By Ehichioya Ezomon
Holding political office, whether elective or appointive, has become the shortest route to power, wealth and fame in Nigeria. That’s why politicians can do anything – legal and illegal – to secure the ticket or the means to get into office. Nothing – absolutely nothing – is spared in this endeavour, including committing the most heinous of crimes: murder.
Speculations abound that politicians use their children, siblings, parents, friends, associates or any unfortunate strangers for “sacrifice” to enhance their chances at elections or appointments, or become and retain power as “political godfathers” who majorly sponsor officeseekers.
You’re on your own trying to frustrate a politician’s efforts to get into office, as you could pay dearly for it via physical elimination by hired thugs, food or drink poisoning, or spiritual attack by mediums of varying faiths found in the nooks and cranies of Nigeria.
Politicians consult prophets, alfas, marabouts and babalawos to foretell their chances for political offices. And trust the sorcerers; they divinate whatever that’ll please their clients to part with millions of Naira, and a promise for more “rewards” if the predictions come true.
Recall allegations and reports in the early part of the Fourth Republic (which began in 1999) about politicians going or being taken to the (in)famous “Okijia Shrine” in Anambra State, to swear to oath of allegiance, to cede some “juicy portfolios” in the cabinet, and a percentage of internally-generated revenue by the government to their godfathers.
There’s a sensational report about a governor, who – due to mounting pressures over alleged financial impropriety, and on the reported divination of a prophet – burned N8m cash by a riverside, where he’s stark-naked and bathed with “spiritual soap” “to ward-off opposition to his position.
Repeated failed attempts at the poll don’t deter or dissuade politicians from holding on for years predictions for their success at elections – with their sorcerers continuing to renew their hopes and faith for a luckier next time. This partly accounts for politicians’ nomadic movements (defections) across several parties to get elected or retain their positions.
For the 2027 General Election, defections and realignments are daily occurrences, with dormant members and those who’ve long left or were expelled from political parties organising press conferences to contrive defections anew – all in attempts to position themselves for elective or appointive offices in the next election cycle.
Some politicians, who’ve contested for the same positions many times, still hold themselves out as “divinely anointed” and ready to throw, under the bus, any supporters and spokespersons who may suggest that they’re not “desperate” for the offices.
One of the opposition leaders angling for the presidential contest in 2027 did just that lately, declaring that one of his mouthpieces didn’t get his permission to claim that “he’s not desperate to be President,” and reaffirmed his determination to vie for the office.
In the circumstances, why would former Osun State Governor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Chief Adegboyega Oyetola, pass up the 2026 Osun governorship for other aspirants of All Progressives Congress (APC)? Well, for whatever reason for the decision, I salute his exemplary display of leadership, courage, and selflessness, which calls for emulation by the political class.
Elected governor in 2018 on the platform of the APC, succeeding Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2010-2018), who later served as Minister of Interior (2019-2023), Oyetola lost his re-election bid in 2022 to Mr Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Despite his cabinet appointment in 2023 in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the expectation was that, Oyetola – who’s the privilege of “right of first refusal” (ROFR) for the governorship – would stake for the position in 2026, to prove two points: His claim to’ve won the 2022 poll, which he contested up to the Supreme Court and lost; and his popularity with the Osun voters.
Observers of the high-stakes politics in Osun were already visualising an epic rematch between Oyetola and Adeleke, whose desire to switch camps to the APC was “thwarted” by vehement opposition and protests by APC chieftains, some for their own governorship aspiration, and others reportedly at the behest of Oyetola.
In particular, Oyetola’s expected to prove those points on two grounds. One, in light of claims by Adeleke that barring the setback from his attempts to decamp to APC, and the lingering crisis in the PDP, he remained (and remains) with Osun grassroots because of his “developmental strides” in the past three years in the saddle.
Two, the fact that Oyetola’s estranged “godfather” and predecessor, Aregbesola, who allegedly caused him re-election in 2022, is the Interim National Secretary of African Democratic Congress (ADC), which the Coalition of Opposition Politicians (COP) has adopted to fly its members’ flags in 2027.
What an opportunity for Oyetola to kill three birds at the same time with one stone: Stop Governor Adeleke’s re-election; defeat the governorship candidate of the ADC; and demystify Aregbesola’s touted political influence in Osun!
