OSUN 2018: THE BARREN POTENT BY IBRAHEEM ALI
Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola
The stage is set for the trading of personality for the coveted seat of the number one citizen of the Land of Virtue. The jostling is gathering momentum at every drop of the night and day.
The space is competitive, such that, even beggars want to ride. The approaching toughest moment will tell whose eyes blink at last.
One of the foremost sources of our revered constitution is convention. But regrettably, we respect the constitution and trying to disregard the convention.
We have forgetting in haste that one of the very solid sources of the constitution is convention. Convention forms higher section of our working constitution.
Practically in Nigeria politics, the convention of rotating elective political positions is respected and treated despite its constitutional loopholes.
Convention was one of the favouring factors that procreated Osun State that many are jostling to govern today.
The State was carved out of the old Oyo State in 1991 with nine virile federal constituencies, three senatorial districts and 30 local governments. The current administrator of the state, Iyangan of Yorubaland, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola recently added some Local Council Development Areas (LCDA).
The barren potent is one of the very few central actors that established, promulgated and promoted the agitation for the creation of Osun out of the old Oyo State.
The political acumen (politicians) of the headquarters of Osun West Senatorial District (Iwo) prior to the carving out positioned the city as the bastion of Progressives governance in the western region as acknowledged by many political analysts.
Regrettably, the people of this city have been bus conductors since creation of Osun State. In the recent time, barren potent is known for minute taking, handling pen to the preference of the driver. A political attachment is having her as her party and government secretary.
Despite our influential role to the emergence of every government since creation in 1991, barren potent political actors are stylishly placed to playing second fiddle. The time to lead is ripe. It is now. Neither negotiation nor persuasion will lure us. We are mentally and physically prepared.
Some selected party chairmen have written and signed an epistle, copied some political stakeholders to pay the political debt of Iwo. It is now!
Many opinion groups have also launched their intention that the barren potent agenda is non-negotiable. We are due for it in consideration of every working variable.
One of the leading socio-elite bodies in the struggle to midwife a baby of the barren potent is Iwo Action Council (IWAC). They have sent a powerful signal to the leading political parties in Osun State to respect the convention or risk failure in the September test of popularity.
Above are the characteristics of Iwo Federal Constituency comprising of Iwo, Ayedire and Ola-Oluwa Local Governments area of Osun State.
Attached below is a strongly worded special appeal/notification of warning letter written by Iwo Action Council and addressed to the major existing political parties in Osun State.
The warning letter reads thus:
SPECIAL APPEAL FOR ZONING OF GUBERNATORIAL TICKET OF YOUR PARTY TO IWOLAND
From the community people of Iwoland, a liberal, peaceful, democracy-embracing and politically conscious community under the umbrella of Iwo Action Council, we the under signed, convey to you a message of appeal to your political party to willingly and gladly cede the gubernatorial ticket to our community in the forth coming Gubernatorial Election in September 2018 in Osun State.
This appeal and its eventual consideration is very necessary for the sake of fairness, equity and justice. One of the good things that we observed in your party is that its leadership detests injustice and unfair treatment. It is on this note that we built our hope that your party shall consider this appeal.
Sir, it shall gladden our heart to kindly peruse the table below which shows the high level of marginalization on the filling of elective posts starting from 1979 to this present political period.
Federal constituency – Governor – Deputy Governor – State House of Assembly – National Assembly – Principal Posts Ministerial
IWO
(Iwo, Ayedire & Ola-Oluwa) – – – –
–
Ede
Ede North, Ejigbo, Egbedore and Ede South Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke – Hon. Bello Adejare Speaker – Remi Babalola
Ila
Ila, Ifedayo & Boluwatife Chief Bisi Akande Senator Adeyeye (Chief Whip)
Osogbo
Osogbo, Olorunda, Irepodun & Orolu
________ Mrs. Titi Laoye Tomori Hon. Lasun Yusuf
(Deputy Speaker, House of Rep.)
Ikirun
Ifelodun, Boripe & Odo-otun Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola Chief S.M Afolabi Hon. Wale Afolabi
Speaker –
Irewole Zone
Irewole, Ayedade & Isokan
________
________ – Hon. Patricia Foluke Etteh
Speaker House of Representatives Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi
Alh. Jelili Adesiyan
Obokun / Oriade Chief Bola Ige Erelu Olusola Obada – Erelu Olusola Obada
Ilesa
Ilesa west, Ilesa north, Afakumosa west & Afakumosa east Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Chief Adesuyi Haastrup – Chief Ebenezer Babatope
Prof. Isaac Adewole
Ile-Ife
Ife North, Ife south, Ife East & Ife west Sir Adesoji Aderemi Senator Iyiola Omisore Prince Sooko Adewoyin – Femi Fanikayode
Dr. Wale Oladipo
Having gone through the table, we believe that you will feel concerned on this gross marginalization in spite of Iwoland’s huge contribution and investment in the promotion of democracy in this country and its rich political base which made it to have always been pronounced as the second home by most of politicians who are not indigenes of Iwo.
We wish to confidently inform you that there are eminently qualified and competent Iwoland indigenes, who are active members of your party that can fly the flag of your political party in the forthcoming gubernatorial.
While anticipating your positive response to this appeal, we want to inform you that our community and its people remain resolute in continually giving an unflinching support to your party in achieving its objective of becoming victorious in this coming and many other elections coming ahead in Osun State in particular, and Nigeria in general.
Thanks, accept the assurance of our warmest regards
