By Femi Adesola
In just a little over two weeks to the All Progressives Congress (APC) July 7 gubernatorial primary to elect the party’s flag bearer for the September 22 Governorship election that’ll replace the outgoing Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the current Commissioner for Finance, Bola Oyebamiji, has officially joined the guber race.
Oyebamiji, an Ikire born technocrat, adds to a growing list of the twenty seven aspirants who initially signified interest at a parley held with the party executives on 21st of May at the APC State Secretariat. With over 28years experience as a banker, Oyebamiji had stints with Wema Bank, Trans International Bank, Spring Bank and Enterprise Bank. He also worked as the Managing Director of the Osun State Investment Company Limited (OSICOL) until his appointment as the Commissioner for Finance in 2017.
Oyebamiji’s supporters, women leaders and representatives from the Ikire, Apomu and Ikoyi traditional council, had on Wednesday, the 20th of June, stormed the APC secretariat to express solidarity and obtain the guber form on his behalf.
The Commissioner’s entry into the guber race further upsets different political permutation as to whom the incumbent Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, will eventually back for the much coveted APC ticket. Aregbesola’s backing if given to someone from the West Senatorial District, many believe will calm frayed nerves and unite the party.
Just this past weekend, Osun’s political space was thrown into anxiety and uncertainty over a rumour that the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress and former Governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu, has asked the chief of Staff, Gboyega Oyetola, to step down his political ambition. The ‘Ileri Oluwa’ campaign really shook the state with many believing Oyetola was already favoured for the ticket. However, Tinubu’s order if true, came after entreaties from Ogbeni Aregbesola, to allow equity prevail, insider sources quoted Aregbesola as telling Tinubu that it’s been a herculean task selling the candidacy of Gboyega Oyetola.
With Oyebamiji’s entry, many are already fingering the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, as the one behind the plot, his belief that the ticket is his and can give to whomever he please, may have sprung him to throw up his number one ally, Bola Oyebamiji, from Ikire, the headquarters of Irewole Local Government, under the Osun West Senatorial District, a zone favoured by current political permutations and agitations to produce the next Governor of the State.
However, another major hurdle for the Oyebamiji candidacy may be the endorsement of Ogbeni Aregbesola, though a major ally of the Governor. It is however believed that the Governor is already backing another Christian Candidate from the Osun West Senatorial District, this Aregbesola believes will settle all agitations including religion, and put the party on the right footing for the September 22 election.