Issues that May Influence Outcome of Osun Guber Election

Four years after the coalition of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains helped Governor Ademola Adeleke secure his position, that same coalition is disintegrating as the polling day approaches. Former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, ex-Secretary to the Osun State Government Fatai Akinbade, and other party stalwarts have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This defection has not only weakened the governor’s political support but also provided the opposition with a strategy reminiscent of the one that led to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola's victory in 2014. Governor Adeleke is a man with two wives, each assigned an office within the administration. Initially, they faced challenges attending state functions and reportedly engaged in disputes at official events.

However, Yeye Dupe Sani, the governor’s elder sister, mediated to resolve the matter. The wives of the governor have recently mobilized voters, participating in door-to-door campaigns. However, their efforts were hampered by the loss of key PDP members to the APC. The APC has welcomed former PDP members, including Oyinlola, Akinbade, Oladipo, and Akinlabi, who pledged to support the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, during an endorsement ceremony.

These defections have created challenges for the incumbent, and the political landscape now bears a resemblance to the scenario that favored Aregbesola's victory in 2014.