Osun 2018: Aregbesola’s factor’ll decide who wins, says Liberty Movement

By Samuel Adeola
The All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Osun State has been urged to close ranks and work harder to ensure the victory of the party in the next gubernatorial election in the state.

In a statement issued in Osogbo on Wednesday, the President, Liberty Forum, Mr Edward Olusola Ajayi also said the outcome of the next election in the state will largely be determined by the dominant influence of the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, his team and their numerous supporters. He said the Aregbesola factor will play the most significant role in determining the outcome of the 2018 gubernatorial election in the state. The release was made available to Irohinoodua

The group said the All Progressives Congress,(APC) is ahead of the other political parties in the state in terms of capacity to win the next gubernatorial election in 2018.

“From what we have seen, APC is better positioned to win the 2018 election in Osun. It is also clear that the incumbent governor has been a rallying point for the revolutionary changes that have taken place in Osun in the face of scarce resources. The Governor’s high level of fiscal discipline, his moral attributes and his sincerity of purpose puts him ahead as the iconic character whose charm will largely influence the outcome of the gubernatorial election”, the Liberty Movement in the statement signed by its President Edward Olusola Ajayi, Adewale Arogundade and the Osun State coordinator of the group, Kola Toromade stated.

The group said after its tour of Osun State, millions of people in the state continue to hold Aregbesola in high esteem. According to the group, though some categories of workers have not been paid their salary, but that the “openness and transparency of the governor” strengthens the confidence of the workers and masses in him.

The group stated “Osun has witnessed tremendous experiences that are uncommon. The state has been badly affected by poor allocation, but the governor has brought a lot of wisdom in managing the lean resources. He has denied himself personal benefits, he earns no salary, his aides have been receiving only 50 percent of their salaries while the workers on level 07 downwards are paid as at when due.”

According to him, if Nigerian leaders can follow the footsteps of the political leaders in Osun, the country will be better. He said “Nigeria in recession was signified by the personal lifestyle of the governor and his aides. They are making sacrifices that people can see. Ogbeni Aregbesola has left striking personal examples that is responsible for his firm and charismatic control of the political economy in Osun State.”

He said the experiences in Osun shows that workers appreciate a good and meritorious leadership when they see one. “The workers if they had been led by a liar and a spendthrift would have made Osun difficult to govern. But each month, the allocation is revealed to the workers. They know what comes in and what goes out. They also appreciate the sacrifices being made by the governor at the expense of the his personal lifestyle. In spite of the small income, the Governor has capital and recurrent projects that will remain evergreen in the annals of Osun’s history”, the Liberty Forum stated. He said though the opposition in the state revels in lies and cheap propaganda but that such campaigns have rather diminished the image of the opposition in the eyes of the public.

The group said it will soon embark on “No-to-violent Elections” campaign embarked across the South West states. He said the campaign is aimed at sensitizing voters in Ekiti and Osun States ahead of the 2018 gubernatorial elections in the states.