As the people of Oke-Ogun intensify their agitation for power shift in Oyo State, four governorship aspirants from the sub-zone are the frontliners. BISI OLADELE examines their chances at the primary.
Oke-Ogun, one of the five zones in Oyo State, is intensifying its agitation for power shift to the zone in the next governorship election. To demonstrate its seriousness, many indigenes of the zone are already speeding up their campaigns to gain advantage as they fight for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The zone is expressing dissatisfaction with the position of deputy governor or Secretary to the Government (SSG), which it has always got in political power sharing.
Comprising 10 out of the 33 local government areas in the state, Oke-Ogun is a homogenous group of agrarian communities. Though the zone perches on a wide land mass, its population is not proportionate with the land mass when compared with Ibadan zone, which has about 50 per cent of the voting population. The city has 11 local government areas.
For this reason, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who benefitted immensely from the support of voters from Oke-Ogun zone in the last election, has advised the zone to seek the support of other zones, if it is determined to realise its ambition to produce the next governor in 2019.
The governor defeated his opponents in nine out of the 10 local governments in the zone in the last election.
The other zones are Ibadan, Oyo, Ibarapa and Ogbomoso.
There have been eight civilian regimes in the history of the state since 1979. Ibadan has produced governors six times. Only the late Chief Bola Ige, who hailed from Ife-Ijesa zone in the old Oyo State, and Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, who hails from Ogbomoso, made the list.
Oke-Ogun has been agitating for power shift to the zone since 2003.
Traditionally progressive in political orientation, Oke-Ogun has been a major focus for developmental project in the Ajimobi administration since 2011. As expected, the zone has its strengths and weaknesses, which could help or hinder its indigenes from realising their ambition for power shift.
Strengths and weaknesses
Oke-Ogun is made up of 10 local governments, accounting for 30 per cent of the councils in the state. It is a zone that can not be ignored because it could threaten a candidate’s ability to meet the minimum score of 25 per cent in at least two third local governments in the state as prescribed in the electoral law.
Due to its homogeneity, Oke-Ogun has the ability to produce bloc votes for the candidates of their choice. This was what Ajimobi enjoyed in the 2015 election. Out of a total of 204,056 votes cast for the five major governorship candidates, the governor polled 87,254, representing 43 per cent.
But, the low population strength of the area, when compared to Ibadan, can make it difficult for a candidate that is only rooted in Oke-Ogun to win the governorship. This perhaps accounted for why Ajimobi advised the zone to build bridges with other zones, if it was serious about power shift.
The governor gave the advice in Okeho, headquarters of Kajola Lacol Government last week at the fidau for a stalwart of the APC in the town, Alhaji Salami Oloola.
Ajimobi said: “I can recall that during the 2015 governorship election, I won in nine out of 10 local governments in Oke-Ogun. This aided my emergence as the first governor to secure a second term in office in Oyo State. I cannot thank you enough. I will forever cherish you my people from Oke-Ogun. I assure you that I will reciprocate your love for me.
“Without prejudice to the competence and legitimacy of aspirants from other zones nursing the ambition of succeeding me, I can say the people of Oke-Ogun deserve my support. But, I will advise that you seek the support of people from other zones. You must win them over to win a governorship election.”
Out of 906,870 votes cast for the five top governorship candidates in the 2015 election, Oke-Ogun had 23 per cent, Ibarapa had six per cent, Oyo had nine per cent, Ogbomoso had 15 per cent while Ibadan had 47 per cent.
The gladiators
Among the major gladiators are the Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu, Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development Ajiboye Omodewu, former Chief of Staff to Governor Ajimobi Adeolu Akande and a former permanent secretary, Aderemi Olaniyan.
Shittu
Shittu, a lawyer, is at the forefront of the campaign to emerge as the first man from Oke-Ogun to occupy the Agodi Government House. He first registered his ambition in 2011 when he emerged as the governorship flagberarer of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). He lost to Ajimobi.
Shittu consistently expressed his discontent with Ajimobi’s style of governance until he was appointed minister in November, 2015. But, he has resumed his criticism again in recent times in a move many observers believe was borne out of his ambition to succeed him.
A former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, it is believed that the Ibadan-based legal practitioner will use his privileged position to prepare for the election.
Analysts believe that he recently resumed his criticism of Ajimobi to earn more popularity, ahead of the 2019 election. He is determined in his governorship ambition.
Omodewu
Omodewu is the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development. He is one of Ajimobi’s close supporters from Oke-Ogun. He has been a member of the State Executive Council from 2011 till date.
It is not clear if Omodewu will enjoy Ajimobi’s backing. Omodewu is one of the major contenders from the zone.
Akande
Prof. Adeolu Akande is a media strategist and political scientist. He teaches Political Science at Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State. The former media adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is also said to be in close touch with Ajimobi, having served as his Chief of Staff from 2011 to 2013.
The 50-year old politician is one of the most futuristic politicians in the state.
Olaniyan
Olaniyan, an engineer, was the pioneer General Manager of the Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA). A former Permanent Secretary, farmer and business man, Olaniyan recently dumped Accord party for the All Progressives Congress (APC). He is a grassroots politician from Ignoho, a town that APC has been finding it tough to break.
Olaniyan hopes to leverage on his many years of political experience and contacts across the state to vie for the governorship election.
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