Politics
‘Aregbesola And The Hard-Earned Victory’
Despite the heavy pres
ence of security personnel put at about 75,000 including soldiers, policemen, members of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps and even sniff dogs to Osun State, which the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as attempt to intimidate its members and the electorate, the much talked about governorship election in the state went on smoothly last Saturday.
The contest which centred mainly around two major contenders, the incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf A. Aregbesola of the APC and Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) witnessed massive turn-out of voters who trooped to the accreditation centres as early as 6.30 am.
At last, Aregbesola beat his main rival, Omisore to a distant second. While Aregbesola polled 394,684, Omisore scored 292,747 votes.
Meanwhile, Aregbesola’s victory which was greeted with wild jubilation in Osun State has also elicited reactions from some eminent personalities in the country, including President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade and Chief of Staff Government House Port Harcourt, Sir Tony Okocha.
President Jonathan
The President’s congratulatory message to Aregbesola was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati. The statement reads in parts:
“President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan congratulates Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State on his victory in Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
“The President commends the Independent National Electoral Commission and National Security agencies for ensuring that the elections were free, fair, credible and peaceful in keeping with the avowed commitment of his administration.
“As Governor Aregbesola prepares to begin a second term in office, President Jonathan looks forward to continuing to work with him and other state governors to further improve the living conditions of Nigerians in Osun and other States of the country.
Governor Oshiomhole
“ I have seen a new lease of life for the people of the state of Osun over the past three and half years due to the radical improvements in the quality of governance you introduced. It is gratifying to note that you have restored a people-driven governance, reminiscent of the Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Bola Ige eras, thus placing you firmly in the pantheon of the greats to have come from that part of the country.
“The wide margin of the votes you recorded in your re-election victory over your closet rival is a clear testimony of your doggedness and the confidence reposed in you by the good people of the state in your ability to move the State of Osun forward and position it among the best in the country.
“Above all, your victory has strengthened the progressive movement nationally and further enhanced its capacity to positively affect the direction of the nation’s polity.
“I salute the people of the State of Osun for choosing to the path of positive progressivism and lasting legacies over the politics of stomach infrastructure which the other party has introduced into the nation’s political lexicon.
“As you settle down to the business of governance in your second term, I wish you greater and quality achievements in your efforts to reposition the State of Osun. I assure you of the continued solidarity of the people and Government of Edo State”.
Sir Tony Okocha
In Port Harcourt, a victory dance reportedly broke out immediately Governor Aregbesola’s victory was confirmed. Leading the celebration was the Chief of Staff to Governor Amaechi, Chief Tony Okocha, an APC chieftain, who reportedly threw the gates of his palatial mansion situated at the old GRA, wide open to all comers for good music, as well as assorted food and drinks.
According to Chief Okocha, “Today is the happiest day of my life as the Osun result declares the immediate demise of PDP, whose presence in Nigeria has become a curse and bad luck to Nigeria and Nigerians. Things have gotten so bad that no family in Nigeria can be sure of seeing tomorrow as their lives are no longer secured, apart from the few operating this government that is doomed to be chased out by the Nigerian masses in 2015. Let Nigerians celebrate as their freedom from a visionless, clueless and misguided government is at hand. The Lord is good. It’s confidence restored. Congratulations to all agents and adherents of change.
“We salute the great people of Osun State for giving us hope that together, we shall in 2015 free Nigerians from an inept government and enthrone a people-oriented government that will utilise our God-given resources for the development of our nation instead of the few currently oppressing and looting our common patrimony with impunity.
“ I sincerely salute Governor Amaechi for the great role he played to ensure that Osun State did not fall into the hands of PDP, whose mission was to wreck the State and take it back to the days of darkness. My commendation also goes to the People’s Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who has proved that he is truly a lion, a great mobilizer, a political bulldozer, a man of the people and most importantly that he is on ground. I am happy to award the Governor the title of Tiger of our democracy”.
The Man Rauf Aregbesola
Rauf Aregbesola was born on May 25, 1957. He graduated from The Polytechnic, Ibadan where he studied Mechanical Engineering.
He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Nigerian Association of Technological Engineers and Certified Marketing Communications Institute of Nigeria.
He was on April 12 this year endorsed as the governorship candidate of the APC. The emergence of Aregbesola was preceded by congresses. The governor, who had no opponents, was endorsed as the flag- bearer of the party.
The Nasir el-Rufai-led committee supervised the primary election in which Aregbesola was endorsed. While giving him the certificate of return, el Rufai said 269,631 members of the party voted for the governor for a second term out of 355,390 members who registered in 332 wards across the state.
Before becoming the state governor in 2010, Aregbesola had served as the Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure for eight years under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, then governor of Lagos State. He left Lagos State Government to contest the governorship election in Osun in 2007, on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
At the end of the election, the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) under Prof. Maurice Iwu declared Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the PDP, the winner of the election. The former commissioner and his party contested the result, taking Oyinlola and the INEC to court.
In May 2008, Aregbesola called over 100 witnesses and tendered 168 exhibits in his petition before the Election Petitions Tribunal, alleging violence and ballot boxes stuffing in the election.
The case was moved from the election tribunal to the Federal Appeal Court in Ibadan.
After several dramatic exchanges in the courtroom, which lasted for three-and-half years, Justices of the Appeal Court finally declared Aregbesola the winner of the 2007 election, ordering that he should be sworn in as governor by noon on November 27, 2010.
Upon assumption of office as governor of Osun State, the former Lagos State commissioner outlined what he called his ‘Six Point Integral Action Plan’ which focused on agriculture, economic and youth development, health, education and security.
The six points are to banish poverty, hunger, unemployment; restore healthy living; promote functional education; and enhance communal peace and progress. These, the governor said, would seek “to ensure that the fruits of economic development positively impact as many lives as possible” in Osun.
Aregbesola’s interest in politics dated back to his undergraduate days, when he served as the Speaker of the Students’ Union Parliament at The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
His First Official Reaction To His Re-Election
In his first official reaction to the outcome of the governorship election held on Saturday, Governor Aregbesola described his victory as a call to increased service.
In a broadcast to the people of Osun State, he pledged to leave no stone unturned to continue in transforming the state, saying “we shall work even more”.
His words, “On behalf of my party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), we are delighted to claim this hard won victory against all odds.
“I salute the courage of the people; I salute your courage, loyalty, your integrity and your desire to nurture our nascent democracy. The trust reposed in me and the confidence you have in me shall not be taken for granted, the outcome of this election shows that you people are interested in the growth of democracy.
“From now on, every vote must not only be counted, every vote must count.
“This victory is for the people and it is a call for increased service”.
Boye Salau
Governor Aregbesola of Osun State celebrating his re-election in Osogbo last Saturday. Photo: NAN
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.
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