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Osun: PDP upbeat about Presidency
OBINNA EZUGWU
The victory of Senator Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State is serving as a morale booster for the party, amid internal crisis, going into 2023.
The main opposition party which went into the election on the back of a heavy defeat in last month’s governorship election in Ekiti State, next door neighbour to Osun, could not have hoped for a better outcome when on Sunday, Adeleke was declared winner having secured 403, 371 votes to defeat Gboyega Oyetola, his closest challenger and governor of the state, who polled 375,027 votes on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In the June 18 Ekiti governorship election, the PDP which failed to recover from its contentious primary won by Bisi Kolawole, the anointed candidate of Ayodele Fayose, former governor of the state, came third with 67,457 votes, behind Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who polled 82,211 votes to come second, and the eventual winner, Biodun Oyebanji who had 187,057 votes.
Oni, who was clearly the most popular aspirant going into the PDP primaries, had lost out to Kolawole whom many insist was imposed on the party by Fayose, prompting him to defect to the SDP, eventually coming second in the main election.
The outcome of the Ekiti polls was a morale dampener for the opposition party, but Osun has proven to quite the opposite, with its candidate, Senator Adeleke taking 17 local governments to emerge the governor-elect, while the incumbent governor, Oyetola secured victory in 13 local governments to come short in the event.
Specifically, Adeleke, had 403,371 votes while Oyetola had 375,027 votes according to results announced by Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, the vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), who is the the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returning officer,
His victory means that going into 2023, the main opposition party will control two states in the Southwest geopolitical zone, namely Osun and Oyo states, a zone touted as a major stronghold of the APC, and indeed the original state of the ruling party’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
For many in the party who have taken turns to celebrate the Osun feat, it is a sign of what to come in 2023, and a welcome relief for the platform which went into the election on the back of internal crisis which emanated from the decision of its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to snub Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers State, and opt for Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta in the choice of his running mate.
Wike, a more popular figure in the party who had been its major bulwark since 2015, and was recommended for the position by the party’s governors and national working committee after losing the presidential primary to Atiku. But in the event, Atiku opted for Okowa, a decision that has continued to generate controversy in the party.
But the Osun victory will be a welcome relief from the crisis, and the party will hope to draw inspiration from it going into 2023.
In a statement after the victory, Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the main opposition party, said with takeover of Osun, the presidential villa is next for the party.
“Four years ago, the PDP won the governorship, but our Candidate, Sen. Adeleke, was robbed of victory in broad daylight. We went back to the drawing board, and today, we have reclaimed our victory,” he said.
“Today is, therefore, not just a day of double restoration – it’s a day of redemption too. It restores PDP to power and redeems the Osun people from the scourge of mediocrity, empty promises and excuses.
“I congratulate the two-time winner, the tenacious Adeleke. I congratulate the good people and residents of Osun state. I hail every party stakeholder who stood with us in action, prayers and hope.
“You have kept faith with the PDP. You refused to be intimidated. You refused to be bought over with foodstuffs and 30 silver coins. You said no to thuggery and vote fraud. You have done well.
“I thank the PDP National Campaign Council for the Osun State Governorship Election, headed by HE Gov. Duoye Diri, for a superlative performance. I thank our Vice Presidential Candidate Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa for tireless work.
“PDP is proud of all of you.
“You have helped to return PDP to power after 12 years. You have returned hope to Osun state. But beyond this, you have renewed the quit notice on the reigning APC Federal government. PDP first issued the quit notice in December last year when this present leadership assumed office.
“This election was a referendum on the disastrous APC stewardship, and proves conclusively that Nigerians want PDP back. And, indeed, PDP is coming!
“The task before us now is to transit from Opposition to Governance. This we shall do. With Osun done, next villa!
“We call on all PDP members and all Nigerians to join the moving PDP train. Don’t be left behind. Our next destination is ASO VILLA.”
Ayu commended INEC and security operatives for “toeing the path of neutrality and ensuring that the votes counted”.
Similarly, Bukola Saraki, former senate president, noted that “The message from the Osun election is very clear. Nigerians have spoken very clearly that they are tired of the APC. They are tired of the party that doesn’t perform and they want a party that performs. That’s the message, and it’s very clear.”
Continuing, Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State, said, “The message is going to reverberate across the country, not just in the Southwest region. The message is that the country is ready to go back to the better days. After Osun, the next is Aso Rock Villa.”
In a tweet subsequently, Saraki noted that the victory was a culmination of hard work by the main opposition party and did not come easy.
