Few hours to the All Progressives
Congress (APC) governorship primary election in Osun state, the party is mired
over its decision to use direct primary to pick its candidate for the September
22 election.
Some of the aspirants are
alleging that the primary has been schemed in favour of a particular aspirant.
They also alleged that they were yet to receive the party’s register that would
be used for the exercise which would hold in all the 322 wards in the state.
The party boast of popular
aspirants who can navigate the ship of the state upon the exit of Rauf
Aregbesola, the governor. Commenting on this, Adams Oshiomhole, national
chairman of the APC, said all the aspirants jostling for the state’s
governorship position are “good to go”. Also noteworthy is the fact most of the
political actors surrounding the governor are gunning for the Okefia government
house.
As card-carrying members of the
party storm out on Friday to elect the candidate that will fly its flag in
September, here is a highlight of the popular ones in the robust list of
aspirants.
NAJEEM SALAAM
Salaam cut his teeth in politics
as an undergraduate of political science at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU),
Ile-Ife, Osun. In 2007, he was elected to the state house of assembly, but the
election was annulled after two years and he lost a re-election. He was,
however, elected to the house of assembly in 2011 where he became the speaker.
As a second-term speaker, he has
maintained a cordial relationship with the executive arm of the state, which
his critics say has made him a rubberstamp of the governor.
While making his declaration at
the party secretariat in Osogbo, the 53-year-old politician said he would
consolidate on the achievements of the governor with his political experience.
GBOYEGA OYETOLA
Oyetola is the chief of staff to
the governor. He is contesting a political office for the first time. There are
insinuations that the 63-year-old technocrat is the governor’s favourite.
The University of Lagos-trained
insurance broker is said to be among the prominent Nigerians who founded the
Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1998, and was a chieftain of the party before he
moved to APC.
MOSHOOD ADEOTI
Adeoti started his political
career as a councillor in Iwo, a major town in the state, to the state party
chairman and now the secretary to the state government.
The 65-year-old, fondly called
‘Sheu’ by his admirers, said his primary interest is to make success out of
everywhere the governor had failed.
PETER BABALOLA
Babalola is the current chairman
of the local government service. The former chief of staff to Olagunsoye
Oyinlola, former governor of the state, defected to APC in the buildup to 2014
governorship election.
While declaring his intention for
the governorship seat, Babalola said he is the most prominent among the
aspirants because he is not only a party loyalist but someone with the
experience and capability to govern the state.
LASUN YUSUF
Yusuf, deputy speaker of the
house of representatives, is one of the leading aspirants for the APC
governorship seat. The Ilobu-born politician was once a youth leader in the
Unity Party of Nigeria UPN and the state public relations officer of the
Alliance for Democracy (AD).
Lasun had accused the state
government government and the party chairman of threat to his life since he
declared interest in the governorship race.
Other aspirants are Kunle
Adegoke, a lawyer and Bashiru Ajibola, the state attorney-general and
commissioner for justice.
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