The stage is set for a real showdown in Osogbo, the capital city of Osun State on Monday as the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) holds its primary election to decide who will fly the party’s flag in the bye-election to replace late Senator Isiaka Adeleke who represented Osun West Senatorial District at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly before his demise weeks ago.
For now, the two major ‘combatants’ are Senator Mudashiru Hussein, a former Senator and current member of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s cabinet and the junior brother of the last occupier of the seat, Mr Ademola Adeleke.
It is an open secret that Senator Hussein is being backed by the sitting governor and leader of APC in the state while others opposed to the governor’s stance are with Mr Ademola.
The social media has been awash with different kinds of pro and anti Aregbesola slogans and stories making the Monday primaries to look like another potential ‘war’, albeit, intra-party war.
Early on Sunday, the screening committee set up by the national leadership of APC announced the disqualification of Mudashiru Hussein, from the bye-election of the federal constituency fixed for July, 8.
The 5-man panel, led by the incumbent Speaker of the Zamfara House of Assembly, Hon. Sanusi Rikiji, said that Hussein, a senator and presently a commissioner in the state was disqualified based on his failure to tender his registration letter as a serving commissioner within 30 days before the bye election.
Meanwhile, the Committee successfully screened the younger brother to the late lawmaker, Mr. Ademola Adeleke, and so declared that he would be contesting unopposed at the party’s primary election to be held on Monday 12th June, 2017 in Osogbo.
In a letter given to the chairman of the party in the state, Prince Gboyega Famoodun, Rikiji maintained that Hussein who was said to be the preferred candidate of Governor Rauf Aregbesola to replace late Isiaka Adeleke at the senate was disqualified for running foul of the electoral act.
Rikiji, however, advised Hussein to approach the 3-man appeal panel set up to treat every complaint that cropped up in the process.
Not happy about this development, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Dr. Ajibola Bashiru, argued that there is an interpretation of the appeal court with regards to the tenet of public service, as being envisaged by the electoral act.
He noted that the panel failed to also set a clear cut rule of engagement for its operation before commencing its work.
Husein, on his part disclosed that he has resigned his appointment as the commissioner since June 6, saying he has fulfilled all requirements of law to contest.
In his response, the chairman of the panel asked any aggrieved party to consult the Appeal Committee of the party to lodge complaints.
However, late on Sunday evening, Husein’s supporters announced that the appeal panel had given him the go ahead to contest.
Barrister Ajibola and others took to their social media platforms to celebrate this development. They went ahead to declare that Hussein would emerge victorious.
Packaged by Bunmi Oladejo with additional reports from Olayinka Agboola