“Make no mistake, this victory was not easily attained. It is the culmination of the sacrifice and hard work of our party leaders, stakeholders, and leaders, who all played specific roles to ensure that this time around, our party’s mandate has been protected,” he said.
On his part, Alhaji Atiku, former vice president and presidential candidate of the PDP, has hailed Adeleke on his victory, noting that light has come to the state.
Reacting to the development in a tweet on Sunday, Atiku said the contest was well fought by Adeleke and that “light” has now come to the state.
“Light has come to Osun,” he wrote.
“Congratulations, Sen. Ademola Adeleke on a well-fought victory. Also, hearty congratulations to the PDP family and all stakeholders who came together to make this possible.
“Most importantly, congratulations to the great people of Osun State for proving that power indeed belongs to the people.”
Also reacting Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto and chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, said Adeleke’s victory is a “signal” that the PDP will win the presidential election in 2023.
“The good people of Osun State have spoken loud & clear that politics is local,” he said.
“I want to congratulate my brother, Senator Ademola Adeleke on his victory. The PDP family appreciates the Good people of Osun for sending the signal that H.E Atiku Abubakar is coming.”
Also, Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, said Adeleke’s victory “has shown the entire country that the PDP is ready, willing, and able to rescue Nigeria in 2023”.
“It not only sets the momentum for the future, but it also highlights the need for unity within our ranks,” he said.
“This is why, as we prepare for the arduous task ahead, I pray that our party can sustain this drive into next year, as we work to elect Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the next President of Nigeria.”
Aregbesola has the last laugh
Meanwhile, Rauf Aregbesola, Nigeria’s minister of interior and former governor of Osun State on Sunday, also reacted to the defeat of his successor, Oyetola, remaking that it’s very for Osun.
Aregbesola who shunned the governorship and travelled to Germany, noted in cryptic note after Adeleke was declared winner, that Osun is victorious.
A devout Muslim, Aregbesola quoted Daniel 4:17 from the bible, “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.”
Responding, he wrote, “Osun Le Tente”, which could be loosely interpreted as “Osun is victorious”.
The former Osun governor, however, subsequently deleted the message, noting that it was not authorized.
Aregbesola, who is at loggerheads with Oyetola had stayed away from the election because of what his aides described as an “official engagement”.
Although the APC won at his Ward 8, unit 1, Isare Ifofin, Ilesa East Local Government Area voting point, some political pundits have listed Oyetola’s friction with Aregbesola as one of the reasons for his loss.
Oyetola and Aregbesola fell apart shortly after the incumbent governor succeeded the minister at the end of his two terms as governor.
Oyetola had reversed some of his policies and moved to create his own political structure, thereby reducing the influence of his predecessor.
Their rift reached its height when Aregbesola fell out with his estranged benefactor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who is a relation of Oyetola.
Amid the misunderstanding with Tinubu, Aregbesola attempted block the reelection ticket of Oyetola.
Breakdown of the performance of the parties by local government:
Boluwaduro
APC: 5649
PDP: 5860
Ilesa East
APC: 13452
PDP: 10969
Osogbo
APC: 22952
PDP: 30401
Ila
APC: 11163
PDP: 13036
Atakumosa West
APC: 6601
PDP: 7750
Ifelodun
APC: 16068
PDP: 17107
Ilesa West
APC: 10777
PDP: 13769
Ayedire
APC: 7868
PDP: 7402
Odo-Otin
APC: 13482
PDP: 14002
Boripe
APC: 21205
PDP: 7595
Obokun
APC: 9727
PDP: 13575
Orolu:
APC: 9928
PDP: 10282
Olorunda
APC: 18709
PDP: 21350
Ife North
APC: 9964
PDP: 10359
Ifedayo
APC: 5016
PDP: 4730
Ife Central
APC: 17880
PDP: 13532
Irepodun
APC: 12122
PDP: 14369
Oriade
APC: 14189
PDP: 15947
Irewole
APC: 18198
PDP: 14216
Isokan
APC: 10833
PDP: 10777
Ejigbo
APC: 14355
PDP: 18065
Ede North
APC: 9603
PDP: 23931
Egbedore
APC: 9228
PDP: 13230
Ayedaade
APC: 14527
PDP: 13380
Ede South
APC: 5704
PDP: 19438
Olaoluwa
APC: 9123
PDP: 7205
Iwo
APC: 17421
PDP: 16914
Atakumosa East
APC: 7449
PDP: 6992
Ife South
APC: 12481
PDP: 9116
Ife East
APC: 19353
PDP: 18071
