Enough of Oyetola’s Delusion about Imposing a Lackey

 

Osun is one of the most literate, and highly advanced states in Nigeria. The State of the Living Spring boasts of accomplished professionals, and great souls operating in every corner of the world. A man who failed as a Governor cannot impose or decide who governs this precious state.

Nigeria has produced great leaders of note, marked by their compassion for the people, their unparalleled delivery of democratic dividends, their commitment to democratic ethos, and their commendable innovation in governance. This category of leaders earns citizens’ confidence and trust when it comes to succession or leadership choices. Mr Oyetola does not fall into that category.

As a Governor, he failed across sectors, where he demonstrated lack of innovation and pattern of anti-people conducts, policies, and programmes. While he was imposed in 2018 under an openly rigged election, he failed to redeem himself by running an excellent government. The baggage of the electoral banditry of 2018 was reinforced by the spectacular failure of his government between 2018 and 2022.

Under his watch, Osun’s infrastructure deficit climbed to almost 85 percent. In the education sector, Osun ranked 33rd in NECO/WAEC ratings. In the health sector, the Primary Health Care Fund became a slush fund for cronies. In science and technology, the state was at ground zero, without an ICT policy or any direction in the digital economy. Under the Minister, Osun had no single tractor, while farming mechanisation and major agricultural revolution initiatives were non-existent. Several key projects at the Osun State University were abandoned, alongside the deliberate neglect of several inherited capital projects from his predecessor. Workers were subjected to inhuman treatment through the half-salary template he chaired while serving as Chief of Staff, and Pensioners were sentenced to penury and abject poverty.

As if failure in governance was not sufficient, his record as a Politician was also of the lowest rating as he battled his associates and benefactors. Instead of being a unifier, he emerged as the centre of disunity, deepening disharmony and destroying the political unity he benefitted so much from. His unforgiving personality, his passion for holding grudges, and his apparent unjustifiable rigidity without political value deepened his political failure as a Governor.

If a person failed in governance and fell short as a political model, what then qualifies him to impose a Governor on the state? By all standards, the Minister lacks the requisite records or antecedents to confer on him the right to pick who governs an enlightened state like Osun.

If being a cousin of the President is the intoxicating wine, the overwhelming personal deficit of the Minister nullifies any advantage such family ties may confer. Aside from the immoral, undemocratic, unconstitutional, and illegal nature of dropping the President’s name for a rigging agenda, the political reality of an incumbent with over 80 percent popularity rating defeats the realisation of any such manipulation agenda.

How do you rig in a state where the incumbent has a commanding lead in more than 28 of the 30 local governments?

If the Minister had performed the abracadabra within the Osun APC by imposing his lackey, an action which has destroyed the party internally, the Minister is committing a grievous miscalculation and living in wonderland to think he can force a Governor on Osun State. APC members across the local governments are already saying no to imposition. They are ready to show the dictator of Iragbiji that power belongs to the people on August 15.

Mr Minister should know that severe resistance is building up against any little tyrant attempting to mess with the will of the Osun people.

Electoral militias are emerging across the 332 wards to nail electoral bandits.

Digital armies are assembling to stop and arrest virtual electoral thieves.

Ward democracy activists are moving into a democratic defensive mood.

The people’s vote must count.

August 15 promises to be a contest between the people and little tyrants. In all democratic struggles, the people prevail.

In the case of Osun, our people will defeat anti-democratic forces.

Light must prevail over darkness.