The race for the governorship of Osun State hots up. Several known faces in the political skyline have thrown their hats in the ring for the epic contest. Who wears the crown? Will the incumbent prevail? JOSHUA DADA writes
The race to Bola Ige House at the Osun State government secretariat started immediately the incumbent, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, was pronounced the dully elected governor of the state by the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan on Friday, November 26, 2010.

The wound inflicted on the then ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that was caught unawares by the judgment, called for a kind of reorganization of the already broken home caused by the then polarized PDP over the alleged endorsement of a particular aspirant out of no fewer than 10 aspirants jostling for the 2011 gubernatorial election under the party’s platform.
The acceptability of the new governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, by the people, no doubt put many members of the PDP off their feet as they agreed that the people actually wanted a change that came their way unexpectedly, not minding which form it took or whose ox was gored.

Their overwhelming support and love for Aregbesola was further strengthened as demonstrated by the massive vote the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) got at the 2011 general elections that ushered in the candidates to all elective offices at the state and national levels. It would be recalled that it was only in Osun State that the presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the 2011 won in the Southern part of the country.

Despite the soaring popularity of the incumbent, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who has declared intention to run for a second term in office, the PDP judging from the unfolding scenario in the polity of the state seems to be battle ready to slug it out with Aregbesola having often picked holes in the policies of his administration and believing that Osun State electorates are unpredictable.

Already, no fewer than five aspirants have declared intention to contest, while at the end of the day, aspirants from the opposition PDP may have to slug it out at the primaries, the candidature of Ogbeni Aregbesola as the flagbearer of the ACN is almost assured as no one within the party has declared interest on the platform of the party.
However, in the fold of the PDP, four political heavyweights have declared their interest in the race and are already at work to ensure that they get the party’s ticket.

Therefore, for Senator Abdulrasheed Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, Hon. Oluwole Busayo Oke, Senator Christopher Iyiola Omisore and Alhaji Fatai Akinade Akinbade, getting their party’s ticket is the first hurdle which they are all preparing to jump to fly the party’s flag come the 2014 gubernatorial election.
None of these four aspirants is a green horn in Osun politics, while Omisore and Akinbade had in the past, taken a shot at the post of governor, Akinlabi and Oke had represented their constituencies at the national assembly.

[b] **Senator Abdulrasheed Olasunkanmi Akinlabi from Osun West Senatorial District was a Senator of the Federal Republic and later served as a Minister.
Akinlabi, from a humble background in Ode-omu, a town in Ayedaade local government area of Osun State, attended Howard University where he graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He also earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Columbia University.

A banker and businessman of note, Olasunkanmi later ventured into politics and successfully got the mandate of his constituency to represent them at the upper chamber on the platform of the PDP where he held sway as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Education.
Although intensely private, Olasunkanmi is a favorite amongst the people for his accountability, productivity and philanthropy.

He was appointed a Minister responsible for Youth Development in the cabinet of President Umaru Yar’Adua and retained the same portfolio in the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, making him the only member of the cabinet inherited after the demise of Yara’adua by Goodluck Jonathan to retain the same portfolio.
As part of his strength, Olasunkanmi has a strong followership from his hometown from where a former PDP chairman in the state, Alhaji Ademola Razak Oyelowo, who still wields considerable influence in political circles in the state, is also an indigene.

Oyelowo, aka Landero, was a supporter of Omisore in the last gubernatorial candidacy dispensation; Olasunkanmi may receive his support by virtue of indigenization as his support for the ambition of the former lawmaker may be vital to his chances.
A perfect gentleman with an international exposure and national relevance, Olasunkanmi is financially stable and has a fat purse that can support his ambition.
While his quiet mien is often considered in some quarters as inappropriate for the task ahead, Olasunkanmi is always quick to flaunt his political credentials which include four years in the Senate and four years as a cabinet minister, despite being of uncomplicated character.

Beside his well structured campaign team that has been active in the political scene in the state, the former lawmaker has a likeable personality and his chances of making it through the PDP primary in the last few months has remained very high.
Clearly, Olasunkanmi does not have traditional or fanatical supporters like Omisore or Akinbade and this may affect his chances, but many non-aligned PDP members favour Olasunkanmi, if he eventually emerges, candidate of the party. [/b]

[b] **Young and dynamic, Hon. Oluwole Oke, also from the PDP family, hails from Esa-Oke, a town in Obokun local government area of Osun state. A holder of a degree in Economics, the former member of the House Committee on Finance, also holds two Masters degrees in Financial Accounting and Masters in Tax Law. Currently, he is pursuing an LLB in the University of Birmingham.

