As months thin into weeks, uncertainty still pervades Osun State political ambience as the two major parties in the state grapple with internal crises.
In the fold of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), there exist major crises because groups within the party have been struggling to produce successor for Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
The party is already factionalised and there is fear that leading political figures may dump it. The Secretary to Osun State Government, Moshood Adeoti; Chief of Staff to the Governor, ‘Gboyega Oyetola and Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Najeem Salaam, all harbour intents to succeed Governor Aregbesola.
The governorship ambition of these men is however tearing apart the hitherto cohesive APC in the state as members are identifying and pitching tents with various camps and caucuses carved out of the main party structure in the State.
The fear of defection loomed large and became heightened recently when there were insinuations that the APC leadership in the State had been ordered to support the governorship ambition of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Gboyega Oyetola.
It is not however clear, if the men opposing Oyetola’s ambition can muster enough courage to dump APC for other political platforms, even though informed sources have confirmed that negotiations have been held.
Within the fold of Peoples Democratic Party in Osun state, the party is currently without a clear leadership. In the last two and half years, Bayo Faforijin and Soji Adagunodo had laid claim to the State chairmanship of the party.
It is believed that the group pushing for Faforijin is sympathetic to governorship ambition of Senator Iyiola Omisore while those behind Adagunodo chairmanship push are said to be pleased with politician, but not Senator Omisore.
Presently, the national leadership of the party is making efforts to resolve the crises, but there is fear that should the leadership of the party in Osun State is taken by either of the two groups, the other faction may dump PDP.
The political situation now in Osun state as September 22, 2018 governorship poll draws nearer actually leaves much to be desired and political analysts allude to the fact defection and re-alignments are strongly possible since things are falling apart already and the centre can hold for both ruling party – APC and opposition PDP as they are battling with one crisis or the other.
Social Democratic Party (SDP) as well as other emerging political parties which some big players are secretly breeding as alternative political platforms if APC or PDP fails, leaving political analysts and right-thinking people in the State to ruminate on the possible area to which the pendulum could swing to in the September 22, governorship election.
BOLA BAMIGBOLA, Osogbo
