power, they won’t borrow for development, but if they tell, run away from them, they are not sincere and they can never be.

“Frankly speaking, besides little shortcomings which can be ignored anyway, there is no aspect of governance that this government has not done well and that is a point that can give the APC candidate a point ahead of others. This is so because people have realised that it is important to have a government that will hold that line of progressive thought, or else, there will be a break up in the ongoing development and it might take many years to recover from it”, Adebimpe said.

For the PDP candidate, Adeleke, more emphasis have been laid on the perceived shortcomings of the current administration as the basis for his preference, while little had been said on his policy direction and manifesto towards the development of the state if elected.

Major points being raised are the issue of modulated salary and pension, debt profile, drop in education standard and financial recklessness.

These are the same issues being talked about by the candidates of the SDP, Senator Omisore and ADC, Alhaji Akinbade. They have all promised to improved on the situation and rejig the system towards development of the state. Akinbade had only conspicuously added that due process in the award of public contracts would be strictly followed.

But Adebimpe said all the issues raised against the APC candidate were not enough to say that the APC has not performed well enough, saying, “as a leader, there are some tough decisions you would have to take, even when you are not comfortable with it, I’m not saying they are saints, we definitely have people who are not in tune with the development traits of the administration but are still in government. However, as human beings, we must accord the APC government the commendation it deserves”.

For ADP candidate, Adeoti, his major issue was that his senatorial district, West, has not been given the opportunity to rule the state, hence the reason for him to pursue his ambition from another party.

Though, he has severally acknowledged that the current administration of the APC, which he was part of before his defection has performed, he identified loopholes in some of the policies of the government like the issue of modulated salary and pension, ‘capital flight’, imposition of candidates and many more.

His major area of focus to revamp economy which he has severally emphasised is to embark on agricultural revolution that would in turn improve the economy of the state.

Since the commencement of their campaign rallies, pundits have been comparing the chances of each of the candidates judging by the crowd they pull during their public campaigns, but whether the crowds translate to winning the poll for any of the candidate or not is another issue for discussion.

One major issue that has greeted the candidature of Ademola Adeleke has been the issue of whether he is qualified to contest the election or not following the release of his WASCE result, where he got F9 in English Language and absent in other subjects.

Also, the PDP candidate has been conspicuously absent in debate programmes organized to allow the candidates make their points and state what they have for the people. As a result, some residents of Osun have been raising concern as to the capability of Adeleke to govern the state, when he has failed to use any platform made available for him to harness his programmes and policies.

It was also in the course of the campaigns that the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was accused of disparaging the people of Osogbo as being paupers, but he, in reaction said, his statement at the palace was twisted to score political point, saying it was an attempt to create animosity between him and the people of Osogbo.

A statement by his media aide said: “What the APC leader said is that in vying for Osun governorship, the party’s candidate, Alhaji  Oyetola, is motivated by service and not by any selfish consideration. Asiwaju Tinubu couldn’t have said anything to disparage the same people whose votes he is seeking for the APC candidate.

“Asiwaju has always stressed the fact that he was born into poverty and had to achieve success in life through much suffering, perseverance and industry. This is also as it was with many of our great leaders including heroes like Chief Obafemi Awolowo and MKO Abiola. Like these icons, Asiwaju’s goal in politics is to utilize all he has to help empower people and lift them out of poverty”.

However, some analyst have been rating the candidates based on their performances in the series of debates organised for them and the programmes they have put forward, particularly the APC candidate’s responses to contentious questions on issues such as debt profile and modulated salaries and his responses had been described as remarkable.

An analyst, Mr Animashaun M.A. of the Department of Political Science, Fountain University, Osogbo predicted that the APC may win the election and even its margin of victory over PDP may be expanded if its candidate continues to ignore public engagements like the debate to sell his message.

“Those managing his campaigns are not doing him any good, if they continue to advise him that he does not need to attend public discussions to win election. That may be true, but if per providence, he wins the crucial election, he cannot be shielded from public interface”, Animasahun stressed.

In the course of the campaigns, there were accusations and counter-accusations by different political parties over alleged vandalisation of billboards and campaign posters, as well as violent attacks on one another. It is observed that such violence acts were not pronounced as against the past, when tensions would have been built up ahead of poll.

However, some major issues that may determine who eventually win the poll are, the performance of the incumbent government in all sectors of the economy, particularly the social intervention which has been described by many as unprecedented, issue of salary and pension payment, issues of zoning among others.

Regardless of what have been identified as the factor that might determine who wins the poll on Saturday, the issue of vote buying as one of the factor could also not be foreclosed, as some residents seem to have made up their mind to get paid for their votes.

This is inspite of the Nigeria Police warning that its men will arrest anyone who goes to polling unit with money on election day.

Addressing journalist in Osogbo recently, Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU),  Mr Abayo Sogunie said vote buying will not occur in Osun, stressing that the police intelligence unit is working with INEC to deal with anyone who tries to lured voters with money on election day.

However, a voters, who spoke with this medium under the condition of anonymity said, “This is the only time we can be reckoned with as voters and we must be able to get our due because, after the election, you won’t see the politicians again. I will collect any money given to me and vote for candidate of my choice”, he added.

Head or tail, the electorates are now the beautiful brides and are determined to troop out enmasse to cast their vote going by the zeal they have demonstrated.