Crisis brews in Osun APC over Aregbesola’s successor

A fresh crisis is brewing in the camp of the Osun State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), over who succeeds outgoing Governor Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, in the September 22, 2018 governorship election in the State.

The crisis is not a physical one but crisis of wisdom against the interest of one person who wants to be a domineering factor in a State with diverse ethnic groups.

Dependable Daily Times source hinted that the national leader of APC and erstwhile governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola are at the centre of the crisis which if not urgently settled may tear the party into pieces.

The source said that the two gladiators are sponsoring different candidates for the plum job in the September 22, governorship election.

While Asiwaju Tinubu is sponsoring the incumbent Chief of Staff to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, the governor is said to be in a dilemma over who to support between his bosom friend and retired permanent secretary in the State, Engr. Adelere Adeyemi Oriolowo and Tinubu’s political godson.

Asiwaju Tinubu was said to have insisted on the candidature of Oyetola because of the fact that they are blood related brothers from Iragbaji in Boripe Local Government Area of the State, and that he has served Aregbesola’s government meritoriously for eight years as Chief of Staff, hence the need to be compensated with the plum job.

The unfolding scenario now points to an imminent crisis in the fold of all the All Progressive Congress in the State as the two political gladiators are spoiling for showdown.

The situation is also compounded by the decision of the leadership of the party in the State, to field home-based candidate rather than to allow somebody to impose a candidate who is not acceptable to the electorate and familiar with the politics of the State as the party flag bearer in the governorship poll.

Against this background, APC leadership in the State, who saw the crisis signal have prevailed on the duo to allow for fair play in the emergence of a credible candidate through a free and a fair primary for all the aspirants eyeing the Bola Ige House.

They vowed that all the aspirants would still have to pass through the primaries according to due process before flag bearer emerges.

As of the last count, over 20 aspirants have signified their intentions to contest the gubernatorial primaries scheduled for July 7, 2018.

They are Elder Chief Peter Adebayo Babalola, Surveyor Babatunde Taiwo, Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Barrister Nathaniel Oke, Chief Sunday Akere former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, Engr. Oriolowo, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Ezekiel Oyebola Oyemomi among others.