Osun 2018: Dull Political Activities Trigger Speculations

By Shina Abubakar

Less than a year to the 2018 governorship election in the State of Osun, political activities still seem like nothing is happening in the state as both the ruling party and the major opposition seem lost regarding the direction to go in the bid to get a candidate to succeed the incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

The secretariat of the two major political parties in the state seem not have created platform for their aspirants and the major stakeholders could not muster enough courage to determine the agenda of the parties ahead of the 2018 succession plan.

Investigations revealed that while the PDP is enmeshed in make or mar factional crisis, the APC is busy with internal wrangling capable of disrupting any of its chances in the forthcoming poll as experienced in the recently-concluded Osun-West Senatorial bye-election.

Prior to the Supreme Court verdict that favours the Makarfi faction of the PDP, about 10 aspirants had signified intention to run for the governorship seat in the state while only the late Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke had started consultation in the APC before his death.

Findings revealed the verdict eventually dealt a blow on the Adagunodo faction of the PDP, as the Bayo Faforiji group is said to be working towards a particular candidate which is making it difficult for others to continue with their aspiration.

Although, it was gathered that Mr. Kayode Oduoye (Super Kay) is still in the race for the governorship election in the PDP, a former Speaker of the State Assembly, Barrister Adejare Bello  and array of other aspirants still nurture ambition but the crisis in the party is a snag on their path.

Despite the dissolution of the party by the National Secretariat, it was gathered that the two factions are still at loggerheads in the bid to ensure that it outplayed one another in the forthcoming congress in the state.

From the scheme of things in both sides, the factional crisis is far from over, as the Adagunodo group, feeling cheated has vowed to resist any influence in the bid to manipulate it out of power in the party. This situation has overshadowed any preparation the party might be planning for the Osun governorship poll.

The APC is also faced with its challenges concerning how to go about the preparation for its succession plan, as it is still battling with the circumstances surrounding its defeat in the last Osun-West Senatorial bye-election and making move to resolve it.

Prior to the demise of Senator Isiaka Adeleke, the party had laid embargo on any campaign activities by any of its prospective aspirants in line with the guideline of the  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but of recent, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuf has started consulting with leaders of the party across the state and expressing readiness to aspire for the party ticket.

Some of his supporters claimed that the lawmaker took the bull by the horn by visiting the state party chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun first and his ambition was blessed, though since then activities has slowed down within the party.

Some of the party faithful lamented the situation describing the party silence stance on the existing zoning formula in the state, thereby giving room to speculations that it did not intend to follow the system that would accede power to the West senatorial district of the state.

However, some party members have been preparing ground for their ambition in case the ticket is left opened, as a former commissioner in the state from Osun Central, Sunday Akere was also reported to have been working underground to contest the governorship seat.

Findings also revealed that the APC intend to lift ban on political activities by Friday, September 1, but it is not certain whether it would take a stand on the issue of zoning the seat to a particular district as the present Speaker of the State Assembly Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Moshood Adeoti were reported to have also been working underground to succeed Gov. Aregbesola as the duo are from the Osun West district.