Dr Tosin Odeyemi, the chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Osun State, in this interview by ADEOLU ADEYEMO, speaks on 2027 general election, tenure of Professor Mahmood Yakubu as the chairman of the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC), what should be the role of President Bola Tinubu in the governorship election coming up in Osun next year. among other issues. Excerpts:
THERE is intense horse trading going on in the political circle within and outside Osun State ahead of next year’s governorship poll. As one of the major stakeholders and party leaders, what feelings do you have for the poll?
Osun election will not go the way some people who feel they know it all are boasting around of now, Osun election is an election that will change the narrative. It is an election that will send the signal to Presidency. Osun election is a determinant factor to what will happen in the 2027 general election. The coalition going round at the national level might also take a shape in Osun, but in a different form. Osun election means a lot to any serious politician who intends to run for presidency in 2027, and I can beat my chest that, the permutation will change completely and a different narrative entirely will surface.
Any contender who knows that the Osun election is the last election that will usher us into the General elections will know what Osun 2026 election means.
Osun Election will be a clear signal to what will happen in 2027 general elections because some political parties will get it wrong totally as I can assure you that people/parties are more wiser than the past/previous elections. If any party brings up a unifying figure/neutral person and a credible personality, don’t be surprised that other political parties might bring their structures together to make such individual win Osun Election.
Some political parties in the state are clamouring for zoning. Are you also in support of the idea which some observers claim is at the expense of competence?
Yes, some parties are clamouring for zoning just to get the equation balance, but sometimes the best is not always where we are clamouring from. I am not in particular about zoning, but at the same time, if the best is coming from the west, it’s fine. However, the fact remains that the best can come from anywhere. What we want is someone that will bring the betterment of democracy to the masses of Osun; someone that will make us feel and partake from the dividend of democracy; someone that knows where the shoe pinches; someone that is accessible; someone that would be accommodating; someone that will bring everybody on board, not a pushover. Each political party in Osun should go back to the drawing board and look for an acceptable and unifying candidate to make the race easy for them. Efforts are on top gear in my own party to pull the surprise. Watch out for NNPP.
As a stakeholder in Osun politics, what advice would you give President Bola Tinubu on the Osun governorship election, in view of the peculiarities of the state, coupled with the trajectories of its leaders?
Osun is a peculiar state, and every calculative politician should know that our politics here is quite different from other states in the South-West. So, all the political parties need to tread softly. As a stakeholder in Osun politics, if I am privileged to meet Mr. President, I will tell him to put the interest of Osun indigene in particular and Nigeria as a whole at heart. He should first map out effective and best ways his renewed hope agenda can be of positive effects in the lives of our people. We must not deceive ourselves.
Things are hard presently. The federal government needs to do something urgently to cushion the effect of the economic hardship we face now. When our economic stables, then the issue of election can come in. Beyond that, Mr. President must look beyond party politics. Osun, under Nigeria, is for all, and as a father of the nation, he should look for someone who will bring good governance to the state.
Like I said earlier, a neutral person, a person without blemish, a name without stain, someone that can unify everybody across bothers, not minding party, and ethnic. He should look at helping the state by supporting the best. Yes, he should help the state by supporting the best. He should do his independent investigation in supporting the best. He should shun party politics. He should look at who has the interest of the masses.
Moreover, ensuring free, fair, and credible elections is paramount. The president should reinforce the importance of electoral integrity and support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in its efforts to conduct transparent elections in Osun come 2026.
The tenure of the present INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, is gradually winding down. Where do you think the next chairman should come from?
In the spirit of fairness and equity, the next INEC chairman should automatically come from the Southwest. Though, politically, I’m sure some people will criticize Mr. President when the time comes and he appoints somebody from his zone, despite the fact the history of past helmsmen in the commission, he should be focused and look away. In 1999, Abel Guobadia from Edo State, South-South, was made the INEC chairman, followed by Maurice Iwu from Imo State, South-East between 2005 and 2010. Professor Attahiru Jega from Kebbi State, North-West, took over from him between 2010-2015, and Mahmood Yakubu from Bauchi State, North-East, is there from 2015 till date So, the South-South, South-East, North-West and North-East people have had their fair share as the commission’s chairmen, it should come to the South-West this time around, after which it can go to the North-Central.
Some opposition politicians are stepping efforts to form a coalition that will challenge the APC at the poll in 2027. To what extent are state leadership of NNPP being carried along on the move?
NNPP is a party that operates like a family. The leadership of the NNPP follow due process and the administration under the leadership of Dr. Ajuyi Ahmed knows the Organogram and the ethics of each offices. Therefore, all state leadership are being carried along in all day-to-day running of the party. However, NNPP is not in any coalition as we speak, though no one knows what will happen tomorrow. But you know NNPP is a party of his own manifesto on ideology that will only go for whoever has such. Let me also state that NNPP has opened its doors for as many people who want to come in for us to bring freedom to the citizens of Nigeria.
Is your party ready to play the second fiddle in the coalition and why?
No, at the moment NNPP is still consulting widely on how best to win the forthcoming general election.
A school of thought claimed that the NNPP is weak in the South-West, so only the PDP and the APC keep winning elections in the zone. Are you surprised?
Well, I don’t know why you said we are weak and I want to let you know that while consulting or while preparing, you don’t conclude about a result. Don’t forget that the entry of Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso to NNPP was just a year to the general election in which we were able to win the governorship, the deputy, we have senators, we have house of representatives members, we have House of assembly members, we have a citizen speaker, that was just within a year all because the leader of the party Engr. Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso has been preparing before he even got into the party.
Now, if that can happen then, don’t conclude about what is about to happen because NNPP will spring surprises in the South-West. NNPP is the only alternative that the Southwesterners are looking up to after both parties you have mentioned. So we are coming up with surprises, if within a year we could do that, though from the north, definitely, there are underground consultations and preparations towards the forthcoming general election.
People talk about a two-horse race in the next Osun governorship poll, due to the pattern of elections conducted in the state over the years. How true is this? Are we likely to see a paradigm shift this time?
Well, I don’t know what you mean by a two-horse race but what I know is Osun election is the last election to the general election and there is likely possibility of test running the strength of the coalition in Osun, which means there might be coalition of political parties. You would agree with me that at the recent time there have not been a party that won Osun Governorship election without a collaboration, for example, when Ogbeni Aregbesola wanted to leave the stage and wanted Gov. Isiaka Oyetola, we had an inconclusive election that made party steward of APC to start struggling into the house Sen. Iyiola Omisore of SDP then. And Iyiola Omisore Collaborated with them and they won. And let’s go to Gov. Adeleke, you also remember that the aggrieved members of APC under Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola also collaborated with PDP, they won. There is going to be a repetition, but this time around is going to be coalition.
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