At 46, Oke had already put under his belt two-terms, representing his constituency at the House of Representatives and served as Chairman of the House Committee on Defence. He has been a member of the organized private sector for over two decades.
Although Oke’s attempt in 2011 to return to the Green Chamber failed, some neutral political followers in Obokun and Oriade local government areas of the state are of the opinion that Oke lost the 2011 election, not because he was unpopular, but owing to the general acceptability the ACN was enjoying at the time, which gave the party the leverage to floor the PDP even if it had presented a slowpoke at that time.

Oke, an Ijesa man like the incumbent governor, has consistently assured that if given the party’s ticket, he would defeat the incumbent hands down, saying that he would effortlessly tackle and solve problems confronting the state with the best available global solution.
Apart from making himself available to his people during his sojourn at the National Assembly, Oke impacted positively on the lives of many people in his constituency with his grassroots empowerment programme which is Oke’s selling point.
It is on record that during his time in the lower chamber, the state had it so good in terms of recruitment into both military and paramilitary agencies in the country.
Apart from having a good record while in office, Oke’s ability to connect the vast youthful populace and many computer literate elderly people through internet and engage them in discussions on how Osun state should be run, has further endeared him to many elite electorates.

While Oke cuts the picture of an ideal governor for this age, the well educated multilingual technocrat also has the financial wherewithal to cope with the demand associated with a big political project.
Oke’s ambition may however suffer a threat if another grassroot politician in his constituency who is said to be eyeing the Senate on the platform of the same party eventually declares his interest. Like Oke, the former Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Chief Francis Fadahunsi from Ilase Ijesa, is a figure nobody within the constituency can underrate because he also has impacted positively on the lives of many individuals within the constituency. [/b]

[b] **Another high profile candidate is Alhaji Fatai Akinade Akinbade from Osun West Senatorial District.
The gentle but dynamic politician is an alumnus of the Ibadan polytechnic, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. A native of Ogbaagba, the longest serving politician among his contenders, he is a “homegrown” politician who has been around since the creation of the state and knows the terrain so well that he can boast of traditional supporters who will never trade their love for him for anything.
As a testimony to his relevance in Osun politics, even when democracy has not returned to the country, Akinbade was a commissioner under three different military regimes in the state.

He was the state chairman of the PDP in 2003, when the party defeated the defunct Alliance for Democracy of Chief Bisi Akande led government and then subsequently emerged the Secretary to the Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola led PDP government in the state.
Perhaps, his long harbored ambition to govern Osun state must have been done a great favour with the defection of former Chief of Staff to Prince Oyinlola, Elder Peter Babalola to the ACN shortly after a change in government in November 2010, because many of the fanatical supporters of Babalola who are still in the PDP have since moved to the camp of Akinbade.

A devout Muslim enjoying the support of Muslim communities in the state, Akinbade also has the good support of artisans and civil servants, especially in Osogbo, the Osun state capital, possibly because they consider him accessible and level-headed.
Similarly, the former governor of Osun state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, is also believed to be supporting the quest of the Ogbaagba-born politician to superintend the state. To attest to this fact, Oyinlola visited Akinbade in his country home during the last Eid Kabir celebration in company of a large retinue of his supporters.

There is no doubting the fact that Akinbade has the clout and pedigree to challenge the incumbent governor in the election if his party hands him a ticket to run, but since his perceived strongest supporter, Oyinlola, was removed as the National Secretary of the PDP, his chances of getting governorship ticket may nosedive.
But this position is not shared by many of his supporters who believe Akinbade can still make it through a primary devoid of fraud.
Although the Akinbade appears like the candidate to beat, if given the opportunity to fly the PDP flag, the ability to muster enough funds for the great task ahead is doubtful especially after he had invested much on the still-birth 2011 gubernatorial election. [/b]

[b] **Senator Christopher Iyiola Omisore, a controversial figure, was born 56 years ago to the popular Omisore family in Ile-Ife, the Source. A Chartered Engineer, Omisore had served as the Deputy Governor of Osun State during the Chief Bisi Akande administrationwhere he was unceremoniously thrown out of office through impeachment yet remains undaunted.

Omisore, a two-term senator of the federal republic representing Osun East Senatorial District from year 2003 to 2011, is no stranger to the intrigues associated with party politics and was practically holding in his palm, the PDP gubernatorial ticket in 2010, despite having to contend with about eleven other aspirants, until the judgment by the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, completely altered the political calculations in the state.

