Osun 2014: A straight contest among PDP, APC and Labour?

The coast is gradually getting clearer on the next governorship election in Osun State. The big players in the epic battle are fast emerging. All other stakeholders in the state are waiting with a baited breath for other political parties in the state to join the fray as the date for the election draws near.
The conduct of the governorship primaries on Saturday by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has upped the ante as other parties like the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) state chapter step up horse trading across the 33 local council areas of the state.
Expectedly, all the camps in the Osun PDP primaries have gone back to the drawing board. One of the objectives is to take stock of events before, during and after the primaries, which was won by a former deputy governor of the state, Senator Christopher Iyiola Omisore.  The other reason would be to decide on the next line of action as the August 9 election approaches. Of course, the strategic meeting would also be to fine-tune plans on how to ensure victory by the party.
However, most pundits believe the camp of Omisore could have come under a more intense pressure, given the burden of victory after such an intra-party poll. There is the contending issue
of consolidation of victory beyond the primaries by the relevant camp. The camp will have to contend with the issue of reconciliation or healing certain wounds arising from the contest for power among party members.  Above all, there is the greater task of harmonisation of all the structures of all interests and caucuses so that the party and its candidates can present a common front during the election.
The dust is only beginning to settle, after a similar primary election in Ekiti State by the PDP, preparatory to the governorship election in the state in June this year. Some aggrieved camps had blown hot and cold, following the outcome of the primaries. Other contenders, who were not comfortable with the emergence of a former governor of the state, Mr Ayodele Fayose, had kicked against the result.
Already, the PDP has fixed two major events for the South-West later in the month. The issue of the governorship contest in the two states is said to at the top of the minds of the party leaders, including those at the PDP national headquarters. One of the events is a zonal congress on April 14, when the party is expected to elect substantive officers. The stakeholders are said to be making all necessary consultations and meetings to tighten all loose ends before the congress.
The second event is a mega rally by the party as part of the ongoing nationwide tour by the party leaders. The rally, which is being planned to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State, will be led by the PDP national chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu with President Goodluck Jonathan in attendance.  No doubt, it would be an opportunity for the party leaders to showcase their candidates for the Ekiti and Osun elections, as well as the dividends of democracy the party has been able to bring to the South-West and particularly the two states as part of a subtle campaign.
Some months ago, a former Secretary to the Osun State government, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, was among the strong contenders for the PDP governorship ticket in Osun. He left for the Labour Party in the state, following political intrigues among the contending interests and camps in the party. Since his entry into the party, he has been working hard to put himself in good stead for the governorship ticket of the Labour Party. But prior to his joining the party, another celebrated and vibrant politician, Mr Niyi Owolade, had sown more than a passing interest in the party’ governorship ticket. A former deputy speaker of the state House of Assembly during the Babangida era, the lawyer and one of the leading campaigners for the de-annulment of June 12, was reported to have contacted the top hierarchy of the party as part of his bid to consolidate his presence in the Labour Party.  The import of   all these things is the fact that whoever emerges as the standard-bearer of the party could give the PDP and the APC a running for their money.
But more importantly, it is obvious that the incumbent governor of the state, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, remains the man to beat in the coming election. In the views of some pundits, he has the power of incumbency a in his favour. He also has more than an ample opportunity to flaunt his scorecard to the electorate once the campaigns formally commence.
How far those factors will sway voters remain in the belly of time. But suffice to add that the people are eager to see the candidates unfold their programmes for the state that many natives claim deserves more than it had got since it was created in August 1991 under military rule. Like many other states, Osun is largely an agrarian state with huge potential to be self-sustaining if the agricultural sector is fully and properly harnessed. The state’s huge solid mineral deposits are still beginning for exploration, just as industrialisation appears to be at the lowest ebb. Yet, the state’s share of the Federal Allocation is among the lowest, while the challenge of youth unemployment stares it in the face, just like many other states in the country. What is the magic wand of each of the expected candidates for these and many other daunting challenges confronting the citizens of the state? The expectation among the people is that the contestants will be fair and honest to painstakingly address the critical issues of economic growth and development during campaigns at the most auspicious time, as well as convince Nigerians that they can make a difference in the lives of citizens of the state.
While the leading parties and their gladiators have been testing waters through subtle campaigns and making some promises, many argue that the real issue on ground in Osun goes beyond mere rhetoric and grandstanding, but a commitment to the welfare of the people.
Not long ago, the governor declared that: “It is obvious to the entire people of the state that the landmark development initiatives of the administration have brought hopes back to a hitherto despondent citizenry.Concrete achievements in the areas of education, agriculture, roads infrastructure upgrade, urban renewal and health care delivery have been recorded.” On the other hand, Omisore had  promised to reinvent the state through his eight-point agenda that focuses on restoration of the dignity of education, health, gender equality and youth development, gainful employment and wealth creation, agriculture and rural development, good governance, peace and security.
Battle against REC
We implore INEC to address the unfolding controversy surrounding the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner logically and rationally.
Of late, there have been agitations by the opposition parties in the state for the removal or redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Ambassador Oloruntoyin Akeju, as the buildup to the governorship election in the state scheduled for August 9, intensifies.
This explains   why the opposition parties believe that a free and fair election come August 9 of this year may not be possible in the state indeed.
In February, the PDP and the Labour Party in the state called for the removal of Ambassador Akeju as Osun State REC at a stakeholders’ meeting called by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Their complaint was that Ambassador Akeju was alleged to be close to the APC national leadership and could not act as an unbiased umpire. It will be recalled that the INEC had, last January, released the timetable for the Osun governorship election billed for August 9, 2014. In a statement by Mrs Augusta Ogakwu, INEC’s Secretary, the commission said the notice of election would come up on April 1. It said campaign by political parties would also commence on May 11. “The collection of forms by political parties for the election and the conduct of primaries, including resolution of disputes which can arise from the primaries, will be on May 19 and June 2 respectively,’’ the statement said.
The commission also fixed the last day for the submission of Forms CF001 and CF002 for June 19 and the publication of Personal Particulars of Candidates for June 16.
The INEC fixed the last date for withdrawal by candidates and replacement of withdrawn candidates by political parties for June 25, just as the timetable showed that submission of nomination forms by parties and the publication of electoral register of voters for the election would be on May 1 and May 8 respectively. It said the publication of notice of poll and submission of names of party agents to Electoral Officers of Local Government Councils would come up on July 23 and July 24 respectively, while August 7 is  the last day of campaign by parties.