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By Blessing Adegbite
Atunto in Yoruba synonym, means; restructuring, the advanced English language dictionary also says “Restructuring” is a reorganization; an alteration of structure.
In clear terms from the dictionary meaning, “Atunto” is a reorganization of a structure either divided or in total disarray.
A look at the two leading political parties; PDP and APC in Osun State within the last Six years to x-ray which one of them really needs “Atunto”, like some political actors had played in the last few weeks.
PDP 2018 – 2023
Osun PDP, in the build-up to 2018 Governorship poll, declared Senator Ademola Adeleke it’s Gubernatorial flag bearer in a keenly contested primary with the then party chieftain, expelled PDP member Akin Ogunbiyi, with a seven vote difference on the 23rd July 2018.
Ademola Adeleke contested the 2018 governorship election and was close to defeating the then APC candidate Gboyega Oyetola, leading with 353 votes, the election was declared inconclusive at the first round of the ballots. Gboyega Oyetola was then declared winner in the second round ballots.
The Osun PDP were never deterred of their past hurdles of the “stolen mandate” of Senator Ademola Adeleke in 2018, as they often describe it.
In build up to 2022 governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke re-contested the PDP primary election and was declared the gubernatorial flag bearer.
Osun PDP tagged the 2022 gubernatorial campaign mission to recover stolen mandate, to prove to the world that Senator Ademola Adeleke mandate was stolen in 2018.
The July 16 governorship election in Osun state finally became destiny fulfilment for Senator Ademola Adeleke and “mandate recovery” for the Peoples’s Democratic Party as PDP polled 403,371 votes to defeat the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Gboyega Oyetola, who scored 375,927 votes and it cam be said today that there is no faction or any division in Osun PDP the rulling party in the State.
Osun APC 2018 – 2023
As the popular saying a house divided against it’s self can not stand aptly summarize the divitional crisis erupting Osun APC, can be traced back to July 19, 2018, in the build up to the party gubernatorial primary election, about 27 Aspirants including former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Lasun Yussuf, the then Chief of Staff to Governor Aregbesola, Chief Adegboyega, former Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, Dr. Najeem Salam and Senator Babajide Omoworare were among others that contested for party’s ticket.
In the heat of the crisis, some of the then leading Aspirants Rejected Direct Primaries, some members of the then State Working Committee suspended the Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun and the Secretary, Alhaji Rasak Salinsile, Aspirants From Osun West boycotted the party Primaries, the then national leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole adopted the process of direct primary to choose its governorship candidate, were many among others issues that threw Osun APC into endless crisis till date.
It’s not news that Osun APC is divided into two factions; TOP are the party members loyal to former Governor Ogbeni Aregbesola and the Ilerioluwa group championed by immediate former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
In addition, Prior to the 2022 election, the Osun APC had been polarized into several factions, with former governor Oyetola engaging in a battle of wits with his former boss and predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola, on who controls the soul of APC in the state.
The war of attrition between the duo scaled down the fabrics of the party, right from the state executive committee, to the local governments, wards and even, poling unit levels.
Checks revealed that the immediate past governor, Gboyega Oyetola was banking on the ever willing “federal machine”, often deployed by his party at the center to muscle opposition at any major election in the states, the whirlwind of popularity of his main contender, Ademola Adeleke, the now Executive Governor of the state, became too much to handle, thereby flooring Oyetola, who had hoped to use forceful victory at the poll to politically bury his boss, Rauf Aregbesola.
Immediately after the woeful performance of the APC in the election, many of the party faithful, particularly at the grassroots pointed accusing fingers at the defeated governor who many of them blamed for the loss through his high handedness and inability to galvanize needed supports for the party due to what they saw as very poor performance in office.
Things got to a head as many of the agitated gladiators were hounded dangerously with assailants, so brazenly that many of them merely escaped with their lives by the whiskers.
Former Speaker, Rt Hon Najeem Salaam, former SSG, Moshood Adeoti, former Commissioner Kolapo Alimi and former Deputy Speaker of the house of representatives, Hon Lasun Yusuf amongst several APC leaders nearly paid with their lives as gunmen often trailed their weekly meetings at the Oranmiyan House, belonging to their leader, Rauf Aregbesola.
The division in Osun APC took another dimensions on the 31st of August 2023, in a statement by Tajudeen Lawal, chairman of the party in Osun, said Moshood Adeoti an ally of Rauf Aregbesola, immediate former minister of interior and 25 other members were suspended by the All Progressive Congress (APC), accused of creating a faction of the APC in the state, The leadership of Osun APC also expelled 84 of its members.
Who really needs Atunto?
Without much ado, it is crystal clear that Osun APC needs Physical, Mental and Spiritual Atunto. Many political gladiators in Osun state, can testify to landmines on the path of the PDP, the ruling party in the state and how Governor Ademola Adeleke has succeeded in navigating the path expertly and leaving many in awe of his political and administrative prowess.
Dotun Babayemi, an expelled member of the PDP, who has found love in APC as of today is not a member of any registered political party, you will recall that the PDP in Osun State expelled Dotun Babayemi
Dotun Babayemi since September 29, 2022, after the Supreme Court judgment that ruled in favour of Ademola Adeleke as the party’s candidate in the gubernatorial primary election.
Reports has it that Dotun Babayemi is the leader of a new faction in the All Progressives Congress called (Atunto). He is calling for Political and Economic restructuring in the state when Babayemi is not even a member of any political party in the State since his expulsion from the PDP.
The formation of a group headed by Dotun Babayemi named ‘Atunto Osun’, which is aimed at repositioning Osun State Politically and Economically by Dotun Babayemi is hypocritical, he is only carrying out the bidding of his paymasters, he is a petty noisemaker and a failed politician, without any form of electoral value.
There is nothing to reposition in the state, the award winning Governor Ademola Adeleke is doing very well.
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