IN the run-up to picking Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s successor in 2018, there was a clamour by the leaders and rank and file members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for zoning the gubernatorial ticket to Osun West Senatorial District for justice and fair play, among others. This agitation gained momentum as it had the backing of Chief Bisi Akande who was a former governor and the pioneer Interim National Chairman of the party and other party elders.
The clamour was initiated by all the chairmen and secretaries of the 10 council areas in Osun West via a letter written and signed by all of them and presented to Chief Akande at his country home in Ila Orangun. According to the leader of the group, Ahaji Semiu Ayofe, the APC Chairman for Iwo Local Government Council, “Aside Late Isiaka Adeleke’s 20-month tenure as the first elected Governor in the state, no indigene of the senatorial district has been able to occupy the seat. All other senatorial districts have always enjoyed the support of the West in the past in their quest to rule the state.”
That informed why party stalwarts like Dr. Najeem Salam, the out-going Speaker; Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, out-going Secretary to the State Government; Alhaji Bola Oyebanji, out-going Finance Commissioner; Senator Lere Oriolowo and Peter Babalola, among others, all from Osun West, signified their intentions to succeed Ogbeni Aregbesola.
As time went on, there were rumours in the air that Aregbesola was poised to choose his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, as his successor. Oyetola is the nephew of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and he is from Iragbiji, Osun Central Senatorial District.
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As a matter of fact, there were protests by the party youths under the aegis of Osun Continuity Movement in Osogbo on the 6th of July, 2018 with placards inscriptions that read, “We must encourage equal political stability”, “Rotational Leadership”, “West is okay”, among others. In the evening of this protest, Ogbeni Aregbesola, who was outside the state, called me and said, “I have a security report that your men led a protest in Osogbo today, demanding that Osun West should produce the next governor. How do you explain this?” And I replied, “We didn’t initiate the protest, Sir, but there is no way we could continue to bottle their anger and hold them back. If we didn’t allow the protest, it could lead to mass defection to the opposition party. It’s like ‘letting out the steam.’ After the protest, we could now start talking and pacifying people to accept your choice.” “On my way to Osogbo. See me tomorrow morning, please.” Ogbeni concluded.
Before this July 6th protest, by virtue of working as a Special Assistance to the Governor at the Department of Social Mobilisation and Guidance in the Office of the Governor and having Ogbeni’s ear, I and my immediate boss, Comrade Adebayo Ojo, the Director of the Department, went to sound out Ogbeni on who would be his successor. Ogbeni did not mince words: Oyetola was his choice. Two weeks after this meeting, I and Sadiq Olajide, who is now the Director General of Oranmiyan Worldwide paid a visit to Ogbeni in the Government House. I asked Mr. Governor, “Where are we?” and he replied, “We are where we were!”And the last time I personally met with Ogbeni over the rationale for his choice of Oyetola. He said, “Yes, people could say Oyetola doesn’t have some qualities that could endear him to people. But that is the person Asiwaju wants. I, Rauf Aregbesola, cannot refuse Asiwaju’s choice. Asiwaju as a leader has suffered some humiliations from some of his disciples; he cannot suffer the same from me. His choice of Oyetola is mine.” I asked further, “What if we lose to the opposition at the election as some members have threatened to dump the party if you impose Oyetola from the Central on them?” His reply was stunning, “Too bad. If we lose, we lose and please, that is all on this matter.”
And the threat was carried out as some political juggernauts protested by exiting APC for Action Democratic Party (ADP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) among others on an alleged unlevelled playground created by Aregbesola to favour his Chief of Staff emerging the candidate of APC in 2018 governorship election through direct primary, which jeopardized the victory of the party and its candidate at the election.
The result of the 2018 governorship election in Osun was 254,698 for PDP and 254,345 for APC in the first ballot which implies that PDP won the first ballot by 353 votes.
