– disagree on zoning, policies
– Find killers of Bola Ige, Dokubo, Funso Williams, others, Omisore tasks FG
There were fireworks on Sunday in Osogbo at the Osun State governorship debate organised by Channels Television as leading candidates disagreed on several issues and defended their plans for the people if elected.
Although five candidates out of 48 cleared for the September 22 election were invited for the debate, only four showed up to woo the electorate.
Those invited were: Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Fatai Akinbade of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Moshood Adeoti of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Adeleke however did not show up for the debate, while Mr Oyetola came late to the two-hour event.
The candidates answered questions bordering on the economy, education, healthcare, and their personal competences to govern the state.
While Omisore and Oyetola were at loggerheads over the status of Osun’s finances and economy, the other two candidates merely offered opinions.
Oyetola demonstrated much calm and exhibited a good knowledge of the governance issues in the state, but Omisore was much adversarial, throwing several jabs at the current government and the APC in a bid to score useful political points.
He however brought his experience as deputy governor and senator to bear, showing a deep understanding of state finances.
It was Omisore’s submission that the state government was very “reckless” and lacked “fiscal discipline.”
He argued that the attitude of the Rauf Aregbesola administration, under which Mr Oyetola served, towards financial administration plunged the state into its present economic and financial problems.
Oyetola disagreed, arguing that the state government was not reckless, but made a prudent management of its results. He blamed the recession on the shortfall in the revenues allocated to it from the federation allocation.
Both candidates were also at daggers drawn on the figures of the debt profile of the state. The SDP candidate said the Aregbesola government ran on deficits and borrowings through out its fiscal years, plunging the state in huge debts. Mr Oyetola responded by justifying the borrowings, arguing that the funds were judiciously used.
Another area of contention between the two leading candidates was the Opon Imo (tablet of knowledge) made available to students in the state. Omisore submitted that the policy was a fraud and did not exist.
He also said the few distributed were not working. The APC candidate did not allow it to go without a rebuttal. Oyetola said since Omisore said they were not working, this was admittance they existed, adding that the policy was to expose students to the use of technology in education.
The four candidates were largely divided on the zoning of the governorship position which had dominated the politics of the state.
While the APC and the SDP candidates said the idea of zoning was bad and did not exist, Akinbade and Adeoti argued for it. They said it was the turn of Osun West Senatorial district to produce the next governor.
“I think it all borders on equity. When this state was created, I think everybody was very hopeful that everything will be equitably distributed. But for the central (Senatorial District) to have already spent 20 years and the east – already eight years is running out,” argued Akinbade.
“Everybody believes that it should come to our senatorial district (west). It is not that we do not have the materials; we have very qualified people and we believe we deserve to have a shot.”
Adeoti boosted that position when he said, “It is an open secret that since 1999, when this republic came into being, west senatorial district has been deprived of governing this state. In 1999, Chief Bisi Akande was there; he governed the state for four years.
“We, in the Alliance for Democracy then had it in mind that Chief Akande to go for the second term but man proposes and God disposes. Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola won the election in 2003 and he was there for four years… We believe that after 11 and a half years for central and eight years for the east senatorial district, it is the turn – that is what people are clamouring for – of the west senatorial district.”
But Oyetola said he was not usually given to the controversy of zoning, noting that the history of the state did not support the idea.
“If you look at the historical perspective of the state, there is no time zoning has ever been adopted. Even when the state was part of Oyo State, we had a situation where Chief Bola Ige was the governor, Chief Afolabi was the deputy and Chief Bisi Akande was the secretary (SSG).
“Progressives usually go for the best anywhere it is found. In any case, it is important for all the zones to participate actively in the choice of who rules the state. If the best comes from west or east or central, so be it. If Nigerians could be mayors in advanced countries, let the brilliant people in the west (senatorial district) come out.”
For Omisore, the idea is “myopic, lazy and mediocre”.
“When Osun State came into being; the first governor of Osun State came from the west, second and third from the central, fourth one from the east. That zoning formula has concluded. Whoever becomes governor now, starts the new zoning… I believe that zoning is only myopic, lazy and mediocre.”
The candidates, except that of the APC knocked the educational policies of the outgoing government, as they promised to review some. Such include mega schools and single uniforms for students. Mr Oyetola said he would do a review based only on popular demand,
The candidates also used the forum to clarify concerns on their personal integrity.
Oyetola was asked about his being imposed on his party, but he said he was not imposed but worked to be elected by party members.
Akinbade also had to clear his acclaimed indebtedness to banks.
“Owing banks should add to my credit, because you cannot do the kind of project I did without bank loans. Anyone who does that should have helped himself with government funds,” he said.
Adeoti explained his recent attacks on the policies of the Aregbesola government having served as the immediate past secretary to the state government and had been part of the decisions of the government. He explained that all the policies of the Aregbesola administration were not bad, but “some of them were bad because there were issues at the implementation stages”.
Omisore was tasked about his ‘role’ in the 2001 assassination of Bola Ige. He explained: “Iyiola Omisore went through a serious court trial for two and half years; me and my colleagues. We were discharged and acquitted by the court of law.
“The Oyo State Government was asked to pay N2 billion as damages. We are at the appeal court now. So that issue has been closed. I believe that it shouldn’t be an issue that occurs every four years during campaigns. After elections now, they won’t ask that question anymore. It should be an issue that has been laid to rest.
“I pray the federal government will look and search for the killers of Bola Ige and others like Dokubo, Funso Williams…”
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