A socio-political group , Osun Shall Rise Again, OSRA, has raised the alarm over plots by The Osun Progressives , TOP, to instigate some youths to protest in Osun to create the impression that they would desire a governorship candidate from the West Senatorial District.
In a statement signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the group respectively , Saheed Bakare and Lanre Akeju, OSRA said information at its disposal indicates that the group, being sponsored by the former Osun Governor and Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, planned the protest to create the impression that the incumbent governor is not popular, the same narrative it attempted to spread in the build-up to the 2018 governorship election.
To this end, OSRA called on Osun youths to shun what it called “dubious and avoidable distractions,” saying that Oyetola, remains the All Progressives Congress, APC, best bet in winning next year’s election.
“We have witnessed a gale of endorsements for Oyetola’s candidature from the West especially and across the State in general. And because these endorsements from our findings are spontaneous, we believe it is the reflection of the reality on the ground.
“We are aware that all those issues that reduced APC’s popularity and made it struggle to win the governorship in the build-up to the 2018 governorship poll have all been addressed by Oyetola and have endeared the party to the people once more.
“From abolition of half salary to reversal of single uniform and revert to old names of the various schools among others, Oyetola has won the hearts of the people. As youths therefore, we must resist this dubious and avoidable distractions in the name of ‘West Lokan (it is the turn of West), packaged mainly to distract our performing governor.
“Oyetola cannot be faulted on the issue of performance and the popular and acceptable saying is that ‘ you don’t change a winning team.’
“Do not be deceived, our information is being lent credence to by the interview granted by one Lani Bederinwa on behalf of TOP in the Monday’s edition of Daily Independent newspaper, where he stated clearly that they were planning to field persons against Oyetola in the primary election and all they were after was to ensure they reached a consensus on who to slug it out with the governor out of the retinue of aspirants they currently parade from West.
“But this same Baderinwa and all notable TOP chieftains had at different times said they had no quarrel with the governor but were interested in reforming the party. What has now changed? This shows that these people are up to some dubious political game,” the group said.