OSUN 2018: 17 Major Contenders

Kayode Oduoye: 48

Dr Kayode Oduoye a Christian and a major contender in the Osun governorship race and he enjoys massive support of the members of the party and the stakeholders. He contested for the House of Representatives in the last election and performed excellently though the election was won by the APC. Oduoye is loved by youths in the state. The Ikirun-born politician is one of the major financials of PDP in Osun and he has assisted many people in the state. Dr Oduoye said he was determined to serve the people of the state and he is sure of the support of the people. 

Gboyega Oyetola: 63

Gboyega Oyetola, is the Chief of Staff to the Governor is among the top contenders in the forthcoming governorship election in the state. The technocrat is a younger brother of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. He was in the private sector before the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola appointed him as Chief of Staff. He is very experienced finance and administration. In the last seven and a half years, he has been identified as a man that has the technical know-how to govern the state and many people said the body language of Governor Aregbesola suggested that he wants Oyetola to succeed him in accordance with the wish of Tinubu. He hails from Iragboji in Boripe Local Government area of the Osun Central Senatorial District. 

Moshood Adeoti: 65

Moshood Adeoti a Muslim and a contender for the governorship ticket of the APC. He hails from Iwo in Iwo Local Government area of the Osun West Senatorial District. He was the pioneer Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Osun and he is currently the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in the state. Adeoti is a pure grassroots politicians and he has the grip of the party since he was the chairman of the ACN in the state. Adeoti enjoys the supports of majority of local politicians. 

Tunde Eso: 40

Tunde Eso, a Christian and the most insightful and youngest contender among Osun State Governorship aspirants in the race seemed to be clamouring more for youth and women taking over of leadership to ensure new ideology that will elicit pragmatic development in Osun State and beyond, which according to him propelled him to coined a new system of government in 2013, called YOUTHOCRACY defined as government of the people, by the youth and for the people in his book titled Vision for Africa. He is loved by youths of the state and stakeholders. The Ilesa born youth is a grassroot politician, renowned journalist, youth mobiliser and a political scientist. Eso is a visionary who determined to become the fifth governor of Osun State with People's Democratic Party ticket.

Fatai Akinbade: 63

Fatai Akinbade a muslim was also a former Secretary to the State Government under the administration of the immediate past governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. He also hails from Osun West Senatorial District and he was also the former Chairman of the People Democratic Party. Akinbade is a grassroot politician and he has the experience in politics, administration and governance. However, Akinbade enjoys the support of grassroots politicians across the state and this manifested recently with the mammoth crowd that came out for him recently when he stormed the PDP secretariat to announce his intention top contest. 

Gbenga Owolabi: 63

Gbenga Owolabi a Christian, a business tycoon and technocrat who hails from ile-ife and Political observers said the Ooni of Ife, wants an Ife indigene to be the next governor of the state as Ife has not produced a governor since the creation of Osun from the old Oyo state 28 years ago. He is contesting on the platform of the PDP and is determined to run and win the election. In one of his previous interviews, Owolabi who is the Oluomo of Ile-Ife said he was certain that he would succeed Aregbesola.

Najeem Salaam:53

Dr Najeem Salaam a muslim and the current Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly and hails from Ejigbo in Ejigbo Local Government area of the Osun West Senatorial District. The 52-year-old politician has not openly disclosed his intention to run but his close associates in the APC confirmed that he would contest. 

Ademola Adeleke: 49

Senator Ademola Adeleke a muslim and the younger brother of the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke who died last year. When Senator Ademola Adeleke who is representing Osun West Senatorial District in the Senate announced his intention to contest in the governorship election, the political calculation in the state changed immediately as he was seen as a major threat to the APC. His landslide victory in the last bye election in which he defeated the candidate of the APC with wide margin remained a good selling point for the PDP.  

Lasun Yussuff: 58

Honourable Lasun Yussuff, a muslim and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, is also desirous of becoming the next governor of Osun State. His emergence a Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives in defiance to his party's directive pitched him against Governor Aregbesola and the party structure in the state and but has proved that he is a force to be reckoned with in the state.

Kunle Rasheed:49

Kunle Rasheed is a successful lawyer and he is one of the major contenders in the governorship race. Adegoke, who is popularly known as K-RAD, hails from Osogbo, the state capital. His posters have flooded all the nooks and crannies of the state while his campaign billboards are all over the places in Osogbo and all the major towns in the state. Political observers said the agitation by the people of Osogbo to produce a governor since the creation of the state and the voting strength of Osogbo are major factors that would aid the ambition of K-RAD. 

Basiru Ajibola: 46

Dr Basiru Ajibola who also hails from Osogbo is another contender. He is the current Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state. Popularly known as SRJ, Ajibola has not declared his interest publicly but there are sufficient indications pointing that he might contest in the governorship election. Ajibola could also bank on the voting strength of Osogbo and the desire of Osogbo people to produce the next governor. Though Ajibola would not talk on his governorship ambition at the moment, in one of his previous interviews, he said he is eminently qualified to be the next governor of the state and that he has all it takes to rule the state. Meanwhile, Ajibola seemed to be in control of the political structure of the APC in Osogbo and its environs and his closeness to the state governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, is also another strong factor in his favour while he also enjoys the support of the teeming youths in the state. 

Adejare Bello: 57

Adejare Bello, is the former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly and is also willing to contest for the governorship election in the state. Bello who hails from Ede was the Speaker of the state House of Assembly for eight years. He has worked with three governors in the state, including Chief Bisi Akande between 1999 and 2003, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola between 2003 and 2010. He worked briefly with Aregbesola when the governor got his mandate through the Appeal Court in November, 2010. 

Nathaniel Oke:-

Nathaniel Oke, a Christian and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is a very senior lawyer and is also willing to be the next governor of the state. Though he is not a typical politician, Oke seemed to be determined to rule Osun as he had contested before and has also declared his interest to contest again this.   

Deolu Durotoye: 48

Prof Deolu Durotoye, a Christian and Professor of Political Science and presently the Provost of College of Social and Management Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ekiti State is also one of the aspirants in the PDP. Durotoye also hails from Osogbo and his supporters are seriously clamouring for Osogbo to produce the next governor of the state. Durotoye said he decided to join the race to serve the people with his wealth of experience and deliver the real good governance in the state. 

Iyiola Omisore: 61

Senator Iyiola Omisore a Christian and was the deputy governor during the regime of Chief Bisi Akande as governor of Osun State. Omisore was the candidate of the PDP in the last governorship election in the state and was defeated by Governor Aregbesola in 2014. His desire to contest caused prolonged crisis in the PDP in Osun State. When it became clear that he would not get the PDP ticket, his supporters set the PDP flag ablaze and defected to the Social Democratic Part, (SDP). 

Ayoade Adewopo: 45

Ayoade Adewopo a Christian and another contender is the race. He is a lawyer and expert in anti-money laundering matters. Hails from Ile-Ife and Laoye of Ede(his mother was the first daughter of late Timi of Ede Oba John Laoye), "Ayombo", his campaign slogan, is gathering rave in the state. 

Lere Oyewumi: 58 

Akogun Lere Oyewumi a Christian and former federal legislator and chairman of Irewole Local Government, Akogun Oyewumi is said to be a down-to-heart politician and grassroot influencer. He was appointed director-general of Omisore/Bello campaign organisation in 2014, a duty he carried out to the satisfaction and admiration of all the party faithful.

Oyewumi, who holds a doctorate degree of the University of Ibadan, is credited with many laudable capital projects which were executed during his tenure as the Irewole council boss.