But on Friday, July 25, 2025, Oyetola surprised the entire Osun political stakeholders, declaring he won’t contest for the 2026 governorship, thus bringing reliefs to the camps of three main parties, the PDP, APC and ADC, and their governorship aspirants, among whom the candidates will emerge during a 21-day primary period from November 24 to December 15, 2025.
Giving a short-and-sharp reason for taking himself off the APC primary and the governorship poll, Oyetola, at a party stakeholder-meeting in Osogbo, the Osun capital city, said the APC has “enough qualified and competent people of outstanding track records” to aspire to the office, adding, “this is a unique selling proposition (for members) to feast on.”
Describing the APC as “strong and able” that won’t spare “any legitimate effort to unseat Governor Adeleke, and return to power,” Oyetola tasked the aspirants to “embrace peace, be each other’s keeper, and avoid a campaign of calumny, bitterness and politics of acrimony,” reports The Nation on July 27, 2025.
While praising the leadership and members for their continuous commitment to the growth and development of the APC since 2022 when he lost the governorship, and giving the assurance of his commitment to lead the party to victory in 2026; Oyetola urged massive mobilisation for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), describing the process as “a prerequisite for victory.”
Oyetola didn’t spare the opposition moves against Osun-born President Tinubu, saying the coalition poses no threat to APC. “It is crystal clear that the coalition is drifting to collapse,” he said, adding, “This has no iota of effect on us, particularly in Osun.”
He remarked snidely that, “We knew this since it is the same TOP that metamorphosed into Omoluabi (two political groups formed by Aregbesola) later ADC. We are resolute to come victorious in the future elections, and this is incontestable.”
Certainly, Oyetola’s dropping his governorship ambition, and his inspiring message to Osun APC members was sweet music to the aspirants at the parley who, notwithstanding their individual ambition, were united in opposition to Governor Adeleke’s desire to defect to APC.
Several of the aspirants at the Osogbo meeting – co-presided by the APC State Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, and Chairman of the Elders’ Caucus, Chief Sola Akinwumi – include the National Secretary of APC, Sen. Ajibola Basiru; and Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
Others are the Chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Sen. Jide Omoworare; Prince Dotun Babayemi; Dr Akin Ogunbiyi; Barrister Kunle Adegoke (SAN); Sen. Mudashiru Hussein; and Rafiu Durodoye, a United States-based Professor of Mathematics.
Also in attendance are APC State Secretary, Alhaji Kamorudeen Alao; Treasurer, Hon. Femi Kujembola; former Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole; Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Protocol, Ambassador Issah Niniola; and former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, Adejare Bello.
The rest are current and former members of the National Assembly and Osun State House of Assembly; local government chairmen and councillors; APC state and local government EXCOs; and stakeholders from state to the ward levels.
Even as Oyetola’s out of the governorship race, the Osun APC aspirants still have to contend with Governor Adeleke and Aregbesola, who, along with his COP/ADC members, has vowed to remove from power in 2027 his erstwhile political mentor and godfather, President Tinubu.
The aspirants have a dual responsibility ahead of them: Get the primary right and rally behind the chosen candidate to take over power from Adeleke in 2026; and reverse the 2023 defeat of Tinubu in Osun by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of then-PDP.
The first task is arduous, considering that Adeleke and the Osun PDP members have tactically adopted Tinubu as their preferred candidate for 2027, giving them the leverage to subtly use that pedestal for blackmail, to stave-off Adeleke’s defeat at the poll in 2026.
Ensuring a win for Tinubu is even trickier if Adeleke – win or lose re-election – wants to play the spoiler by reneging on the Osun PDP declaration of support for Tinubu, and swing votes – as it happened in 2023 – for the PDP or ADC candidate in 2027.
So, Chief Oyetola, the governorship aspirants, and the entire members of the APC in Osun State are in a double fix, from which to extricate themselves in 2026 and 2027, accordingly. Only a united front, as Oyetola’s solicited, will guarantee their expected victories!
*Mr Ezomon, journalist and media consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria. Can be reached on X, Threads, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp @EhichioyaEzomon. Tel: 08033078357.
