Determined to win the forthcoming September 22 governorship election in Osun State, the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state may have backed down on its stance not to zone the governorship ticket to Osun West Senatorial District, Saturday Tribune investigation has revealed.
This is coming as strong indication emerged that stakeholders within the ruling party are tactically giving consideration to Osun West in clinching the ticket of the party ahead of the poll, bearing in mind the unending agitation from the axis to produce the next governor of the state.
Credible sources informed our correspondent that the recent entry of the incumbent Commissioner for Finance in Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s cabinet, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, may have been the fallout of the decision of some powerful forces within the APC in the state to concede the ticket to Osun West Senatorial District.
Findings indicated that the powers-that-be may have finally settled for Oyebamiji, from Ikire community of Irewole local government area of the state, which is one of the 10 local councils, constituting Osun West Senatorial District.
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Saturday Tribune reliably gathered that the development has thrown some members of the Aregbesola’s cabinet and chieftains of the ruling party into a frenzy as majority of them are now rallying support for Oyebamiji among the statutory delegates who will vote to elect the flag bearer of the party during the July 7 primary.
Scores of elders from Ikire and Apomu communities led by Chief Falana Muritala and Chief Abeeblahi Hassan had on Wednesday stormed the APC secretariat in Osogbo to procure the intention form for the commissioner, contending that among the contestants from the axis, Oyebamiji possessed the pedigree and experience to succeed Aregbesola.
However, reliable sources told our correspondent that the same people within and outside government circles, backing the governorship ambition of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, who hails from Iragbiji community in Osun Central Senatorial District are also enlisting support for the Commissioner for Finance.
This development, which some political elements believe may alter the permutation ahead of the poll has not deterred other gubernatorial contenders from Osun West on the platform of the APC, namely the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Najeem Salaam and Elder Peter Babalola, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Moshood Adeoti from increasing their mobilisation drives to secure delegates’ votes before the conduct of the primary next month.
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