Why Aregbesola is plotting against Olagunsoye Oyinlola may not be unconnected with 2023
OpenLife Nigeria reports that there have been meetings on strategic moves to put Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor of Osun State in check ahead of 2023 general elections.
The plot, OpenLife Nigeria gathered, arose from the “need to make him less relevant in Osun and South West” in 2023 against the back drop that he is being considered for the national chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Though many analysts are of the view that this fears may be unfounded, at least for now, there are more than enough signals that Oyinlola is being penciled down for the PDP top job.
In several instances, he has confirmed his interest for the job but with a zoning caveat “How would any progressive mind not aim for a higher plain? One thing is certain, if it is zoned to the South-West and I am able to mobilise enough support, I will throw my hat into the ring, but the first thing is ‘let it be zoned,” he said in an interview.
However, those who control the body and soul of the Osun political space are not comfortable with the emerging political development.
They reckon that if Oyinlola is allowed to get the PDP top job, that would automatically swing much influence his way as a result of many goodwill at his disposal that he could dispense for huge political gains and by extension, victory.
Besides, the thinking is that as the national chairman of PDP, he could as well swell his numerical strength in Osun and indeed, the entire Yoruba land.
Those who are currently subsumed in this 2023 political arithmetic are of the conviction that such enormous power and influence at the beck and call of an opposition in Osun State would naturally punctuate their strength and as such, “Everything is being done to make sure it does not happen,” a credible source told OpenLife on Saturday.
According to the source, in the vanguard of this political plot against Oyinlola is Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of Interior and two-term governor of Osun State.
‘Our leader, Aregbesola has a record of not loosing election in Osun State and he would not want anything short of presidential victory in 2023. That is partly why Aregbesola is central to the plot. In 2011, he was the only governor who delivered victory to Nuhu Ribadu. He has repeatedly won the State for our party. Therefore, if obstacles are not built on the pathway to Oyinlola ascendency to PDP national chairmanship, then, it might be too late to cry when the head is off,” our source stated.
Questioned on why Aregbesola intends to build the obstacle on Oyinlola’s pathway, our source, without hesitation, pointed at the direction of Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State.
According to him, the on going leadership tussle between governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Ayo Fayose over who controls PDP in South West, is not unconnected with the funded strategies to ensure Makinde’s plans to make Oyinlola national chairman of PDP does not materialize. Speaking further, OpenLife Nigeria source stated that “There are many plots against Oyinlola. What I have just told you is one of them. They will be hatched from Abuja and Oyinlola will soon be sent into final political oblivion,” he disclosed.
As a confirmation that governor Makinde is truly behind Oyinlola’s national chairmanship aspiration, the Okuku, Odo-Tin Council Area born general had stated in an interview that “If Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State wants me to emerge as National Chairman to bolster the influence of the PDP in the South-West, what is wrong with that?”
In the past, specifically in 2007 governorship contest, Aregbesola and Oyinlola had locked horns politically on who has the grace of the ballot. Aregbesola overwhelmed Oyinlola with more votes and he eventually got justices in court when the PDP was not in the mood for another party in Osun State.
Aregbesola hails from Ilesha in Osun East Senatoral District, the largest town and the capital of Ijesha (Ijesa) kingdom in Osun State on Latitude 7.37°N Longitude 4.43°E at an altitude of 462m above sea level. He votes at Ifofin Ward 8 Unit 1.
While Aregbesola has been steadfast in progressive, Oyinlola , on the other hand, has traversed all the political components in the Nigerian political system.
His last spot was African Democratic Congress, ADC.
He got into ADC during the build up to the 2019 general elections when different political parties had congregated to form a third force as a strong party that would unseat the All Progress Congress.
Social Democratic Party, SDP led by Chief Olu Falae was in the frontline of that agitation. Incidentally, former President Olusegun Obasanjo bought into the 3rd Force agenda. But the former President later threw his weight behind African Democratic Congress, ADC. That singular effort resurrected the value of ADC in the Nigerian political stock market and Olagunsoye Oyinlola, being a loyal fellow to Obasanjo, became the leader of ADC in his State, Osun.
He was in ADC before Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, in March 2020, retrieved him from ADC and brought him to PDP at a big ceremony that had in attendance, PDP stalwarts.
How and why Aregbesola and his coterie of associates go about this will manifest in the days ahead even as the ongoing plot success depends largely on how the strings are pulled.
Keep a date on this page.
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