Osun 2022: Davido vs Portable, Contest of Financial Supremacy, Street Popularity Kicks Off
- The much-talked-about Osun governorship election will be action-packed and intriguing in many ways
- The election is not just a contest for political power in the state, but a battle to prove a lot of points for other persons, including two very popular Nigerian musicians, Davido and Portable
- While Davido is in full support of his uncle, Ademola Adeleke of the PDP, Portable is backing Governor Gboyegba Oyetola, APC's candidate seeking re-election
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Osun - The Osun governorship election takes place this Saturday, July 15, 2022, principally between the incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Adeleke Ademola of the famous Adeleke's family. Adeleke is contesting under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
As the election kicks off today, political analysts believe that the contest is not only about who takes over the government but more of a show of financial supremacy and individual popularity of the gladiators.
Recently, there have been allegations and counter allegations of vote-buying.
Source: Twitter
Oyetola's financial strength
As the governor of the state of Osun, Oyetola is a force to reckon with when it comes to individual finances.
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The governor controls the state's funds and may choose to risk a huge amount in the pursuit of his political career. One of the advantages he has over Adeleke is the fact that he controls the state's resources.
Only a month ago, Oyetola released 1.1 billion Naira for the payment of pension arrears. This is coming only a few weeks before the election, and the opposition has tagged the gesture as vote-buying since the governor gave the approval about a month before the election.
Similarly, Diran Odeyemi, chairman, media and strategy committee of Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation, has accused the government of obtaining Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) details from state workers and retirees in order to engage in vote-buying. This he said was to happen before and during the election.
According to him:
“APC has just test-run its agenda to buy up votes. They have tested the outcomes of the act through the recently concluded Ekiti guber election. As was documented in Ekiti, Osun APC is plotting a more advanced vote-buying mechanism which has elements of pre-voting and on-the-spot purchase."
Tinubu's support
Tinubu's political popularity is overwhelmingly in the South West. There is no single state in the region where the man in charge does not have high regard for Bola Tinubu.
Besides his blood relationship with Oyetola, the APC presidential candidate is interested in his party winning Osun State as it did in Ekiti State.
The APC candidate and other bigwigs of the party, including the National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu believe that a victory in Osun State is a powerful message on the acceptability of the APC in the South West and a manifestation of what may likely happen in 2023.
Financially, the former Lagos state governor can change the direction of the election when it comes to such issues. In 2019 and on the eve of the presidential election, two bullion vans were allegedly caught on camera driving into his house.
A political analyst, John Achoda said:
"With such an influence, especially with the knowledge that Tinubu has so much money and he is supporting Oyetola, a sitting Governor, I will say that the battle will be so tough for Ademola Adeleke."
The financial strength of the Adelekes
But the Adelekes believe that it's fight to finish regardless of the powerful nature of their political rivals.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has recently accused PDP and Ademola Adeleke of planning to buy votes.
The Director-General, Oyetola Campaign Committee, Senator Ajibola Basiru, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to investigate the claims that Senator Ademola Adeleke, had openly declared to storm the state with hard currency. The APC believes that by that statement, Adeleke and the PDP intend to buy votes.
Legit.ng observes that Ademola Adeleke is not a push-over considering that he is from an influential family in the southwest. The Adeleke family, if they work together, has the financial capacity to challenge Tinubu when it comes to the highest bidder.
In 2018, it was a slim escape by Oyetola as the court only succeeded in using technicalities to declare Oyetola the winner of the exercise.
Ademola Adeleke had earlier won the election but was defeated in the rerun. This was despite the support Oyetola got from Tinubu and host of other bigwigs.
The matter was left for the court to give a proper interpretation, and Adeleke lost in the end.
Family support
Apart from Dele Adeleke who has since kicked against his cousin's return to the poll, the entire family is working in solidarity with Ademola Adeleke. The family's support to Ademola Adeleke appears like a big threat to Oyetola's ambition of retaining power in the state.
If it comes to the question of money, the family is financially strong to challenge Bola Tinubu and Oyetola. Besides that, the contestant is a former senator and billionaire himself, and Davido's father, Deji Adeleke is a multi-billionaire and a philanthropist.
Street credibility/popularity
There is an ongoing battle between the Oyetola's camp and the Adelekes on who controls the street.
David vs Portable
This has clearly manifested during the campaign ahead of today's poll. While superstar, Davido, Ademola Adeleke's cousin has relocated temporarily to his home state and has been on the street in last minutes campaign, APC, got the support of Zazuu crooner, Portable who has since joined the party's campaign train.
In most of the online videos, Davido and his crew had been seen with a massive crowd as the PDP campaign train moved from one place to another. Davido in one of the videos said, "It is fight to finish. Fire for fire."
Portable on the other hand had displayed his support for the APC and Oyetola when he almost stripped during the party's campaign.
In what appeared like a diss, Portable said he struggled to make his money as his father was not a rich man. He said Davido's parents made him rich, but that he (Portable)/made his parents rich.
As it stands, it is difficult to conclude where the pendulum will swing in today's election. Nigerians and Osun people may have to wait.
Supporter wey popular pass candidate: Reactions as Davido storms streets of Osun to campaign for his uncle
Davido was gearing up for the governorship election scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 16, 2022 in Osun state.
Adeleke is a major contender in the election as the flagbrearer of the PDP.
Davido had been in Osun to show his support for his dear uncle and canvass for votes for the PDP candidate.
Source: Legit.ng
Onyirioha Nnamdi Onyirioha Nnamdi is a graduate of Literature and English Language at the University of Lagos. He is a Politics/Current Affairs Editor who writes on news and political topics for Legit.ng. He brings into his reporting a wealth of experience in creative and analytical writing. Nnamdi has a major interest in local and global politics. He has a professional certificate from Reuters and was awarded the editor with the best listicle for 2021. Contact: 08062988054, o.nnamdi@corp.legit.ng
Adoyi Ali Ali Adoyi is a prolific writer and a graduate of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State. Adoyi holds a B.A Theatre and Communications Arts. He has bagged many awards both in academics and in journalism. Some of the awards are 10 years Journalism Merit Award, Best graduating student (Dept) Most Outstanding student (Faculty), and others. Adoyi can be reached here: adoyi.ali@corp.legit.ng
