Razaq Bamidele
What is happening currently on the political turf in Osun State is a mystery, as nothing suggests that the next governorship election is less than two years away.
In normal circumstances, the state is expected to have been under intensive bombardment by aspirants, serious and jokers, flaunting their yearnings to unseat the current governor. Ironically, however, nothing of such is noticeable across the length and breadth of the State of the Living Spring. No billboards announcing any notable aspirant with the usual bogus and head-cracking slogans. No visible nocturnal meetings, no funny empowerment gathering and no branded campaign buses around. Funny still, handbills and posters are also absent on the wall and on vehicles.
Recall that Oranmiyan Symbol, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, started his political acrobatics on the platform of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), in the state almost immediately after Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was sworn in. He started under the guise of a political association named Oranmiyan. He went ahead to erect an imposing building in a conspicuous part of the state capital for use as office and rallying point. Even a political novice needed services of a crystal ball gazer to tell him what Aregbesola’s mission was.
And also from his time as the deputy governor of the state on the ticket of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD), in 1999, Senator Christopher Iyiola Omisore, had never for once hidden his ambition to govern Osun. So, it was not a surprise when he carried over the ambition into the PDP where he was prepared to succeed Oyinlola.
Against this background, it is clear that a sitting governor’s honeymoon in the office usually does not last beyond two years before those eyeing the office begin to warm up. And for Alhaji Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola, the honeymoon is already extending into the third year of his ascension.
Political watchers in the state are baffled by the unusual political calm in the state less than two years to another election. And by calculation, if the next governor is assuming office on November 2022 and the election is expected to be conducted about three months before the swearing-in, the state has just about a year and a half before the election. And it appears as if the political players are not in a hurry to throw their hats in the ring.
Factors for the dull atmosphere
The Nigerian Xpress reporter went around major cities of the state like Ilesha, Osogbo, Igbaye, Ede, Iwo, Ila-Orangun, Igbajo, Iresi, Okuku Ikirun Oyan, Eripa and Iragbiji, Ikire, Apomu, Ode Omu, among others. Some people interviewed gave reasons for the lull in the political arena:
Performance
Some believe that Oyetola’s performance is satisfactory. The salary payment was also mentioned because in a Civil Service state, such as Osun, prompt payment of salaries is a major yardstick to measure performance. The state is peaceful because the workers are keeping calm. They are now comparing their lot under Oyetola with their experience under ex-governor Rauf Aregbesola.
The people are also impressed with the governor’s infrastructure development efforts within the available funds and thus giving him support.
Apart from the Olaiya Junction Fly-Over bridge, which construction recently commenced, Oyetola has announced the beginning of 22 other roads across the state besides several that he had constructed and inaugurated for public use. His influence that got the Federal Government reconstructing the Osogbo-Iwo Road is also talk of the town.
The way Oyetola handled the money gobbling Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, the crisis was also said to be in tandem with the yearnings of the masses, who believe that the governor has taken a path of political, financial and social wisdom in resolving the crisis between Oyo and Osun State, the former co-owners. The return of the state’s schools to their original statuses, to the residents, is believed to be a heart-warming and welcome development.
Attesting to Oyetola’s outstanding performance, National Coordinator of RAMP Projects, Aminu Mohammed Bodinga, an engineer, in a statement recently commended Governor Oyetola and ranked Osun under his administration as the best-performing state among participating states in Nigeria in the World Bank Rural Access and Mobility Project 2 in the country.
The commendation by the RAMP National Coordinator is sufficiently explicit even to an outsider that Governor Oyetola is a prudent manager of resources and the love of citizens of Osun is paramount in his mind as a priority.
Corroborating this also is the APC Publicity Director, Kunle Oyatomi, who eulogised the state governor for the progressive achievements recorded in the last 27 months in office.
The excited Oyatomi mentioned the 332 health centres in all wards across the state, massive road construction, agricultural development, public school reformation, Dagbolu International Trade Centre, Osun Ethanol Bio-Refinery factory, workers and pensioners welfare, the security of lives and property, among others as part of the governor’s achievements.
Oyatomi asserted that “If anyone takes a holistic look at what Oyetola has done in Osun, it will be vividly seen that there is tremendous progress in the state and it is visible, “adding that, the ‘Oyetola-led APC government has exhibited high-level of prudence and performed beyond people’s expectations despite the lean resources coming to the state from the Federation account.”
While asserting that, there are no Oyetola’s projects that are either unpopular or irrelevant to the socio-economic wellbeing of the people, Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Honourable Funke Egbemode, in a statement after an Executive Council meeting, disclosed that the government said it was still committed to laying strong infrastructural development towards bringing economic growth and prosperity to Osun.
