Mustapha Lawal
The democratic process of choosing political office holders in Osun state kicks off in less than 24 hours, bringing the Nigerian electoral machinery to life in the “land of the virtues”.
Five Governors have ruled the state of Osun since its creation in 1991: two from the APC, and one each from the SDP, AD, and PDP.
As the state enters into the July 16 gubernatorial election with an intriguing mix of competitors across the big political parties, it is indeed a showdown with each of the parties looking to make a statement ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Fifteen (15) political parties are fielding candidates for the 2022 Osun Gubernatorial election, according to INEC’s announcement. The major candidates for the office include the incumbent governor of the state, a former senator of the federal republic, a former deputy speaker of the national house of assembly, a businessman as well as an architect.
Adegboyega Oyetola
He is the candidate of the ruling APC and the incumbent governor of the state. Born on September 29, 1954, in Iragbiji, Oyetola bagged a BSc in insurance in 1978 and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1990.
In 1980, Oyetola began his career in the insurance industry as an area manager with Leadway Assurance Company Limited, Lagos, and stayed till 1987. He worked as Underwriting Manager at Crusader Insurance Company Limited from 1987 to 1990, before he was appointed Technical Controller at Alliance and General Insurance, a position he held till 1991.
He founded Silver Trust Insurance Brokers Limited in 1991. He also served variously on the boards of leading organizations with interests in finance, and real estate, among others, before leaving to take up an appointment as the Chief of Staff to the then Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, between 2011 and 2018.
Oyetola’s chances of winning a second term being threatened by the crisis bedevilling the state chapter of the party, especially as he is at daggers drawn with his predecessor, Aregbesola.
Now it’s up to the citizens to decide if Oyetola gets a second term. Following a ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja, Moshood Adeoti, a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), who was the favored candidate of Aregbesola, dropped his lawsuit over the APC governorship primary.
Senator Ademola Adeleke
He is the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate and is from Ede town. In the state’s 2018 gubernatorial election, he ran as a PDP candidate. Between 2017 and 2019, he served as the senator for Osun West, however, there is debate over his educational background.
He allegedly attended a secondary school in Ede, but he failed the WAEC. He registered for a second WAEC before the 2018 gubernatorial election to satisfy INEC’s standards, which led to yet another issue. Adeleke invited friends and relatives to his abroad graduation from a university.
He is a member of the Adeleke political dynasty and benefits from his late brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke’s ties and reputation in politics. He is one of the popular candidates in the race for the highest office. His candidacy has drawn controversy as well. He has been under fire for claiming that he brought large sums of money in foreign currencies for the race. He has also been criticized for pledging to purchase a plane for the Ooni of Ife if elected governor.
Lasun Yusuf
He is the candidate of the Labour Party (LP). He formerly served as the House of Representatives deputy speaker on the APC platform, where he represented Osun State’s Irepodun/Olorunda/Osogbo/Orolu Federal Constituency.
Yusuf attended the University of Ibadan where he obtained a BSc in mechanical engineering. He served as the Chairman of the Osun State Capital Territory Development Authority before entering politics.
Yusuf was chosen for the Federal House of Representatives for the first time in 2011 and then again in 2015. After a scandal that followed the party’s primary election, which produced Oyetola as the candidate, he quit the APC. He is thought to have fared well in the state’s several election debates.
Akin Ogunbiyi
He is the candidate of the Accord Party (AP). He graduated in 1986 with a BSc in agricultural economics from the University of Ife.
He is an Associate Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute of London, a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (FCIIN), a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Directors (FIoD), a Fellow of the West African Insurance Institute, Banjul, Gambia, and also a Fellow of the Risk Managers Society of Nigeria (RIMSON).
His insurance career started during his undergraduate studies when he ventured into agricultural insurance as his area of specialization. Soon after graduation, Dr Ogunbiyi was employed in 1988 by the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (NICON) as a research and planning officer. He worked in various strategic capacities within the corporation, including the training of chief executives of insurance companies from sister African countries.
In his entrepreneurial pursuits, he has taken quite some risks. He gave up an impressive and promising career at NICON to go into insurance consultancy – a business hitherto unexplored and without a precedent of success in Nigeria. He is the pioneer Chief Executive of Finance and Insurance Experts Limited, a firm of finance, insurance, environmental and management consultants. He is currently the Group Chairman of Mutual Benefits Group.
Goke Omigbodun
He is the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He hails from Osogbo, the state capital. He serves as the Principal Consultant at Goke Omigbodun Associates, an estate surveyors and valuers firm. He is an architect.
He attended the All Saints Primary School in Osogbo, the Government College in Ibadan, and the University of Ife, which is now known as Obafemi Awolowo University. He later attended the University of Ilorin and the University of Ibadan for further studies.
Between December 2000 to May 2003, he served as the Chairman of the Osun State Property Development Corporation under the leadership of Governor Chief Bisi Akande. He worked for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Osun State as the Programmes Monitoring Adviser (SPMA). He also worked for Prince Oyinlola’s government between 2008 and 2010 as Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter-Party Relations.
Candidates of other political parties include:
- Peter Segun Awojide (African Action Congress)
- Kehinde Munirudeen Atanda (Action Democratic Party)
- Awoyemi Oluwatayo Lukuman (Allied Peoples Movement)
- Adebayo Adeolu Elisha (Action Peoples Party)
- Adeleke Adedapo (Boot Party
- Rasaq Oyelami Saliu (New Nigeria Peoples Party)
- Samuel Adetona Abede (National Rescue Movement)
- Busuyi Ayowole (People’s Redemption Party)
- Ademola Bayonle Adeseye (Young Progressives Party)
- John Olufemi Adesuyi (Zenith Labour Party)