As political parties and gladiators weigh options to secure victory during August 15 gubernatorial poll in Osun, realignment and scheming intensified over the weekend as the All Progressives Congress (APC), wooed former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola to back its standard bearer, Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO.

 

Findings by The Guardian indicate that though the move to get Oyinlola’s backing had been on for some time, the opposition redouble their lobby in the past few days in order to get his support ahead of the election.

 

Our correspondent reliably gathered that baring any unforseen contingency, Oyinlola, who is currently a leader of Allied People’s Movement (APM) may make his stand known today (Sunday).

 

Credible sources informed The Guardian that the ex-governor held a strategic meeting, with members of the National Union of Roads and Transport Workers (NURTW) and Okada riders at his house at Okuku, alongside the chairman of Odo Otin Local Government Area of the state, Adepoju Oladele Iko.

 

This is coming amid rumoured plan of Adeleke’s alleged discreet overture to the African Democratic Congress (ADC)-led by former governor of Osun State and immediate past Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

 

It is recalled that the alliance with Omoluabi Progressives, a splinter group led by Aregbesola contributed to Adeleke’s victory during 2022 governorship poll. The power struggle for the APC structure and the emergence of ex-Governor Gboyega Oyetola as the APC standard bearer during last gubernatorial poll in Osun led to Aregbesola’s expulsion the party.

 

Indication that Oyinlola may team up with the APC emerged on Thursday in Osogbo during the flag off of N216 billion Osogbo-Iwo-Ibadan road project by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by Oyetola.

 

Speaking during the ceremony, the lawmaker representing Osun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, on the platform of the APC, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, said “We will win this election because we have the support of the people.”

 

“The former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola is currently with us. Nothing will stop us from defeating Governor Ademola Adeleke next Saturday, “Fadahunsi revealed.

 

Confirming the moves to woo the ADC in order for Adeleke to win Saturday’s off cycle election in Osun, one of the Senior Special Assistants to the governor, who pleaded anonymity said “there is ongoing negotiation with the ADC and our camp. Before this week Wednesday, something would come up from the talks.”

 

While alleging that the plot to defeat his principal has thickened, he stated, “I think Rauf Aregbesola is tilting towards Adeleke. There’s possiblity for the discussion to sail through on or before Wednesday.

 

But a member of State Executive Committee of ADC in Osun, who did not want his name mentioned, denied any alliance or negotiation with the Accord or Adeleke.

 

Speaking during a telephone chat with

our correspondent, he said “we didn’t have any secret pact with Adeleke in 2022, we just took a collective decision on anything that would make Oyetola not to win the election and everybody followed his mind.”

 

He, however, said he had no authority to decide if Adeleke approach ADC for alliance before the election, saying “that is a supposition I cannot deal with, it has to be done by the top hierarchy of the party.

 

“We are going into this election to win because we are confident that we have the people behind us. After our mega rally in Ile-Ife, they were spreading false narrative that our candidate, Najeem Salaam had stepped down just to confuse the people, “he posited.