Last weekend’s governorship election in Osun State, was a keenly contested exercise, which threw up quite a surprise, and further left in its trail, natural expectations: winners and losers. Who are these winners and losers? Angel Network News brings you the details.
THE WINNERS
Muhammadu Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari is arguably the number one winner in the just concluded governorship election in Osun State. He created the environment for a credible, free and fair election through an improved electoral act that is intolerant to rigging or any form of manipulation. Buhari might have performed below average in many of the boxes of his promises to the Nigerian people, the fact that elections have improved over time is a function of his dedication to a legacy of sound electoral system, which he promised to bequeath on the nation. Small wonder, he was one of the first persons to congratulate Adeleke, saying the people of Osun had spoken through their ballot and that their will must matter and be respected. It certainly can get better, but this, at least, is noteworthy.
Ademola Adeleke
Outside of his state, candidate of the PDP and winner of the July 16 governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke, was given no chance at all in the election. Not a few people thought he was a serious candidate for an office as high as the governor of any state at all. With a supposedly poor education (whose ante he upped recently), his rather clownish disposition as one who loves to dance and seemingly uninspiring policy (because he never presented any), he was the last person many people would have considered for the office of governor. The misgivings nonetheless, he remained tenacious and refused to be distracted by some of the unsavoury remarks about him, especially, from those who considered him less fit for the office. And if in spite of this, he still went ahead to win the election, with remarkable votes difference, his victory is worth celebrating.
David Adeleke (aka Davido)
Mega hip-hop star, David Adeleke, whose stage name is Davido, and a nephew to the governor-elect, was a visible factor throughout the campaign period. Davido used his music and influence to campaign heavily for his uncle and brought many people on his side, especially, the youths, who could relate to his type of music. Although Davido did not just start the campaign for his uncle, he however stole the show, when he took to streets campaigning for his uncle. He made such an impact in his uncle’s campaign and took no prisoners as far as his aspiration was concerned, including challenging other family members, who tried to stand in the way of his favourite uncle.
Atiku Abubakar/ Ifeanyi Okowa
The presidential duo of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar and Ifeanyi Okowa, are also winners in the Osun gubernatorial election. The election was a burden on their career and aspiration, yet, the internal squabbles in the party was almost going to throw spanner in the works for them. But they were not deterred. Determined, they mobilised to Osun, sold their programmes and party and the result was the outcome of the election. No doubt, the election was a big psychological and moral boost for their quest to become president and vice-president respectively. Atiku, last week in Osogbo during the PDP campaign, had said a victory for the party in Osun would be a major leap to winning the presidential election next year and so it has happened. That explains why he cut short his vacation to attend the PDP mega rally, refusing also to attend his graduation ceremony in London. They are two of the winners.
Iyorchia Ayu and PDP NWC
Before the Osun election, it’s not been the best of time for the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, and the PDP NWC members. Coming at a time some members of the party were calling for Ayu’s sack over some agreement he allegedly shared to resign should the presidential candidate of the party come from the north, the Osun victory provided some relief, perhaps, temporarily. This is especially so, since the party in June, lost the governorship election in Ekiti State due to the local politics of the state. Osun, has however, provided a huge psychological boost for a rather wobbling NWC of the party. This has also raised the stakes in the South-west state for the party and a launch pad to return to reckoning.
Rauf Aregbesola
One of the major factors that undid APC in Osun is the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who a long time ago, parted ways with both outgoing governor, Oyetola, and the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, at an open gathering of party faithful. Supporters of Aregbesola thereafter went all out to vow to ensure Oyetola did not return. The only caveat they gave for his likely win was if they were the ones, who betrayed him. Although since the open gathering, where Aregbesola announced his parting of ways with the APC leaders, he had not said anything afterwards, but was believed to have worked against the party, even though no one knew in what way. Plus or minus, Aregbesola is a cross-over winner.
INEC and Security
The duo of INEC and combined security agencies, who conducted the election and secured Osun before, during and after the election, were the real deal. This is because without them, there couldn’t have been winners and losers at all. Also, without them, there could have been a clean electoral process. Without them and their well-trained staff, there could not have been a hitch-free exercise. INEC and the security agencies had over time risen to the occasion and currently not doing badly at elections. They are very major winners.
THE LOSERS
Bola Tinubu
Presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, is the number one loser in the Osun election, because the victory would have meant a lot to his presidential bid, especially, coming at a time his preference for a Muslim-Muslim ticket, had become a major national concern and debate. The defeat was, therefore, a big blow, more so, when he was in the state to campaign vigorously for the APC. To put it succinctly, the loss was a humiliation to Tinubu and no wonder he left Osun hurriedly for Abuja, when he saw the direction things were going, long before the results were announced. Whether or not anyone admits it, the defeat was a set back to his campaign, albeit could be temporary.
Gboyega Oyetola
Outgoing Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, must have been devastated by his loss to a man, he ordinarily would have considered less qualified to succeed him. Although many people believed Oyetola was largely responsible for his own misfortune, because despite having an intel that the election was Adeleke’s to lose and tipped to tidy up loose ends, his campaign was defined by poor planning, chaotic structure, and lack of attention to some of the little things that mattered to his victory. Not only did members of the different committees set up for the purpose of the election express huge disappointment in the way they were treated; many of them pulled out of their committees in anger. There were complains of the governor being unreachable, compounded by his reluctance to funding key demands of the campaign. They even called him stingy. He lost woefully and should take responsibility for his misfortune.
Ayo Fayose
A rather mercurial former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, had announced his exit from the PDP some weeks ago, over the internal crisis in the party after the presidential primary and pitched tent with the APC and Tinubu. What that meant was that as a member of the ruling party, regardless of whatever role he played, he shared from the misfortune, given the time he left the PDP, and could also be said to have brought ill-luck to the APC, after extending same to his party in Ekiti, which lost the governorship election over a moth ago. Fayose is a loser, who deserved his plight.
Nyesom Wike
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has remained one unplacatable loser since he was taught rudimentary politics during the PDP presidential primary. His condition was made worse, when the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, didn’t find him a worthy partner. He since became rebellious and refused to campaign for the party.
He seized every opportunity to not partake in the Osun campaigns, despite being prominently placed as a member of the campaign council. He had, perhaps, waited to see his party lose and gloat over their misfortune. But he was wrong, the PDP won without him, his money and co-travelers – Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Samuel Ortom of Benue State. They are all class losers.
The APC Leadership and Governors
This category of losers include the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; the National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, who is from the state; Chairman of the Osun Campaign Council, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, and the 21 other governors of the APC. Adamu had given a very direct charge before the election, urging members of the campaign council, led by Sanwo-Olu to do all that they could do to win the Osun election. But contrary to his wish, they lost at a time, when victory meant everything to them. Omisore, being an indigene of the state from Ife, did everything humanly possible to assist his party, instead, he suffered humiliation as voters and others booed him, when they suspected he was up to mischief. Sanwo-Olu’s efforts did not, however, show. Although the Lagos governor was said to have put his all into the campaign, there were other equally engaging demons that dwarfed his efforts. Over all, the APC lost and dragged all their supporters in the mud.
