#OsunDecides2022: Can PDP’s Adeleke Unseat Oyetola?

The Osun state governorship election is scheduled to hold tomorrow, July 16th 2022 and although there are 15 candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, four political parties seem to be fancying their chances to clinch the state’s seat of power.

The four most popular candidates in the state are Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lasun Yusuf of the Labour Party (LP), and Akin Ogunbiyi who is flying the flag of Accord Party (AP).

The 2018 governorship election in the state was fought to the end. The PDP’s candidate, Ademola Adeleke, still believes his mandate was stolen. Having led the election before the rerun which took place in some parts of Ile-Ife. After the rerun which saw former deputy governor of Osun state Iyiola Omisore align with the APC, Oyetola was declared the winner. Omisore has since defected to the APC and even emerged as the party’s National Secretary. Anyone who understands the respect and loyalty Omisore commands in Ife would know that the votes in that part are Oyetola’s own to beat.

Despite the incumbency advantage, Oyetola’s unresolved raucous with the state’s former governor Rauf Aregbesola will likely come into play. The reversals of some programmes put forward by Aregbesola have spurred animosity between the two. The disharmony within the party divided the APC into factions; the Ileri Oluwa group is loyal to Oyetola while the other faction – TOP – pledges allegiance to Aregbesola. Although there have been attempts to resolve their rift, the moves appear to have been unsuccessful as Aregbesola was absent during the APC mega rally for Oyetola.

Osun state boasts of a large number of civil servants and artisans. The lack of enough private investments in the state means the people mostly rely on the government. Oyetola is said to have been consistent with salary payment and also improved the welfare of civil servants in the state and this could work in his favour. However, many of the residents still believe that a change of governance will improve their standard of living. This is where the People’s Democratic Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke, comes in.

Adeleke properly joined the Osun state political space after the death of his brother, Isiaka Adeleke. He defeated Omisore in the PDP’s governorship primary and contested against Oyetola in the 2018 election. Adeleke believes he won the election and was robbed of his mandate. Hence, he has expressed his readiness to give APC a run for its money in his second attempt. “If it is about money, I have enough. I came with plenty of money. And it is not only naira; I came with dollars, pounds, and euros. This time in Osun, it is fire for fire,” he had said while campaigning.

Just like the APC, the Osun PDP faces its crisis and this may affect its chances. The party is also divided into factions. One faction is recognised by the APC national working committee (NWC) while the other group is backed by Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former governor of the state, whose political sway in the state cannot be overlooked.

Although Oyinlola’s faction held a parallel primary election which produced Dotun Babayemi as the winner, Adeleke enjoys the support of the party leadership and its heavyweights.

Tomorrow’s election is largely between Adeleke and Oyetola. The supporters of the PDP in the state have grown since the 2018 election, OduNews predicts a slim victory for the PDP.