Why I’m optimistic of Oyetola’s victory at Supreme Court – Abubakre

Former Vice Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin and former federal commissioner, Prof. Razaq Abubakre, has expressed optimism about the possibility of Gboyega Oyetola, the former governor of Osun State, reclaiming his mandate at the Supreme Court.

Prof. Abubakre, who hails from Iwo, Osun State, stated that those making threats to cause trouble if the APC wins at the Supreme Court are making empty threats.

“As for the promise of fire and brimstone by the PDP should APC win at the Supreme Court, it is an empty threat.

“This is because the security apparatus is part of the paraphernalia of the office of a chief executive, which will cease to be effective for the use of the PDP with its reputation of violence. Peace will return to the state once again by the grace of God the Almighty,” Abubakre said in a recent interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

According to Abubakre, the violent posture of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) remained a hallmark of the PDP, especially in Osun State.

He alleged that many lives were lost in the struggle for Rauf Aregbesola to become governor in Osun State. Abubakre also stated that the state normally knows peace only when progressives are in power.

“They kill their members even while conducting their primaries. They killed many members of APC and forced many to abandon their abodes which enabled the PDP and the unscrupulous umpire and security allies to write whatever they chose. Still, cast-iron records show that irregularities characterised the Osun governorship election,” Abubakre alleged.

He further alleged that the intimidation of the Supreme Court by the spokespersons of PDP was not dissimilar to what Mr Ahmed Datti did, which prompted the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka to condemn some of the Labour Party members.

Abubakre emphasized that good governance is not impression management and neither is it corruption in the guise of delivering substandard infrastructural projects at inflated costs.

Abubakre stressed that the performance of Governor Ademola Adeleke is incomparable to the governance credentials of Oyetola, who is a silent performer.

He noted that Oyetola demonstrated commendable probity and genuinely delivered critical infrastructural projects that will stand the test of time.

Abubakre said that former governor is still popular in Osun and is the favourite of the people.

“The popularity of APC and the former governor Gboyega Oyetola was tested twice in the just concluded Ramadan. The first of the events was held in Iwo, the headquarters of Osun West Senatorial District. It was a Ramadan lecture and prayers for the successful inauguration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President of Nigeria and the victory of Oyetola at the Supreme Court. This, we organised from our own free volition and financial contribution without any funding from outside Iwoland. It was a mammoth crowd of devotees. May Allah accept the prayers,” he said.

Abubakre, a former Federal Commissioner for the Public Complaints Commission for Osun State between 2012 and 2018, and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ilorin from 2001 to 2003, concluded that Oyetola’s victory at the Supreme Court is certain and that the people of Osun State will experience peace once again.