Gboyega Oyetola, the Osun state governor, chance at re-election may hang in the balance as there are plots to stop him from getting the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Oyetola, people familiar with the plots hinted, faces a treatment similar to that of Akinwumi Ambode, a former governor of Lagos state, who lost his re-election bid after failing to secure the party’s ticket to contest election.
Though, Oyetola is banking on the support of his Uncle, Bola Tinubu, to secure the APC ticket, but the move to stop him, one of the sources hinted, is tight-proof and go on to achieve its objective.
“Oyetola chance at getting re-election is not certain and that is because he will not get the ticket of APC to contest the July 16 election,” an insider to the plot noted, adding that “In the coming weeks, you will see the plot play out gradually.”
On Friday, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola caused a stir in the state when he declared support for a faction of APC. “I belong to TOP, the group established to correct the wrong within the APC,” Aregbesola declared in Ilesa.
He also went on to recognise Rasaki Salinsile as “the Chairman of my own APC in Osun”, ending months of speculations on the relationship between the former governor and his successor.
“What Aregbesola did today (Friday) is a preamble of what is to come,” a party chieftain confided, continuing that “Anyone who can read between the lines will know that the game to stop Oyetola has began and there is no how he can survive it.”
When reminded that Oyetola is Tinubu’s cousin and the influence of the former Lagos state governor in APC, the APC leader retorted that he (Tinubu) doesn’t own the party and “if he can do what he did to Ambode in Lagos state, nothing will be wrong serving his cousin in the same coin.”
Checks in Osun APC showed that many leaders are swayed by the choice of Oyetola as candidate in the 2022 poll as they are not convinced that he can guarantees a victory for the party in the election.
“In 2018, our party was able to retain power in a manner that is not so acceptable and considering that President Muhammadu Buhari will not be prepared to tow the same line for the party in this year’s poll, it will be the best thing for our party to look elsewhere from Oyetola,” Akeem Bola, a TOP supporter said.
