- Details Of The Rerun Election On THURSDAY
The Osun governorship election has come and gone and a winner has emerged, but the fact is that the election held l on Saturday, 22nd September, 2018, would remains a watershed in Osun’s history. The candidate of the People’s Democraticd Party’s (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke, had polled 254,698 to beat the All Progressives’ Congress’ ( APC) candidate Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola, who garnered 254,345 votes, leaving Oyetola panting for 353 votes. As 3,485 rejected votes were more than a 353 votes that sent Oyetola to the second position, result declared inconclusive by the Returning Officer, Prof. Adeola Afuwape, the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Akure.
There was a rerun election in 7 polling units in 4 local council areas of the state (Orolu local council, Osogbo local council, Ife North local council and Ife South local council) on Thursday, 27th, September, 2018, five days after the main election when APC won 18 local council areas and PDP won in 12 local council areas. Recall that there were 48 candidates of different political parties vying for the governor’s seat. Among the 48 candidates were Fatai Akinade Akinbade of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); Adeoti Moshood Olalekan of the African Democratic Party (ADP); Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party (SDP); Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) and Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who were the main contenders for the tenancy of Abere Government House.
Though, much was not expected from the two former Secretaries to the state government: Alhaji Fatai Akinade Akinbade, standard bearer of ADC and Adeoti Moshood Olalekan of ADP, observers didn’t expect a stellar performance from PDP ‘s candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke. Unexpectedly, the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke’s younger brother, Ademola Nurudeen, became a threat to the lconfidence of APC in Osun as he beat the party in government with 353 votes in the election. On Saturday ,22nd Setember, 2018 Senator Ademola Adeleke scored 254.698, while against APC’s candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, scored 254.345. The result was nothing but shocking as Ademola joined politics in 2017. The result was a conclusive proof that showed that Ademola Adeleke is well accepted by Osun people. Why didn’t he record a land slide victory based on his popularity?
This, undoubtedly, is a relevant question. Nurudeen’s family name is a factor that gave him an edge that boosted his performance at the polls. His poor education background was, however, a major minus for him. The cultured were aghast that a non-cerebral person, who is more popular for dancing than political sagacity and administrative prowess was to steer the ship of Osun for the next four years. Notwithstanding the controvercy over his school certificate result, he gave APC, the incumbent governor and the party’s candidate a run for their money. He could not henceforth be ignored in the politics of Osun State. He gave Ogbeni Aregbesola and his candidate a big fight which shocked many political observers in the country.
Recall that much was not known about Nurudeen Ademola politically until last year when his late elder brother, the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke died. The death of Ademola’s elder brother brought him into political limelight, when he he was rejected to carry the standard of APC in a bye-election for a senatorial seat. He went to the PDP that fielded him and he won. That was how he stepped into his elder brother’s political shoes in Osun and Nigeria.
The late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, besides winning a governorship election on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) and serving for 22 months didn’t win any other subsequent governorship election . Recall that he left PDP for APC in 2014 , accusing Senator Iyiola Omisore of harassing him. In 2017, while, while Isiaka was also preparing for 2018 governorship election, he died. Now, the outcome of the just concluded Osun governorship election, has proved beyond all doubts that Ademola Adeleke and the Adeleke dynasty remain a force to reckon with in Osun politics.
The last minute coalition of 23 political parties ahead of the Thursday, 27 September, 2018, rerun election rescued APC from disgrace.
The rerun was interesting as APC and PDP wooed politicians who helped them win the poll such as Omisore, Adeoti, the House of Reps Deputy Speaker, Hon Lasun Yusuf ,among others ,were approached to work for APC to defeat the PDP ‘s candidate. INEC declared the election held at the 7 affected polling units in 4 local government areas peaceful, free, fair and credible. Things, hoever, turned violent when the Returning Officer, Prof. Adeola Afuwape Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) declared Gboyega Oyetola the APC’s governorship candidate, winner.
Many things worked against the PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke, and his party. Before the election, PDP had earlier experienced leadership tussle both at the state and national levels. Recall that the ADP’s candidate, Fatai Akinade Akinbade was one of the aspirants on the platform of PDP. Dissatisfied with how the PDP’s primary election in July where he polled 56 votes was run, he defected to the ADP and in the just concluded Osun governorship election he polled over 7000 votes. If he was in PDP, many believe that his presence would have been additional votes for the party. On the issue of the SDP’s candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, though, he was in the race, but many believe he did not plan to win the election, rather he was out to work against PDP’s candidate, who denied him the opportunity to rule Osun state in 2014. Recall that in 2014, the late Isiaka Adeleke defected to APC, which obervers noted was one of the factors that denied Omisore victory in the election because Isiaka Adeleke delivered Ede votes to APC. It was also gathered that after Isiaka’s sudden death, the PDP governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, was rubbished in APC and he defected to PDP, a party with two factions under Dr. Bayo Faforiji and Hon.
Soji Adagunodo. After Hon. Adagunodo promised a sincere parley with Dr. Bayo Faforiji’s group, Dr. Faforiji’s West Senatorial candidate, Hon. Bade Falade, withdrew from the race, on the instructions of Omisore. Having promised to support Otunba Omisore in his governorship bid in 2018 and agreed to work for him., The two factions worked together to defeat the APC’s powers of incumbency and return Ademola Adeleke to the Senate to replace the late Isiaka Adeleke. But the agreement was not honoured rather it was said that Adeleke’s family hijacked PDP structure, which led to Omisore leaving the party and pitching his tent with SDP where he contested.
The dancing senator as Ademola Adeleke is fondly called gave the APC leadership in the state and at national level a sleepless night for 5 days. Before the governorship election, Ademola Nurudeen was not seen as a threat to the APC leadership in Osun, but his 353 lead in the Saturday election sent a strong signal to APC that despite his certificate scandal, he could still give APC a big fight.
The Thursday rerun where APC’s candidate polled 1,160 votes against PDP’s candidate, who pooled 325 votes, they were added to the votes earlier recorded. The PDP’s candidate had 254,698 votes, while APC’s candidate had 254,345 votes. At the end of the coalition,APC won the election by 482 votes, APC’s candidate had 255505 votes and PDP candidate had 255023 votes.
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