The trending talk both within and outside the political circles of Osun State is the growing call for the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, to return as Governor....TAP TO READ THE FULL CONTENT | TAP TO READ THE FULL CONTENT
Oyetola was denied a second term in office in 2022 by the incumbent Governor, Ademola Adeleke.
Adeleke, of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), benefited from the out-of-control in-fighting within Oyetola’s All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the keenly contested gubernatorial election.
The quarrel within the APC has worsened since then, with a splinter group from the party, known as Omoluabi Progressives and headed by Oyetola’s predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola, emerging as a “third force” in Osun State.
Adeleke
With stakeholders within the APC shopping for a formidable candidate to bolster the party’s chances, insiders say the call for Oyetola to return as Governor has become a campaign hinged on four major reasons:
“His perceived integrity, performance during his single term, grassroots engagement, and continuity,” according to those in the know.
Findings reveal that Oyetola is widely believed to have managed the finances of the state based strictly on necessary spending.
“He was very prudent; he didn’t entertain frivolous spending, and the politicians complained bitterly when he was in office, but this helped him to pay debts incurred by his predecessors. This trait is now being used as a campaign for his return as Governor,” says a source.
Checks also reveal that Oyetola’s four-year term witnessed developments, including infrastructural growth, improved healthcare services, and policies focused on workers’ welfare.
These achievements are labeled as a solid foundation for progress, with increasing calls for his return as a form of continuity to enable the full actualization of the benefits of his policies and projects.
Aregbesola
The claims are that a return to office would ensure the completion of ongoing initiatives disrupted after his exit, insiders say.
These combined assertions are driving the unceasing narratives about Oyetola’s likely return as Governor of Osun State in 2026, digs revealed.
Although he has not reacted to the growing campaign, there are those who express skepticism about the former Governor—who celebrated his 70th birthday on September 29, 2024—making a return as Governor of Osun State.
There are counter-claims that he is playing a more valuable role as one of the most trusted ministers of President Bola Tinubu at the national level.
And in the interest of the higher good, the President may prefer him operating close to the Presidency rather than as Governor of Osun State.
