Osun 2022: Oranmiyan Movement Vows To Stop Oyetola’s 2nd Term Bid.

by Adabanija Kamorudeen

Osun 2022: Oranmiyan Movement Vows To Stop Oyetola’s 2nd Term Bid.

LAGOS – Members of the Oranmiyan Movement, a political group in Osun state, loyal to Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Monday said it may not support the second term bid of Governor Gboyega Oyetola in next year’s governorship election in the state.

Members of the group who are in the All Progressives Congress (APC), said Oyetola could not have won his governorship election in 2018 without the support of his predecessor, Aregbesola and the group.

It, however, said since assuming office, Oyetola has rewarded Aregbesola with ingratitude by using the scarce resources of the state to rubbish his legacies while also witch-hunting members of the Movement.

Speaking with DAILY INDEPENDENT on Tuesday, two leading members of the movement who do not want their names in print, said the only offence Aregbesola committed was that Oyetola claimed that he (Aregbesola) never supported his aspiration to become governor in 2018.

They, however, claimed that Aregbesola could not have decided who will be his successor as he, a loyal member of the progressive family, yielded totally to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former Lagos state governor and APC national leader.

Going down memory lane, they claimed Oyetola never contributed in any way to Aregbesola’s victory in the 2007 governorship election in Osun state but was brought by as his candidate for the position of Chief of Staff after Aregbesola reclaimed his mandate through the court in 2010.

“The only crime Oyetola has been saying Ogbeni (Aregbesola) committed was that he did not want him to succeed him as governor. That was why he has been demonising the man and using his aides to say all manner of lies against him.

“Only a fool will agree with their claim that Aregbesola never wanted Oyetola to succeed him. Ask anybody in Osun today if Oyetola on his own can win a councillorship position in his hometown of Iragbiji without Aregbesola’s intervention. Can Oyetola tell us what he has achieved politically in Osun before he became Chief of Staff and now governor?

Oyetola couldn’t have become Chief of Staff if not for Asiwaju Tinubu because there are people who worked tirelessly for Aregbesola’s emergence as governor and Oyetola was not part of them”.

“It was when he became Chief of Staff in 2011 that he started using the position to feather his political nest but even at that he was still not popular but only enjoying the goodwill of Ogbeni who has become a household name in the state.

“Look at the 2018 governorship election. We had rerun because of Oyetola’s unpopularity. Then the clamour was for Osun West senatorial district to produce Aregbesola’s successor. The people of the state felt since the return of democracy in 1999, the West has not produced a governor.

“Oyetola is from Osun Central. Papa Bisi Akande is also from Osun Central. His successor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola is from Osun Central. The last governor that came from the West was the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke since 1992. Nobody from Osun West has become governor now since 1999.

“When the agitation for Osun West was so much, Asiwaju then suggested that we should pick Oyetola who is from Osun Central. That was one of the reasons why we had serious problems in that election coupled with Oyetola’s unpopularity.

“Aregbesola ascribed everything he became in life to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and he deferred to him on so many things. If Aregbesola had wanted to become Lagos State governor in 2007 based on his popularity and Asiwaju endorsed his candidacy, he will win. But Asiwaju said we should go to Osun and he obeyed”.

“If Asiwaju had recommended Oyetola and Aregbesola refuses, will he arrest the governor with the police? Even in Lagos where Asiwaju reigns supreme, don’t we have scenarios where his loyalists challenged his authority?

“If Aregbesola who is not directly under Asiwaju’s control can still obey your brother and make you governor and then you are treating him this way, then it shows how ungrateful he can be. He should have the fear of God.

“Nobody supported Oyetola in Osun. He became governor today through God and the support of Aregbesola. Asiwaju nominated him but who campaigned for him in all the local governments?

“There is no doubt that Asiwaju instructed us to support Oyetola. He preferred him to be Chief of Staff, Aregbesola yielded to him. He also preferred him to be governor, they also yielded to his request.

“Aregbesola himself did not decide who became Chief of Staff; he did not decide who became the SSG. He also did not decide who became his deputy. And you are now saying Aregbesola did not decide outside of Asiwaju that you must be his successor.

“The deputy governor then, Titi Laoye – Tomori was given to Aregbesola by the party structure. Aregbesola did not know her from Adam. The party said the deputy must be an experienced teacher and after many people were nominated, Laoye-Tomori was chosen as the most qualified.

“The person who brought Tomori is today the Commissioner for Environment in Osun.

“The SSG then, Adeoti was brought by the party. Aregbesola had no choice because the party insisted that they wanted the SSG and he gave it to the party. It was Asiwaju that brought Oyetola and he said he wanted the Chief of Staff position”.

“So, Oyetola should tell us who Aregbesola nominated outside of Asiwaju’s knowledge. It has always been Asiwaju’s intervention on everything. How can that now be the crime Oyetola will punish Aregbesola for?”

Speaking in a similar vein, the second leader of the Oranmiyan group said: “90 per cent of those in government today are in Aregbesola’s government. The governor was the Chief of Staff to Aregbesola. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) was the Civil Service Commission chairman under Aregbesola. He was the first DG of Ara FM built by Aregbesola.

“The Chief of Staff to Governor Oyetola today was a special adviser, cabinet rank adviser in Aregbesola’s cabinet as DG Office of Economic Development and Partnerships (OEDP). The deputy chief of staff to Oyetola was Senior Special Assistant on SDG in Aregbesola’s government.

“How can these same people now sit down and be demonising Aregbesola, accusing him of plunging the state into debt? We will not keep quiet and allow that to happen.

“They are praying for PDP to field a candidate like Senator Ademola Adeleke again who many don’t consider as a serious personality. One thing is certain, if PDP fields a strong candidate next year, Oyetola is a goner”.

When contacted, Ismail Omipidan, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Oyetola said he will not respond to faceless individuals.

“I don’t always respond to faceless individuals,” he said.

However, a Special Adviser in Governor Oyetola’s cabinet who spoke on condition of anonymity said those claiming they can stop the governor’s second term should stop arrogating the powers of God to themselves.

“It is very funny when you see mere mortals arrogating the powers of God to themselves. It pleases Allah that Oyetola should be the governor of Osun today. If Allah delights that he continue in office for another four years, which human being can stand in His way?” he asked.

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