What eventually snatched the victory from PDP was a rerun as INEC declared the election inconclusive for disruption of election and violence in seven polling units in Ife North, Ife South, Orolu and Osogbo Local Government Areas. At the end of the exercise, INEC declared APC winner with 255,505 votes and PDP came second with 225,023 votes. However, if Rt. Hon. Nojeem Salam who also felt short-changed like others had jumped ship by refusing Aregbesola’s persuasion to stay with the party, the 2018 Governorship election would have been an automatic victory for the PDP as 14,779 votes delivered to APC in Ejigbo Local Government Area by Najeem would have gone the other way.
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After the narrow victory, because APC’s strength had been decimated in the processes leading to its primary, Ogbeni instructed our department to do special mobilisation in the forthcoming State Assembly elections to guarantee APC securing at least 18 from the 26 vacant seats so that the opposition party would not be a threat to Governor Gboyega Oyetola. With Comrade Adebayo Ojo, I went to discuss this matter with Governor Oyetola in his Iragbiji country home. On the logistics involved, Governor Oyetola retorted, “I don’t warehouse money. Go and generate a memo and ensure it passes through normal channels, I will approve it.” True to his words, it was approved but no single kobo was released until this very day. It was Ogbeni Aregbesola, who had left office that eventually funded the mobilisation that yielded a comfortable 23 of the 26 seats for APC in the State Assembly election.
It is, therefore, nonsensical for some sponsored writers to insinuate that Aregbesola never wanted Oyetola to succeed him or has a hidden agenda.
In Nigeria of today, especially since the 1999 political dispensation, no successor to a governor could emerge from the same party’s primary without the blessing of the incumbent. It is practically impossible and this should lay to rest all the issues on this matter.
However, I must not conclude this piece without a hint on Oyetola’s transformation and extreme hostility to Ogbeni after ascension into the Governorship Seat and an instance of his encounter with me will suffice. I attended UniOsun’s convocation ceremony with Barrister Shenge Raman on Saturday, 21st September, 2019, an event also graced by then Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Ogbeni Aregbesola who had then been appointed Interior Minister and Osun Governor, Gboyega Oyetola. In the midst of the crowd, Mr. Governor sighted and beckoned to me. He said, “Demola, where have you been? I thought you had travelled out.” I replied, “No sir. I am very much in town.” “Okay. See me as soon as you can,” he looked straight at his Aide-de-Camp and said “Let him see me without any hindrance.” “Yes sir,” he responded.
Two weeks later, we both met at the Government House. Mr. Governor told me, “Have you heard that Teju was in town, mobilising market women against me, stating that I would be given ‘Ambode Treatment?’ Anyway, my name is Gboyega Oyetola not Ambode and the interesting thing I was told is that Ogbeni is the one who sent him. I responded immediately, “Mr. Governor, you shouldn’t be giving attention to everything you’re told, Sir. For instance, who is Teju that Ogbeni would be sending him such an errand and for what purpose? Some information may be misleading. Police, for instance, yesterday blocked Okefia to Lameco road and when I asked the leader of the team why the blockade, he said there was information that some students were planning a protest march to the Government House.
In the presence of the Police Team Leader, I called the students’ leaders to confirm but there wasn’t any such plan and nothing of such happened that day. You’re our Governor and many, especially politicians, will come to give you wrong information to seek your favour. Although, I will investigate this claim, I am sure Ogbeni is not that kind of petty minded person that will be orchestrating such.” Mr. Governor was very cold and didn’t feel at home with my response as the meeting abruptly ended there. I later called Teju to inquire about the matter. He was surprised and said he had never been to Osun for over three months and the information was not true. Teju Isola is one of Aregbesola’s personal assistants. Interestingly, I have several mutually beneficial reasons to see him thereafter but it was never possible as I was always sent away.
It is worthwhile placing all these on record as a living witness and restating the fact again and again since mischief makers remain unyielding in fabricating false narratives and pumping them into the public space. Neither Ogbeni nor Oyetola can deny this narrative and however long falsehood journeys the truth will inevitably overtake it someday.
The opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the author. It does not represent the editorial position or opinion of OSUN DEFENDER.
Ademola Yaya is a columnist, author, policy analyst, pro-democracy crusader and communications specialist.
