Consequent
upon the disagreement between the two leaders, investigation by THISDAY
revealed that Osoba’s group, comprising three senators and nine members
of the House of Representatives, had concluded plans to defect to
Social Democratic Party (SDP) after the Osun State governorship
election.
Likewise,
a group of political actors from different political parties in the
state including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP)
among others, had secretly created a body named ‘Amosun Must Go’ (AMG)
due to what they allegedly ascribed to the governor’s high-handedness.
But
the letter, which Amosun personally authored and dated January 23, 2011,
also revealed that the incumbent governor had long been plotting to
undermine Osoba’s influence in the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
before the party finally fused into All Progressives Congress (APC).
The
letter, which was titled: ‘Ogun State ACN Candidates and Electoral
Fortunes in April 2011 general election,’ expressed Amosun’s disapproval
of the candidates that contested various legislative elections.
But
the candidates who contested the legislative elections were said to have
emerged and their names already sent to the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) before Amosun formally defected to the
defunct ACN late 2010.
In
the nine-page letter, Amosun disagreed with the process of picking the
party’s candidates, claiming that he should be given opportunity to make
some input being the party’s governorship candidate. He argued in the
letter that the process of picking candidates “should be based more on
electoral value and acceptability of aspirants as it is only through
such process that can lead to emergence of candidates that enjoy the
confidence and support of the broad segment of party’s members.”
Amosun
further expressed concerns that the process of selecting candidates for
three senatorial and nine House of Representatives slots were shrouded
in so much secrecy that he had to depend on information picked bits and
pieces from different sources within and outside the party.
He
noted: “Unlike the House of Assembly candidates, whose election held the
same day with his election, we cannot afford to be indifferent to the
National Assembly candidates, who are the lighthouse to the general
elections.”
But a
source in the Osoba group said the party leaders did not approve
Amosun’s suggestion to reverse the candidacy of Senator Gbenga Obadara
(Ogun Central), Sen. Gbenga Kaka (Ogun East) and Senator Akin Odunsi
among others because the candidates had emerged before Amosun’s formal
defection. The source added that Amosun only agreed to the candidacy of
Hon. Olumide Osoba, who is the biological son of the former governor,
among the candidates that emerged for the House of Representatives.
The
source explained that Amosun had been working “to undermine the
influence of Osoba in the defunct ACN immediately after he defected to
the party, perhaps because he worked with his immediate predecessor, Mr.
Gbenga Daniel, against the former governor in the 2003 governorship
elections.”
The
source said Amosun had no reason “to fight Osoba because his position as
the state governor is not threatened. He came from the All Nigeria
Peoples Party (ANPP), used our structure and party platforms. Amosun is
simply fighting unnecessary battle, which may affect APC in the State.
“Amosun
now plans to replace Obadara with Mr. Lanre Tejuosho who came with him
from the ANPP, Senator Gbenga Kaka with the Managing Director of
Independent Communications Network Limited (Publishers of The News
Magazine and P.M. News), Mr. Bayo Onanuga and Senator Akin Odunsi with
Senator Iyabo Anisulowo.
“In
2011, Amosun promoted Mr. Lekan Abiola, a son of the winner of June 12,
1993, presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, on the platform of ANPP
against Osoba’s son. He should be asked why he is not friendly with
three senators and nine members of the House of Representatives from the
state.”
The
source, therefore, blamed the APC national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu,
for the crisis between Osoba and Amosun, noting that Tinubu had been
supporting him against the popular interests in the state.
Of
the nine House of Assembly slots ceded to him in 2011, the source said
Amosun won four while those in the camp of Osoba won all their slots,
thereby wondering why Amosun should complain about electoral value of
the candidates that emerged from the group of former governor.
The
source debunked Amosun’s claims that he spent N7 billion on his
election, noting that the governor only contributed N70 million to the
then ACN out of the N350 million he promised to contribute.
Source: This Day
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