Despite signs of party unrest and resistance, Gov Rauf Argebesola of Osun state is very confident his choice would emerge candidate of the All Progressives Congress , APC and the next governor of Osun state.
Aregbesola is backing his chief of staff Gboyega Oyetola to become the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
Oyetola is related to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Aregbesola once served as a commissioner under Tinubu when the latter was Governor of Lagos state.
And Tinubu is widely acknowledged as the main force behind Aregbesola becoming governor of Osun state.
Many believed after years of solid support from Bola Tinubu, Aregbesola is on the verge of a big payback to Tinubu by making his stepbrother his successor.
The idea to make Oyetola chief of staff is said to originate from Asiwaju.
However, feelers from Osun APC indicate that, there is strong opposition from party members against Gov Aregbesola’s plans to have his chief of staff succeed him in office. Party faithfuls are insisting on a free and fair primary election to determine the party candidate for the 2018 gubernatorial elections.
The opposition from with the Osun APC is said to have reached the point of threats of protests votes should the governor’s choice be forced on the party.
And the outgoing governor of Osun state insisted he is in control of the party.
Aregbesola reportedly told Asiwaju the party remains in his “pocket” and that Oyetola would not only clinch the APC ticket by winning the APC primaries, but that Oyetola would become the next governor.
“He told him the party remains in his pocket, that there is no cause for concern” a source stated…Aregbesola insisted that he remains in control of the party and the politics of the state” a source disclosed.
The Osun gubernatorial election comes up in September 2018.