Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
A group of traditional rulers and chiefs in Osun State, on Tuesday, declared their support for Gboyega Oyetola, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Explaining the rationale behind the support, the monarchs, who spoke under the aegis of Boripe Traditional Council, while addressing press men yesterday in Iragbiji, the Boripe Local Government Secretariat, stressed that Oyetola, who is current Chief of Staff to Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the state, is not only the most qualified candidate among other candidates gunning for the position, but that he has the political acumen to rule the state.
They added that with his rich political background in governance, being a big role player in the outgoing administration as well as a philanthropist, Oyetola would be able to bring democratic ethos to bear if he becomes the governor.
They added that having serviced in the present administration, he is in the better position to continue the legacies that Aregbesola had set with a view to inspiring more development in the state.
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Among the key monarchs who declared the support on behalf of their counterparts and traditional chiefs were the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Rasheed Olabomi, the Alaagba of Aagba, Oba Rufus Ogunwole, the Olona of Ada, Oba Abimbola Abioye and Olororuwo of Ororuwo, Oba Qamarudeen Adeyanju.
Oba Olabomi, who spoke on behalf of the monarchs, called on the people of the state to discountenance the ongoing insinuations that Oyetola is a ‘Lagosian,’ insisting that he is a grassroots politician that had been playing active roles in community development for some decades.
“We the obas in Boripe Traditional Council and our chiefs can affirm that Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola is our son and very responsible, Godfearing, and capable of occupying the position of governor of the state of Osun,” Olabomi said.
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“We affirm that Gboyega Oyetola is very intelligent, industrious, people friendly and full of capacity to serve respectful and virtuous (omoluabi) people of the state” he added.
“We know that he is a financial expert and shrewd administrator who is the best to continue the developmental work which Governor Aregbesola has been doing in the state,” Olabomi stressed.
The monarchs also expressed confidence in the APC candidate as having the welfare of the civil servants in mind to make life meaningful to them by addressing the salary challenges in the state.
They also appealed to the aggrieved people in the party who expressed reservations with the direct primary election that produced Oyetola as the flag bearer “to forgive all their perceived enemies in the interest of our state.”
“We should place the interest of the state above other consideraions,” Olabomi said.
He, however, called on the people of the state to jettison violence, remain peaceful and demonstrate the Omoluabi spirit that Osun is known for before, during and after the September poll.