The battle for the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship ticket in Osun State holds today as the party holds its primary.
The contest will see the incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, Moshood Adeoti and Lasun Yusuf slugging it out.
Ahead of today’s primary, there has been tension in Osun following the vow by the immediate past governor of the state and Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to prevent the incumbent from having a second term in office.
Aregbesola is supporting the the immediate past Secretary to the State Government, Adeoti, against Oyetola.
Addressing a political gathering at Ikire in Irewole local government of the state during the week, Aregbesola accused Oyetola of being against him since he assumed office.
His words: “Those we assisted are now against us and we have reported them to God. He (Oyetola) will not return for second term.
“Saturday’s primary election will determine his fate. The party has already said that we should conduct election after four years.
“I campaigned passionately for him under the rain, but he is now my enemy. I begged him for two years and even sent people to him but he refused. Everything we did together for eight years, he destroyed.
“When I saw that he was firm on this enmity, I told God about it. Even if Bola Ige comes back to this earth, he will join us.”
Recall that Oyetola was Aregbesola’s chief of staff when he was governor.
Oyetola’s press secretary, Mr. Ismail Omipidan, has since dismissed the threat by Aregbesola to prevent a second term as irrelevant.
He said the fate of his boss, Oyetola, was in the hand of God and could only be determined by Him and the people of the state and not by Aregbesola.
He said the difference Oyetola’s administration had ushered in responsible and responsive governance and politics.
“The general belief among most Africans that a man’s life is preordained and ruled by God, has continued to play out in the political trajectory of Oyetola.
“From 2011 when he was appointed Chief of Staff to 2018 when, against all odds, he emerged, first as the candidate of the APC, and later, Governor of the State, at a time when many thought it was all over for him, it was obvious that he was on a divine political course.
“My Principal has absolute faith in God and the people of Osun. In these last three years plus, the people can tell the difference in terms of responsible and responsive governance and politics.
“Therefore, it is God and Osun people that will determine Oyetola’s fate, not an individual trying to play God,” Omipidan said.
Mr. Sola Akinwumi who chairs Osun APC Elders’ Caucus, is not happy with the decision of Aregbesola to tackle Oyetola.
Speaking at his Ilobu residence during the week, Akinwumi said Aregbesola’s actions were unbefitting of his personality.
It would also be recalled that the state government had raised the alarm over alleged plot by some persons to cause violence during the primary.
According to the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode, some “unscrupulous persons” hell bent on causing violence had allegedly imported fake uniforms of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC and the Nigerian Correctional Service into the state.
According to her, those who stockpiled the fake security uniforms intended to distribute them to some non-state actors to disrupt the primary election and cause chaos in the state.
Meanwhile, in order to prevent chaos, security is said to have been stepped up as the primary holds today.
Nigerians wait with bated breath for the outcome of the primary.
