Political Situation in Osun State : APC as a backbencher
My survey in Osun State indicates that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has destroyed APC in the state beyond remedy, except Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our President steps in to re- organise the party.
In some of the local governments visited, majority of the party members are not happy about the back position they found themselves now in the political arrangements of the state. They are lamenting and saying that they may not regain Osun back until after 8 years of the incumbent governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke.
These party members disclosed that Aregbesola used his personal grouse with Ex- Governor Gboyega Oyetola to destroy the party which party members are now at the receiving ends.
Aregbesola, according to them, has nothing to lose since he has already made it but he has only succeeded in placing the party members on forceful retirement which PDP members in the state are now enjoying.
Osun State is a civil servants state which Adeleke has now captured their minds. According to some of the civil servants i interviewed, they praised Adeleke to have cleared the backlogs of their salaries and paid their salaries promptly and regularly. Joy and hope radiate on the faces of the Osun State civil servants.
These civil servants also lamented that Aregbesola did not promote majority of both the top and junior civil servants for 8 years of his stewardship in the state. No salary increment or compensation for 8 years. They groaned that they were working with the hope of not getting elevated.
A visit to the newly elevated University of Ilesa clears the testimony of Governor Adeleke as a leader who has chosen to please the people of Ijesaland where Aregbesola hails from, given the rapid development, renovation, painting and equipping the school with all necessary materials needed to kick off the tertiary institution as a prestigious University.
Ijesa people will never forget both Ex – Governor Oyetola and Governor Adeleke for giving the school a lift.
The school had remained Ilesa College of Education for donkey years which Aregbesola as a town man did not consider for elevation.
The political supremacy fight that Oga Rauf engaged himself with has created an opportunity for his political (O Top) group members in the state to benefit from Adeleke’s Government as majority of them have now been appointed as Commissioners, Special Advisers ,Board members and local government caretaker members. All these are at the detriment of the Osun APC party members who did not align with Aregbesola’s caucus.
Some political analysts within the APC in Osun stated that Aregbesola as a grassroot politician in the state believes Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President of Nigeria will still need him whenever it is time to revive or restructure the All Progressives Congress in Osun State.
There is hunger in Osun State. President Tinubu should do something to reinvigorate APC members in the State to cushion the effects of the Aregbesola/ Oyetola’s rift which cost the members their political fortunes.
Tope Awaye,
a writer who hails from Ilesa visited Osun.