As an evidence of his doggedness in the political arena, Omisore has a solid political structure that has survived many political onslaughts from within his party and from the opposition and this, coupled with his ability to think far ahead and properly situate challenges, proffering lasting solutions to them, put him miles ahead of those contending for the PDP ticket with him.
In a smart move to avert the kind of fortune that befell him in 2011, when he lost the senatorial election to the candidate of the ACN, former Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Barrister Jide Omoworare, Omisore has reconciled with Professor Wale Oladipo, the man said to be holding the grassroots for him.

Senator Omisore’s membership of the Catholic Church, one of the dominant denominations in the state with large membership is another plus for his ambition and at the national level; he has all the links and connections that can help his cause. He is believed to be very close to the presidency, getting the support of President Jonathan and the National Working Committee of his party.
The powerful politician is also said to be in command of the State Working Committee as it happened during the regime of Alhaji Rasaq Oyelowo especially when the party is operating from his personal office.

However, as bright as the chances of Senator Omisore’s getting his party’s governorship ticket is, winning the real election may be a different case because the campaign against his personality will be the focus of the ruling party as they seem to have more weapon” to fight Omisore than any of the three other aspirants on the platform of the PDP. [/b]

However, after the primaries of the PDP might have produced any of the above named candidates, and whosoever emerges, even with full support of the remaining three, will still have a tough time to defeat the incumbent, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

**The man, Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, from Osun East Senatorial District, was born on May 25, 1957 at Ilesa, Osun State. A student union activitst, an engineer by profession, is a politician who ran for governor of Osun State in the 2007 elections. Although the PDP candidate, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was declared the winner, Aregbesola appealed the decision and on 26 th of November, 2010, was declared the winner.
Before he became the governor of Osun State, as an engineer, the dogged fighter, Aregbesola, a devote muslim had his own construction firm. He also served as the Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure during the administration of his esteem leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahamed Tinubu.

Since, he assumed duty as the governor of Osun State, Aregbesola has made an incontestable difference. He has turned around the state through his six point integral action plan to banish poverty, banish unemployment, banish hunger, restore healthy living, enhance of communal peace and progress and promote functional education.
These he has achieved through his numerous action programmes under the acronym ‘O’, hence we have ‘O’ MEAL, ‘O’YES, ‘O’YESTECH, ‘O’SCHOOL, ‘O’REAP, ‘O’WMA, ‘O’CLEAN, ‘O’MEDIATION, among others.

These programmes have touched the lives of the people of Osun State that it may be difficult for any contestant to floor Aregbesola at the battle field more especially that various groups are coming out on a daily basis to declare their support for him.
However, he cannot afford to be carried away by these ovations, just like he was reminded by a group that it was not that Chief Bisi Akande did not perform creditably well as governor of Osun State, yet he was voted out. Let Aregbesola learn from this.

2014 is already at hand, whose head will this cap fit. Let’s wait and see and also watch events as it unfolds especially when other political parties are yet to make any pronouncements.
http://www.osundefender.org/?p=101312
http://leadership.ng/news/170513/2014-osun-guber-poll-who-will-occupy-bola-ige-house

Do you non-Yoruba's know what "ogbeni" means well let me tell you, it means " Mr" Emperor(being d pet name I gave d Governor for being d only Governor in Southern Nigeria to vote against d President in 2011) Aregbesola is a non-titled man in a country where everyone is obssessed with titles from Dr. Mrs, Alhaji, Alhaja, Architect, Chief or even egineer which d good people of d press bestowed on him despite his prefrence for just " Ogbeni".

Ogebeni can also sound derogatory, i can remember my father using the word for people he knew had no pedigree in society, not that he was a proud man, but it is d way d usage of word comes across.

By acknowldging d accronym 'Ogbeni' d Governor has not only bestowed on himself d unenviable platitudes of a man of d people but has endured in identifying with d common man or woman therby distancing himself from d aloofness d position of a Governor usually holds. This more than anything would make emperor Aregbesola sail through without holding any prisoners.

Ogbeni ride on man.


Osun A dara.

Ipinle Osun, Ipinle Omoluabi, so proud of that state.

PDP of all parties?

Ipinle Osun ko ni ba je oooo. Ogbeni Aregbesola ride on please.

Long live ACN! long live APC! Long live ipinle Osun.

-Performance
-Popularity
-Party
-Sentiments

I highlighted these as factors that I think will determine who wins the next gubernatorial election in Osun.

