The race for 2023 has been shown to be a very tumultuous one as two major political parties in the South-West geo-political zone, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been painstakingly conducting their primaries which have been ridden with a lot of controversies and confusion for various elective positions ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The South West zone is made up of six States in the present federal system of government. The six states predominantly dominated by Yoruba speakers are Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Lagos, Ondo and Ekiti.
Africa Daily News, New York has reported that candidates that will fly the gubernatorial flags of the two major political parties in three of the States where gubernatorial election would be held next year have emerged, though with some internal crisis.
The three States where gubernatorial election would be held in 2023 are Oyo, Ogun and Lagos. Other States such Osun and Ekiti will have their elections in the next few weeks, while the Ondo election will be held in 2024.
Similarly, candidates for the various Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate have emerged, with some constituencies characterized by internal wrangling.
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It has also been gathered that while some candidates emerged through consensual arrangement, others emerged through indirect primaries, although most of the primaries were heavily monetised. There were also alleged cases of imposition and intimidation of aspirants in some of the constituencies.
Political Standings In Lagos
While consensus arrangement and indirect primaries were used to pick candidates of both PDP and APC in Oyo and Osun, Lagos State was different because all the candidates that emerged in PDP and APC in Lagos State emerged through primaries.
The incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu emerged as APC candidate during the recertify held primary, although, the other two who would have contested with him – Wale Oluwo and Olorunfemi Mustapha, were not cleared, so Sanwo-Olu won unopposed at the poll.
Other candidates of APC who emerged at the Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries were people who are loyal to the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The PDP gubernatorial primary produced Mr. Jide Adediran, a former student leader who is championing Lagos for Lagos campaign. It was gathered that the Senatorial primaries of APC has produced Tokunbo Abiru, the current occupant of the seat (Lagos East) Dr. Idiat Adebule, a former deputy governor (Lagos West) and Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni, incumbent deputy speaker, Lagos Assembly for (Lagos Central).
The PDP senatorial primaries had also produced Segun Adewale (Lagos West), Nicholas Akobada (Lagos East) and Adewale Gomez (Lagos Central).
Political Standings In Oyo
In Oyo State where the PDP is the ruling party, Governor Seyi Makinde was re-elected as the PDP candidate ahead of 2023. Makinde scored a total of 1,040 votes out of 1,048 accredited votes to defeat his only challenger, a former Deputy Governor, Alhaji Azeem Gbolarumi.
It was gathered that all the candidates that emerged for other positions are people loyal to the governor. The three PDP senatorial candidates emerged at the poll through a consensual arrangement. They are Engineer Joseph Tegbe (Oyo South) Bisi Ilaka (Oyo Central) and Akinwale Akinwole (Oyo North).
Though the party claimed that the primaries were free and fair, some of the aspirants, among whom is Dr. Kazeem Adesina Olasupo, an aspirant for Ibadan North East/ Ibadan South East federal constituency has, however, threatened to sue the party over alleged imposition of candidates.
The 32 PDP candidates in the State House of Assembly constituencies have also emerged. Those who are in the camp of the governor had their way.
The APC, which is the major opposition political party in the State, has also held its gubernatorial, Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries, though it was not as smooth as the ones held by the ruling party, PDP.
The dust raised as a result of what played out during the primaries has not yet settled.
The gubernatorial primary of APC in Oyo State produced Senator Teslim Folarin, who is currently representing Oyo Central district.
Folarin defeated five other aspirants to emerge as the winner during the primary election held on Friday, 27 May 2022 at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado, Ibadan.
Folarin defeated other aspirants among whom are Adebayo Adelabu Akeem Agbaje, Hakeem Alao, Azeez Adeduntan and Adeniyi Akintola.
Political Standings In Osun
The governorship election in Osun State is to be held in July this year.
What happened in the two major political parties in Oyo is not different from what is happening in the neighbouring Osun.
The primary elections of PDP in Osun was a little bit rancour-free compared to that of the APC.
While the list of the PDP House of Representatives candidates in the 9 federal constituencies has emerged, that of the APC has not been released due to the crisis between the Governor Gboyega Oyetola faction and that of his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola who is the Minister of Interior.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that the fierce battle between the two political figures was responsible for the factionalization of APC into two groups, the Ileri Oluwa and The Osun Progressives (TOP). The Ileri Oluwa is loyal to Oyetola, while TOP is loyal to Aregbesola.
The primary elections of APC in the three senatorial districts and some federal constituencies have since produced winners, though there are still accusations and counter accusations in some constituencies.
In Osun central, Dr. Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru has emerged as the winner, while Israel Ajibola Famurewa has emerged in Osun East, but no winner has been announced in Osun West due to the controversies within the two major camps in the State.
Political Standings In Ondo State:
The senatorial primaries in the three districts in Ondo State produced Adegbonmire Adeniyi, who emerged as the APC senatorial candidate in Ondo Central. Adeniyi, a lawyer, defeated the immediate past Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Tayo Alasoadura. Alasoadura polled 88 votes at the APC primary held at International Event and Cultural Centre, Akure, while Adeniyi scored 144 votes. Alasoadura walked out of the primary venue immediately sorting of votes began.
Also, Jimoh Ibrahim, secured the APC ticket in Ondo South Senatorial District.
Political Standings In Ogun
The ruling APC has conducted its gubernatorial primary where the incumbent governor, Dapo Abiodun won the ticket.
The PDP on the other hand held parallel primaries in Ogun State where Ladi Adebutu and Segun Showumi emerged. The two politicians who emerged at separate primaries are claiming the ticket.
The APC senatorial district primaries in Ogun State produced Gbenga Daniel – Ogun East, Shuaib Salisu – Ogun Central and Olanilekan Adeola – Ogun West Similarly, the PDP senatorial district primaries produced Olumide Aderinokun for Ogun central, Professor David Bamgbose for Ogun West but the winner of Ogun East primary has not been announced.
Political Standings In Ekiti
The APC senatorial primaries in Ekiti State produced the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele for Ekiti Ekiti Central. Bamidele was unopposed.
Cyril Fasuyi defeated the incumbent Senator, Olubunmi Adetumbi to emerge as the APC Senatorial candidate in Ekiti North, while Yemi Adaramodu emerged in Ekiti South.
