Osun 2018: Tinubu bounces back, cousin wins APC primary

The national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Friday, recorded relative recovery after Alhaji Gboyega Oyetolam Chief of Staff to the Governor of  Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, was declared winner of the APC governorship primary election in Oshogbo.

Oyetola, identified as a cousin of Asiwaju Tinubu, won the governorship primary election which held on Friday, July 20, 2018, with a total of 127, 017 votes to defeat his closest rival and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuf, who polled a total of 21,975, beside 16 other aspirants.

The Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam, was pushed to the third position with a total of 17, 958 votes.

The primary was conducted adopting direct voting system by party members in the 30 local council areas of the state.

Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government SSG Alhaji Moshood Adeoti and Senator Jide Omoworare had withdrawn from the race.

Announcing the final result Friday night at the APC State Secretariat, Osogbo, Chairman of the electoral panel and Zamfara State Governor, AbdulAzeez Yari, represented by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, declared that Oyetola has satisfied every requirement of the party’s constitution.

Senator Omo-Agege (Delta Central) urged other aspirants to support the winner, so as to win the forthcoming election in the state.

Oyetolam, winner of the primary election is an indigene of Iragbiji in Osun Central Senatorial District.

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has fixed the Osun Governorship election for Saturday, September 22, 2018.

 The wide celebration in Oshogbo and other parts of Osun State tend to signify that Tinubu, for once, has demystified the Abuja group that have taken over Ondo and Ekiti states, and are desperate to emasculate Tinubu’s leadership in the south west.