A group, led by the Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Bashir, has obtained re-election nomination forms for the incumbent governor of Osun state Gboyega Oyetola.
The group declared that Oyetola has performed “excellently” to deserve re-election.
The group included some politicians, appointees of the governor and supporters from Osun state.
Speaking with newsmen after obtaining the nomination forms at the national secretariat of APC, Senator Bashir, said the governor at the maiden meeting of the traditional council in Osun state had publicly declared his interest to seek re-election.
When asked whether Oyetola’s re-election bid will not be threatened by the current battle with the Minister of Iinterior, Rauf Aregbesola, the Senate spokesperson said current structure of APC will win the re-election bid and not individuals.
Oyetola and Aregbesola had been at the loggerheads over the control of the APC in Osun state.
But Ajibola Bashir said: “I will not reduce the issue of our party to issue of personality. Political parties are institutions of democracy and they are run on the basis of the structure of the political parties as well as the leaders of the party.
“Today, in the State of Osun, the highest hierarchy of our party is constituted in what is called Egbe Igbimo agba which is headed by no less person than the founding chairman of our party Baba Bisi Akande and we also have former governors, deputy governors, members of national assembly, current and seasoned politicians in that club.
“We also have federal constituency structures in all the nine federal constituencies. We also have ward executives, local executives and unit executives. So, it’s about structures that win elections and not personality. So we believe that the existing structures of our party is such that the party that is really in existence today is the APC and I will give you statistics.
“Beyond the 2018 election, the first election and the only election that has been conducted under the leadership of Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola is the 2019 general elections and I challenge you to go to INEC website to download the results. There are nine federal constituencies in the State of Osun. Our party APC had six out of that nine seats and of course if you do the percentage that is about 65% that’s B plus.
“Then in the Senatorial election in the three Senatorial districts, our party got two out of the three Senatorial districts I think that’s also about 70% and of course in the house of assembly, of the 26 seats we have in Osun, our party had 23 out of the 26 and all of them are still members of our political party.
“So when you have a political party that has in its fold two senators, six house of Representatives members and 23 elected State legislators I don’t think it is beyond any doubt to say the party to beat in the State of Osun is the APC and the leadership of the party has provided structure to ensure that we deliver massively. And we also know that the presidential election in 2019, Osun is one of the States that delivered for our leader president Muhammadu Buhari.
“So no doubt, the State of our party is strong, vibrant, cohesive and articulate to deliver for the party in the 2022 election.”