*Based on performance the incumbent governor has clearly outclassed his predecessors since the return of democracy. With the present way he his handling infrastructural and human development in the state and also the amazing way he has magically increased the IGR of the state, he his no doubt the best governor the state has had. The only former governor that did close to what the present governor is doing is Chief Adebisi Akande, despite his average performance he was sent packing. Which makes it a not easy ride for the incumbent gov to win the 2014 guber poll.

*out of all the PDP candidates, the one time deputy governor Sen. Christopher Omisoro is the most popular within the state. Sen. Christopher was the deputy gov to Adebisi Akande before he was detained due to some faults found in him, thereby making his record have stains. Aregbesola's popularity earned him the 70% votes he had in 2007 election which was manipulated by the then governor Oyinlola, but was later confirmed by the tribunal in 2010 which brought him into office. The popularity might have increased/reduced overtime which 2014 election will tell.

*Osun state or The state of Osun, which ever way she is being referred to is taking over from Lagos state as the base for the Action Congress of Nigeria, as shown by the last general election. Osun state is the only state where A.C.N. Won every electable positions in the country, I.e. The only state in the whole Southern(SW,SS & SE) and Middle-belt states that president Jonathan lost. With this, the flag bearer of the A.C.N. has an edge over other candidates from any opposition party(LP, AP, PDP...).

*If at all the people of the state of Osun are going to be sentimental in the way they are going to vote in 2014 gubernatorial election, it is likely to be in favor of the incumbent governor. Fortunately for those in the opposition(LP, AP, PDP...), the people of Osun seem not to be sentimental in their pattern of voting based on the way they have had governors from different religions and different yoruba sub group(Oyo, Ijesha).
This is how votes based on sentiment is going to favor the incumbent governor;
The governor practices the dominant religion(Islam) in the state which is being practiced by 55-60% of the people(mostly oyo people). Also, the governor is an Ijesha man which more than 70% of his people(Ijesha) are christians. No other known candidate combines these two attributes of practicing the dominant religion and being the son of those who should oppose based on religion. Unfortunately, religious sentiment is irrelevant in the politics of Osun.

All in all, the best candidate should win.

Osun A dara!!!
Osun•ife on Nairaland

Ogbeni till 2018



Osun a dara...

Bola IGE owns his house and he should be the occupier!

2014? Ogbeni is OK!!!

Aregbe my main man all the way.

Tolexander: Bola IGE owns his house and he should be the occupier!

The governor's office was named after Bola Ige. Bola Ige's personal house is at Esa-Oke.

Paul John:

The governor's office was named after Bola Ige. Bola Ige's personal house is at Esa-Oke.

sure! I know.
Gat No candidate for now!

Chubhie: Aregbe my main man all the way.

guess this is philosopher chubhie?

Pls Pm me on tolexander@yahoo.com.
Azed's cousin.
Don't pm me to this account cos i have forgotten the password. Send it to the one above.

Tolexander: guess this is philosopher chubhie?

Pls Pm me on tolexander@yahoo.com.
Azed's cousin.

You! will do that right away.

tolexander.. so if someone is your brother or cousin. you think it is enough. performance we look at, who become state governor will be based on.. if they dont have project... why should they come back... so you post picture of project done. without us seen picture how do you think we can recommend you to the people. show me picture first tolexander.

look this is ondo state 4 years. that why we said he should return. show me pictures first.. the standard are higher.



You are going to remove your non performing commissioners and replace them with new one.


and i told you people. my friend uncle friend hold one of the world largest investment company. I never see anyone who came to ask how he will get something for his state. do you expect me them to come to nigeria and beg people. you people are going to leave nigeria and look investment. that why i said western niger to help you people get investment. But i did not see, one person, who show interest.. Investment do not come , you go after investment..

amusiwa@hotmail.com


this is what diaspora turn ethiopia to. i was in ethiopia less than 10 years ago and i will tell you. all of this building were not there.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NX4ArJPLYo

Mimiko is overrated.when compared to the likes of agagu, he might look like a performer. Ok a few good socialist policies like the mother and child hospitalHowever ,most of his so called accomplishments are so last century.
I am very familiar with the state and I say that all he is doing is spending derivation money.that is why I will never take the likes of akpabio seriously.
Maybe for Nigerians , that is good enough but in this century, you should be baking a larger cake . When the oil runs out, what next?
He needs to raise his game.ondo state used to be the world's largest cocoa producer and one of the largest oil palm producer.why not get that crown back. With the modern touch of attracting the food and confectionery industry , also ban the export of unprocessed wood out of the state and target being the furniture capital of west Africa .
Just a few of the things he can work towards.
I am not buying into that mimiko is trying bullshit .