“The Council agreed and decided that based on the covenant that Governor Oyetola had with the people of Osun and the needs expressed by the people during the Thank You Tour and DFID Citizens Needs Assessment, more roads having socio-economic implications should be reconstructed across the state.
“It would not have been in the character of such a high-performing governor to breach his pact with the people on the question of roads solely because of the Olaiya project. That would cast him in the mould of a ‘unipolar’ administrator, leaders who don’t see beyond developing their capital,” Egbemode submitted.
Endorsing Oyetola’s steps towards developing the state, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the Philippines, Ambassador Yemi Farounbi said his decision to construct an iconic flyover at Olaiya, would solve contemporary challenges and future ones, describing the project, as “a bold step in the right direction.”
He dismissed critics of the project and added that his decision on the scheme has put Oyetola in the “class of great leaders who get ahead of challenges long before they become problems.”
Security of life and property in the state is also viewed as not out of hand as Oyetola is viewed as a matured and experienced administrator, who makes sure that peace reigns supreme through inter-ethnic and inter-religious peaceful coexistence. The state’s local security outfit code-named Amotekun also operates within the purview of the law.
On top of all these, all the interviewees unanimously admitted that Oyetola’s gentle mien, humility, cool-headedness and political sagacity had portrayed him, as a listening personality that thus earned him the respect the people have for him.
Implications of the calm political terrain
Some pundits are of the conviction that, the prevailing political calmness in the state is good for an economically weak state like Osun. They are of the opinion that such a calm scenario would give the governor ample time to fix his eyes on the ball without unnecessary detractions that frenzied politicking can cause. According to them, the less distraction, the better for a governor like Oyetola, who wants to prudently allocate the available meagre resources to beneficial projects for the good of the generality of his people irrespective of their religious leanings and political affiliations.
It is also believed that the lull in the political activities would help the political players, both the aspirants and their sponsors to save their money till when the real game would start to avoid wastages. It would curb extravagant spending on unnecessary items like Aso Ebi, entertainers, professional drummers/dancers and hosting of a series of meetings that are needless for now.
The losers
However, it is natural that there is no way some set of people would not be at the receiving end of the lull. As mentioned earlier, the traditional dancers, drummers, praise singers would be counting their losses by now. The era of praise-singing has been suspended for now. Also, some artisans like posters/handbills printers, souvenirs’ makers, photographers, sculpture artists, musicians, video and filmmakers are also under the category of people, who must have been lamenting by now as another source of their funds have refused to open.
Spiritual consultants and soothsayers
In this part of the globe where consulting with oracles and spiritualists are an order of the day, those in the art now are likely to be praying for the commencement of serious politicking so their expected clients would remember where they are located. But for now, there would be clients are likely to be holding tight to their pockets.
Consequences of the lull on 2022 poll
To say that the lull would have consequences would amount to stating the obvious. To some political economists, the lull on the political terrain is better for a cash-strapped and depressed economy like Osun. The reason is that it would allow the governor to concentrate the available meagre resources on vital sectors of the economy devoid of frivolous expenditure. This, according to them, would be of advantage to the governor, who would seize the opportunity to further endear himself to the minds of his people through additional achievements.
Party Ticket and Edo experience
And going by the foregoing, the party primaries would merely be a formality, as no party member would want to challenge Oyetola, who is believed to have stabilised the polity in the state in the recent time.
Besides, the APC as a party would not want a repeat of its experience in Edo State last year when they refused the sitting governor, Godwin Obaseki, a return ticket. It is no more news that Obaseki dumped the APC for PDP with his supporters and the rest is history now.
In addition, the sitting governor is an anointed godson of the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose influence in the state chapter of the party cannot be easily wished away.
Paucity of fund occasioned by economic lock-down due to the devastating effect of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic code-named COVID-19 is another factor that may reduce the number of governorship aspirants on the field.
Though 24 hours is a long period in politics, Oyetola looks good as having clinched the ticket even before the primaries. And if his performance progresses geometrically, the 2022 governorship poll might also be as good as won. On the other hand, another mandate for Oyetola would depend on the people of Osun whom the governor has been striving to diligently serve.
The Opposition parties
Having analysed the APC and the Osun State under Oyetola, it is not foreclosed that other political parties in the state are either sleeping or dozing. No, it is far from it. Strategies are being fine-tuned by them to unseat Oyetola and his party in 2022. The Western Senatorial District of the state still stands on ‘It is our turn mantra’, believing that the sitting governor has usurped their mandate.