Senator Assures Osun Residents of Free, Fair Election

Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie

Ahead of the Osun State gubernatorial election slated for July 16, 2022, the Senator Representing Osun Central in the 9th Assembly, Senator Ajibola Basiru, has assured the people of the state of free and fair election, and called on the people of the state to vote for the Incumbent Governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola.

Basiru, who spoke yesterday during the Morning Show on ARISE NEWS Channels, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, said members of the state All Progressives Congress (APC) have been rooting for Gboyega Oyetola because for the past three years, he has exhibited good leadership that has consolidated development that APC has brought to Osun State.

He said: “In terms of the engagement with public service, we have a governor that not for a single day, has there been any industrial disharmony. The salaries and entitlements of the workers are being paid promptly. There have been allowances to workers to support them in terms of car loans and those who have exited the service in terms of payment of gratuity and arrears of pension. In the area of the health sector, we have 332 wards in the state and as I am speaking now, 320 of them have a complete primary healthcare centre. What is at stake for us in Osun State is the primary elections of our governor.”

Fielding questions about the rift between the APC National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, Basiru said that Aregbesola should be in a better position to talk about the misunderstanding between them, but assured the people of the state that the rift would not affect the state’s politics or the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

He said: “As far as Osun State is concerned, Bola Tinubu has not told us or breathe down on us any aspirant in this regard. The nine federal constituencies in our state have done endorsement rally by party stakeholders to endorse Governor Oyetola for second term. So if the minister had a problem with our most respected leader, Tinubu, I think he is in a better position to explain what the issues are.

“On the allegations that Aregbesola is having political misunderstandings with Tinubu, I will not want to comment on that because I incidentally served under Aregbesola in two capacities as Commissioner for Special Duties and Commissioner for rRgional Integration. By virtue of my training and upbringing as a Yoruba man, I will not join issues with him as to whatever he has said about our respected leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Osun is under the leadership of Adebisi Akande who incidentally is the founding chairman of the APC. Asides the constitutional hierarchy of our party, we have a council we call “Egbebimagba” of which I am a member, and it comprises of notable politicians, including former ministers, former governors, ambassadors, etc.

“The essence of democracy is heterogeneity of ideas and perspectives. It may be that our leader, Rauf Aregbesola, has a different perspective as to how governance ought to be conducted by the present government, but unfortunately, it is the governor that has executive powers to pilot the affairs of the state, and not the minister.

“There is no faction in Osun APC and I say this with all sense of responsibility. The election that brought Gboyega Famodun as Chairman of the APC has never been challenged by anybody so if anybody is claiming to be the chairman of a factional APC, the person is just a comedian and I challenge anybody to bring any litigation or protest to challenge the authentic leadership of the current chairman.

“I must let the public know that there was a challenge to the ward congress organised and the case instituted on that account has been struck out on the grounds of jurisdiction, lack of course of action by the Federal High Court in Osogbo. Another sister case Instituted in Ikire High Court has also been struck out on account of lack of diligent prosecution.

“So as it is now, there is no pending litigation to the best of my knowledge challenging the authenticity of the Gboyega Famodun led executive. The local government congress that was done had no challenge whatsoever, and no case has been brought against it.”