The Osun State All Progressives Congress faction backed by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, was on Wednesday hopeful that the Federal High Court in Abuja would disqualify the state Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, as the APC governorship candidate in Saturday’s election.
The Chairman of the faction, The Osun Progressives, Mr Lowo Adebiyi, who disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Osogbo, however, said Aregbesola’s faction would vote for the APC on Saturday.
At the state APC governorship primary in February, Aregbesola’s faction supported Moshood Adeoti, who was the Secretary to the State Government when the minister was the governor of the state.
After Oyetola was declared winner of the primary, Adeoti headed for the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he is challenging the governor’s eligibility to contest the primary, while still serving as a member of the National Caretaker Committee of the party.
The court is expected to give its judgment on the suit on Thursday (today). Adebiyi, in the interview with The PUNCH expressed hope that Adeoti would win the case on Thursday.
He said, “We have a court judgment coming up tomorrow (Thursday) by the grace of God and we are going to win that case for Alhaji Moshood Adeoti to represent the APC (at the governorship poll). We are going to vote for APC on Saturday. We are in the party.”
Asked if the group has been canvassing votes, Adebiyi said, “We are doing our best but we are not mobilised. The governor’s side refuses to mobilise us, but we have told our people to vote for APC.
“The APC will win by the grace of God and the support of the people. We are all concerned. We cannot be in the APC and vote for another party.”
But when contacted, the Media Adviser to the Osun State APC Chairman, Kola Olabisi, said there was no merit in the case instituted against Oyetola by Aregbesola’s faction.
He said, “Ideally no one is expected to comment on any issue before the court of law. We know that there is nothing in that case that will merit Adeoti and his people to be celebrating. We expect the court to say that Adeoti and his people have no case.
“So, the truth will prevail tomorrow and we are confident that Oyetola will carry the day”
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, and the governorship candidate of the party for Osun State, Mr Lasun Yusuff, on Wednesday berated the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over his comment at his party’s rally on Tuesday.
Tinubu at the grand rally for the re-election of Oyetola on Tuesday, said, “They said some are in Labour (Party). They will remain labourers till death.”
Obi, who was in Osogb to support Yusuff at the governorship rally organised by the party, while addressing the LP members, advised them that such a comment should be returned with love.