By Tunde Olamilekan
Despite the appointment of over 50 indigenes of Osun State by President Bola Tinubu into various offices, the continued absence of former speakers of the state House of Assembly – Rt. Hon Adejare Bello and Rt. Hon Timothy Owoeye has raised eyebrows among members of the All Progressives Congress in the state.
The former speakers are grassroot politicians who have contributed immensely to the success of the party both at the state and national level.
Some of the Osun indigenes appointed under the present administration include: Chief Bisi Akande, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, Senator Ajibola Basiru, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, Dr. Charles Akinola, Engr. Remi Omowaiye, Mr. Lekan Badmus, Dr. Mrs Temitope Ilori, Mr. Idris Alubankudi, Hon. Taiwo Oluga, Hon. Ayo Omidiran, Dr.Festus Olowogboyega, Hon. Rotimi Makinde, and Prof. Taiwo Olaiya.
Others are: Mrs. Titi-Laoye Ponnle, Chief Niyi Akande, Prof Siyan Oyeweso, Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdulrosheed Olabomi, Dr. Obawale Adebisi, Mr. Abdulrauf Adeniji, Pastor Timothy Ademola, Mr Adegboyega Basheer, and Barr. Kayode Adebiyi, Prof. A.O. Atoyebi, Engr. Rafiu Mumini, Prof. Gbadebo Olagunju, Mr. Adeniran Aderogba, Mr. Eludayo Eluyemi, Hon. Olanike Omoworare, Hon. Funmilayo Olasehinde, among others.
However, the absence of the two chieftains of the party has generated headlines especially with the forthcoming gubernatorial election some months away.
Some members of the APC who spoke with osun.life described the former speakers as grassroot politicians with a lot of influence in their home base.
Former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon Adejare Bello was first elected in December 1997, as a member of the Osun State House of Assembly on the platform of the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN), representing the Ede North constituency.
Hon. Bello was again elected in 1999 under the All Peoples Party (APP) and served as the minority leader of the House of Assembly.
He was elected speaker of the house after winning the 2003 election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Ede-born politician was appointed as the Nigerian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Mexican States in 2021.
However, since his recall from his ambassadorial role by the present administration, Bello has not been given any political appointment.
Speaking on the situation, a member of the APC in Ede North who does not want his name in print, said Bello is the major opposition player in Ede, questioning how the APC intends to have a strong showing in the town which is the home base of the incumbent Governor, Ademola Adeleke if the former Ambassador is ñot given anything tangible.
According to the APC member, the PDP won with a large margin in the last gubernatorial election even with Bello as an ambassador, adding that the margin might become bigger next year if the situation remains the same.
He said, “We are not happy with how things are going. Although our principal has never complained but we all know what is right. He is the rallying point of APC in Ede and it’s unfortunate that despite all the appointments in the state, Hon. Adejare Bello has not been considered.
“Look at what happened in the last gubernatorial election in Ede. The margin at which Governor Adeleke and the PDP won despite our principal being an ambassador. I cannot begin to think of what will happen next year in Ede if the situation remains the same.”
Another notable missing name from the appointees is the immediate former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye.
Hon. Owoeye is a grassroot progressive politician who has always worked for the success of the party.
During the last gubernatorial election, Owoeye won Ilesa East Local Government for the APC. The party secured 13452 votes while the PDP had 10969. This was despite the fact that the former governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who is also from the local government, did not support the APC in that election.
Also, during the electioneering period, Owoeye was targeted for assassination by hoodlums. However, he didn’t allow that to deter him from working for the success of the APC in Ijesaland.
Owoeye was a former Councilor of Ward 10, Ilesa East, between 1999 and 2002. He later contested and won a seat at the Osun State House of Assembly in 2007. Between 2007 and 2011, Owoeye was the Minority Leader of the House, and he became the Leader of the House in 2011. He served as the majority leader of the 5th Assembly between 2015 and 2019.
In 2019, Owoeye emerged as the speaker of the State House of Assembly. He holds the title of the longest-serving lawmaker in Osun State.
Owoeye and Bello’s continued neglect calls to question the APC’s strategy and criteria for these appointments, it may also hinder the party’s permutation ahead of the 2026 guber election. Osun’s political landscape has always been shaped by the big five namely; Osogbo, Iwo, Ife, Ilesa and Ede. The absence of a strongman in one or two of these major cities could end up shaping the party’s fortune, Adejare Bello is from Ede while Timothy Owoeye hails from Ilesa.
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