Mimiko is overrated.when compared to the likes of agagu, he might look like a performer. Ok a few good socialist policies like the mother and child hospitalHowever ,most of his so called accomplishments are so last century.
I am very familiar with the state and I say that all he is doing is spending derivation money.that is why I will never take the likes of akpabio seriously.
Maybe for Nigerians , that is good enough but in this century, you should be baking a larger cake . When the oil runs out, what next?
He needs to raise his game.ondo state used to be the world's largest cocoa producer and one of the largest oil palm producer.why not get that crown back. With the modern touch of attracting the food and confectionery industry , also ban the export of unprocessed wood out of the state and target being the furniture capital of west Africa .tourism at the Coast,ports etc
Just a few of the things he can work towards.
I am not buying into that mimiko is trying bullshit .
Raise your game mimiko because that state is still sleepy.

stop believing it is tinubu. standard are higher, nigerian will not take anything from any governors. only performance.

See how derail(ers) have turned this thread to Ondo thing. Wth

Can someone tell Mr. Electricity Engineer to stop derailing this thread??

This thread is about Osun state and not Ondo state.

Why do these folks show signs of inferiority complex even though they're not from the region that has it as a dominant trait??

Paul John: See how derail(ers) have turned this thread to Ondo thing. Wth

Am not derailing .i am just pointing out the facts.you can see that I also pushed out a few alternative ideas.i like people who think and dream big.
Mimiko is a grassroots politician alright knowing fully well that is where the votes lie.however , this type of leadership Is not going to get the state anywhere .look at the typical well planned house built by the citizens in 1950's ,60's .compare them to the shacks being built now in unplanned streets .
Those houses/churches/ business/water works were built by farmers on the strength of a thriving cocoa industry.government activities were funded on taxes so derived.
I repeat,ondo state is still too sleepy when compared to her professional human resources.i say it as an omo odua.
i could not care less if it were Lagos ,oyo ,ekiti. , osun .the governors of the SW must up their game by strategically detaching the southwest from the dysfunctional importation dependent national economy .
Only Lagos and osun seem to be making such investment .
For this ,aregbesola gets my vote

.

AREGBESOLAAAA

bloggernaija:
Am not derailing .i am just pointing out the facts.you can see that I also pushed out a few alternative ideas.i like people who think and dream big.
Mimiko is a grassroots politician alright knowing fully well that is where the votes lie.however , this type of leadership Is not going to get the state anywhere .look at the typical well planned house built by the citizens in 1950's ,60's .compare them to the shacks being built now in unplanned streets .
Those houses/churches/ business/water works were built by farmers on the strength of a thriving cocoa industry.government activities were funded on taxes so derived.
I repeat,ondo state is still too sleepy when compared to her professional human resources.i say it as an omo odua.
i could not care less if it were Lagos ,oyo ,ekiti. , osun .the governors of the SW must up their game by strategically detaching the southwest from the dysfunctional importation dependent national economy .
Only Lagos and osun seem to be making such investment .
For this ,aregbesola gets my vote

Alright, got you

Tolexander: sure! I know.
Gat No candidate for now!

Really?
I think Ogbeni is okay

Ogbeni on point

ogbeni for sure

If they are talking about candidates fir gubernatorial election, should Senator Iyiosi Omisebi be amon them?
Did he think governance is about polithuggery? You disrepected a senior and later spearheaded his assasination and you now desire to govern sane people? Laakuli jalailu!!
Let those muntuluistic mumus come and test their party's acceptability come next year now and let's see.

Aregberascal ... Rascalize the opposition
Aregbebrutal ... Brutalize the opposition
Aregbesola ..... Solidarize your hold onto governance with your good works come 2014

Ise rere o duro, ina apa ni ko si mo.

Ogbeni Aregbe is the man.

RedReact: If they are talking about candidates fir gubernatorial election, should Senator Iyiosi Omisebi be amon them?
Did he think governance is about polithuggery? You disrepected a senior and later spearheaded his assasination and you now desire to govern sane people? Laakuli jalailu!!
Let those muntuluistic mumus come and test their party's acceptability come next year now and let's see.

Aregberascal ... Rascalize the opposition
Aregbebrutal ... Brutalize the opposition
Aregbesola ..... Solidarize your hold onto governance with your good works come 2014

Ise rere o duro, ina apa ni ko si mo.

I wonder too, he's no different from those NURTW guys we had here in Oyo before Ajumobi came in. They can kill to win election. I'm sure the people of Osun won't dull at all. Osun is still the home of AC.N