After over 72 hours of consistent pressure from political bridegrooms, the Social Democratic Party, (SDP) candidate in the rerun election may have caved in.
Strong indications emerged this morning that Omisore may have opted to support Gboyega Oyetola, the All Progressives Congress, (APC) candidate in the rerun election slated for Thursday, September 27.
With the new development ,the APC chances may have moved from probability to reality of clinching the victory cup tomorrow. The source said Omisore has been offered to nominate two members of the House of Representatives from his team and also the position of Minister of State was equally offered to him or anyone from his team. Omisore is from Ife Center.
He is not going to win the overall election meaning that the best he can offer is to align with one of the main contenders.
The election will be contested in Orolu, Oshogbo, Ife North and Ife South. The areas are familiar territories for all the parties. The SDP polled 2043 in Orulu against the PDP’s 7776 and APC’s 5442. In Oshogbo, APC polled 23, 379, the PDP 14499, while SDP polled 10188. In Ife South, the APC maintained its lead with 6527, PDP 5486, the SDP 5181. In Ife North, PDP polled 5486, APC 6527 and SDP 5158.
The above presents Omisore as a necessary ally that the two parties seek with a mix of anxiety and desperation.
Newdawn was informed of the meeting that held between selected leaders of the APC including but not limited to the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, his Oyo State counterpart, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the Ekiti State Governor elect, Dr Kayode Fayemi and a retinue of the party’s leaders from the North.
A snapshot was taken after the hours-long meeting with an excited Oshiomhole holding Omisore’s hands flashes of smiles by others.
Earlier, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) leaders led by Senator Olusola Saraki hed met with Omisore in his Ile-Ife home.
In a statement released on Wednesday , Omisore said “Osun state has always been a stellar example of democracy where the people have consistently and freely expressed their franchise to determine who governs them. This should remain so. Osun people have shown that it is not business as usual. It is a positive deviation from what was hitherto the norm.
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I am telling my people that they should go with any political party that believes in what we in the SDP stand for; good governance, social justice and accountability. I have already detailed how we planned to restore Osun to the path of good governance through the five thematic pillars in the manifesto I shared during the electioneering. I will not negotiate for personal gains and abandon my people.
“My alliance is with the people of Osun state irrespective of the political party they belong. I want my people to be treated with the dignity they deserve. I desire that they have a government that will be accountable to them. I want them to experience the good governance the founding fathers of this state envisaged. I have told the parties that have solicited for my support to approach the electorates and ask for their mandate as I have assured them that I will not coerce them for political or social power. It is because I have kept my promise that has made me enjoyed their unalloyed support all these years.
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He said further “Their voices of demand for good governance, accountability and human dignity should continue to be heard as well as salaries paid. All these are what I stand for and which the SDP had promised the people all through our electioneering campaigns. They are still paramount to me as we collectively chart the way forward for the governorship elections rerun in Osun state.” Senator Omisore assured his followers and admirers that he will not abandon his campaign promises even as he engaged all stakeholders on the way forward to ensure the progress of Osun state is achieved. But observers have interpreted his statement to mean either of three things: He is yet to make up his mind; he has made up his mind and choses to take a covert decision and thirdly which appears to be the most likely situation: He has adopted the APC after consultation with the APC leaders. The last consideration has been strengthened by the fact that Omisore who was in PDP until recently, and known for his scathing criticisms of the APC leadership was conspiratorially silent on any misgiving about APC in his statement.
