Osun 2018: Cracks in Aregbesola’s Camp Over Oyetola, Oyebamiji’s Gov Aspirations

By Segun Adejumo

Some loyalists of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the state of Osun have reportedly rejected the choice of his Chief of Staff, Gboyega Oyetola as the favoured governorship aspirant to succeed the governor.

According to sources at the Osun Government House, the Aregbesola loyalists vehemently opposed Oyetola’s aspiration because of the strong agitation that Osun West Senatorial District should produce the next governor of the state.

CityMirrorNews learnt that the Aregbesola’s loyalists had conducted several opinion polls on the possibilities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the September 22 governorship election with Oyetola as the party’s candidate.

The report of the opinion polls, according the sources, was that Oyetola is not popular among the APC members and the electorate in the state and would spoil the chance of the party to win the election.

Also, the loyalists are of the opinion that the ‘Osun West Lokan’ agitation is real, and thus, the governor and the leadership of the party should respect the view of the party members on the choice of aspirant and zoning.

It was gathered that the Aregbesola’s loyalists, among who are the current Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Ajibola Basiru, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Kolapo Alimi, Commissioner for Regional Integration, Mr Bola Ilori, Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation, the Director, Department of Social and Grassroots Mobilisation and Guidance, Office of the Governor, Comrade Bayo Ojo, held that it would be wrong to choose candidate from central because of the political nature of Osun.

CityMirrorNews learnt that Basiru, Ilori and some others held a meeting with Aregbesola late Monday where they told the governor that they could not support Oyetola’s aspiration because it would spell doom for the party.

According to the sources, Aregbesola was unable to persuade Basiru, Ilori and others to change their mind at the meeting, as they insisted that Oyetola was ‘a bad product’ and could not be sold to the general electorate.

The Aregbesola’s supporters reportedly suggested the current Commissioner for Finance, Mr Bola Oyebamiji to the governor as the most suitable person to support for the APC governorship ticket.

They explained that Oyebamiji is from Ikire, Irewole Local Government in Osun West Senatorial District, which would out-rightly kill the ‘Osun West’ agitation, and also change the wrong impression of the people on the governor.

Aregbesola, Oyetola, Basiru, Oyebamiji

On Tuesday, both Basiru and Bola Ilori updated the campaign poster of Oyebamiji on the facebook and twitter accounts with a caption ‘Irewolede, West Lodu’, an indication that they had fully declared their support for him.

Findings revealed that Majority Leader of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon Timothy Owoeye,  former APC chairman, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi, Akano, Basiru, Ilori and others held meeting at a hotel around Lameco area, Osogbo to strategise on how to gather support for Oyebamiji.

Findings by CityMirrorNews that the development has slightly reduce Oyetola’s followers as some of them believed that both Basiru and Ajibola could not be acting against Aregbesola’s script.

But some other Aregbesola’s commissioners and Special Advisers who are staunch supporters of Oyetola have remained undaunted on the Oyetola’s aspiration, in spite of Basiru and others move.

The pro-Oyetola Aregbesola’s loyalists among who are Commissioner for Information and Strategy, State of Osun, Mr Adelani Baderinwa, Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Engr. Remi Omowaiye, Commissioner for Sports, Social Security, Comrade Biyi Odunlade and Honourable Ajibola Famurewa who is representing Ijesa-South Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives dismissed the insinuation that the governor was in support of Oyebamiji’s governorship aspiration.

They stated that the Oyebamiji’s supporters were out for personal political interest.