Before death cut his life and ambition short, Adeleke had a lot of things going for him towards realising his governorship ambition.
The death of a formidable politician in Osun State, Otunba Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke three Sundays ago has no doubt caused a lull in the frenzy the race to succeed Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola had generated before his demise.
Before his death, Adeleke, who was the first civilian governor of the state was a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In addition to that, he was the front runner in the race towards succeeding Aregbesola at the Abere Government House next year.
Before death cut his life and ambition short, Adeleke had a lot of things going for him towards realising his governorship ambition. He had executive experience as the first democratically elected governor of the state. He also had legislative experience as two terms Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In addition to that, he represent a senatorial district-West, which turn, it is believed to produce the next occupant of the state’s Government House. Adeleke’s electoral value was not in doubt. And he was believed to be a people’s man, amiable, accessible, generous and accommodating. Besides, he came from a family that is rich by all standards.
Osun was created on 27th of August, 1991. That has been 26 years. And since then, west has had governor for just 22 months. The state had governors from the Central for almost 12 years. And by the expiration of the present occupant, who is from the East Senatorial District, it would be eight years for the East also. So, it is logical to say that, Osun West deserves to be given opportunity to serve at that level. The consensus of the average politicians in Osun today, is that ticket should go to somebody from the Western Senatorial District.
So, Adeleke’s presence in the race therefore gave the Osun West Senatorial District confidence that he was capable of neutralising possible influences of gubernatorial intruders from other two zones of the state namely, East and Central.
And right now, the political permutation in the state has taken a new dimension. A political vacuum has been created by Adeleke’s sudden demise. His seat in the Senate is now vacant. And the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said that processes towards filling the vacant seat would commence immediately the body is officially notified by the relevant body. This means there will be a by-election to be conducted very soon to fill the seat vacated by the deceased.
So, right now, the Osun West Senatorial District is faced with two challenges. Number one is to contest for a by-election. While number two is to prepare for 2018 governorship race. With this scenario on ground now, some governorship aspirants are now jettisoning their guber aspirations for senatorial ambition.
Names are now coming up from across the district as possible replacement to Adeleke at the Senate. Some names making the round include a former Minister, Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, former Chief of Staff to Governor Oyinlola, Dr. Peter Babalola (Peter Power), two former Osun State House of Assembly Speakers, Professor Majeed Alabi who is currently a member of the House of Representatives and Rt. Hon. Adejare Bello as well as Adeleke’s predecessor, Senator Mudashiru Oyetunde Hussein who is currently a cabinet nominees.
It was even reported in some quarters that one of Adeleke’s siblings is being rumoured for his seat to placate the people of Ede of the circumstance of his death.
And before now, both Majeed Alabi and Adejare Bello were believed to be eyeing Aregbesola’s seat. However, while it can be safely said that Adejare of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is making consultations for the senatorial seat, same may not be the case for Alabi as feelers from his camp have not indicated the he has jettisoned his gubernatorial aspiration.
The pertinent question now is, if an Adeleke’s sibling or any other indigene of Ede is supported to replace Adeleke, where would the governorship candidate come from? And two major towns in the forefront of the race for Aregbesola’s seat are Ede and Iwo. Would Ede settle for Senatorial seat and forgo governorship slot? Would Iwo prefer senatorial seat to governorship coveted seat? How well would Ede receive governorship campaigners from other towns besides its environs? Although all the towns and settlements in Osun have eminently qualified personalities to field for any political offices from the Local Government to the presidency, if Ede insists on having the governorship ticket, who then steps into Adeleke’s shoes now?
A political analyst, who studied the situation on ground now concludes that, “the race now appears to be open to other senatorial district, particularly the central.” The reason he alluded was that, if there is no consensus between the Iwo and Ede zones, a lucky aspirants from the central may benefit from the suspected acrimony to scale through the party primaries and eventually win the general election next year.
While there are unconfirmed reports that the Chief of Staff to Aregbesola, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola is also eyeing his boss’s seat from the central, another aspirant from the central has put nobody in doubt that he is warming up for the race.
It is no more news that, a lawyer, Abdur-Rasheed Kunle Adegoke has been going round to consult stakeholders over his aspiration to govern the state from 2018.
And from the onset, the leadership of the Action Alliance (AA), in the state had made it abundantly clear that the party would contest the coming governorship election in the state.
Speaking with our correspondent in Osogbo, the party’s state Chairman, Hon. Adekunle Rufai Omo-Aje disclosed that, “the party is fine tuning arrangement to unveil its standard bearer for the race any time from now,” adding that “the leadership of the party is mapping out strategies to organise a credible and transparent primaries through which the party’s standard bearer would emerge.”
Though Omo-Aje did not disclosed his party’s stand on zoning, he however informed that, “almost a dozen aspirants have shown interest in the race on the ticket of the party across the state.”
While boasting of his party’s chance to carry the day next year, the AA state boss enthused that, “It is even interesting to note that notable politicians in the state are already contacting us over their interests in running the race on our party’s platform.”
While pressed for further comment, Omo-Aje insisted: “I won’t say more than that for now but I can assure you that very soon, AA will storm every corner of the state with a bang.”
Other notable governorship aspirants besides those earlier mentioned include but not limited to the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuf, Honourable Gafar Amere, current Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Olalekan Adeoti, the sitting House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Najim Salam, Hon. Gafar Salensile,a cabinet nominee, Barrister Bashiru Ajibola and Mallam Raheed Olawale (Journalist).
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