With voting and counting concluded in Osun State primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday, Governor Gboyega Oyetola has sent a clear message to his predecessor and Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola: a new Sheriff is in town.

Though Aregbesola was not on the ballot, but the primary election was a test of might between him and Oyetola.

Two of Aregbesola’s allies were out to unseat the governor – Alhaji Moshood Adeoti who served him as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuf.

The minister anointed Adeoti and toured the state with him, telling party members why Oyetola should not be re-elected.

But on Saturday, APC members helped Governor Oyetola to humiliate Aregbesola. In the primaries, 235,550 party members cast their votes. Of this figure, 222,169 voted for Oyetola while Aregbesola/Adeoti secured 12,921 votes. Yusuf got 460 votes across the 30 local government areas.

The Star provides an insight into how Governor Oyetola humiliated Aregbesola and his candidate across the 30 LGAs.

The battle for the state capital, Osogbo, between the main gladiators was expected to be tough. But at the end of ballot counting, Governor Oyetola triumphed.

Of the 15 wards in Osogbo LGA, Oyetola won all. Not only that, the governor proved to Aregbesola that he is in charge. On Saturday, 23,711 voters were accredited for the primaries. Out of this figure, the governor polled 22,265 votes while Aregbesola’s anointed candidate, Adeoti, secured a paltry 655 votes. Yusuf got 170 votes.

At Boripe LGA, the governor showed no mercy to Aregbesola. This is the local government of Governor Oyetola. The minister was totally humiliated at the primaries. With 15,531 accredited voters, Oyetola inflicted heavy injuries on the minister’s anointed candidate. While Oyetola polled 15,039 votes, Adeoti got five votes and no vote for Yusuf in Boripe LGA.

The tsunami also swept the home base of Aregbesola. The minister failed to deliver the two local governments in his hometown of Ilesha. In Ilesha East LGA, it was a major loss as Governor Oyetola secured 4,857 votes against Adeoti’s 483 while Yusuf got one vote.

In Ilesha West LGA, the governor got 3,877 against Aregbesola’s candidate, Adeoti, who polled 446 votes. Yusuf had no vote.

While Aregbesola failed to deliver his local governments to Adeoti, his preferred candidate also failed to win in his Iwo LGA. The governor polled 9,432 votes against Adeoti’s 2,543 while Yusuf got one vote.

Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf, could not pull any surprise in his Irepodun LGA. Yusuf got 214 votes in the LG. The governor humiliated him and Aregbesola here. Oyetola secured 7,928 votes of the 8,874 accredited voters while the minister’s choice got 732 votes

In Atakunmosa East LGA, elections were held in 10 wards. After the counting of the ballot, Governor Oyetola polled 2,637 votes out of the accredited 2,917 voters while Aregbesola’s candidate got 165 votes. Yusuf got two votes.

In Atakunmosa West LGA with 11 wards, the governor got 4,695 votes from the 5,055 accredited voters. The minister could not help his candidate who secured 305 votes while Yusuf got seven votes.

At Ayedaade LGA, it was still humiliation galore as Oyetola secured 3,615 votes against Adeoti’s 540. Yusuf got nothing.

Aregbesola’s candidate, Adeoti, did not fare better in Ayedire LGA as Oyetola maintained his lead. The governor got 3,274 against Adeoti’s 279 while Yusuf got three votes.

At Boluwaduro LGA, the result Oyetola polled 6,399 votes. The minister could not help his candidate who got 62 votes while Yusuf got nil.

The defeat of Aregbesola was not different in both local governments in Ede. At Ede North LGA, the governor trounced Aregbesola’s candidate by landslide. While Oyetola secured 7,117 votes from the 7,430 accredited voters, Adeoti got 311 votes and Yusuf had two votes.

The same situation played out in Ede South LGA where of the 3,525 accredited voters, 2,664 voted for the governor while 628 pitched their tent with Aregbesola’s choice. Yusuf got no vote.

The governor also won in Egbedore LGA with 5,500 votes against Adeoti’s 420 while Yusuf had no vote.

It was landslide victory in Ejigbo LGA. Former Speaker Najeem Salam, an associate of Aregbesola failed to deliver his local government to Adeoti. Oyetola polled 8,007 votes against Adeoti’s 360 while Yusuf got no vote.

The Star learnt that Salam did not work with Aregbesola because of how he was treated by the minister. Our source said a shadow election was conducted by the minister’s group where Salam got 50 votes, Adeoti 20 and Yusuf 10. Instead of picking Salam to confront the governor, Adeoti was sponsored by the group.

The beating was not different in Ile-Ife where former Deputy Governor, Senator Iyiola Omisore, held sway.

In Ife Central LGA, Oyetola got 10,843 votes against Adeoti’s 344 while Yusuf got one vote. Also, in Ife East LGA, the governor secured 12,030 votes against Adeoti’s 326 while Yusuf had none.

In Ife North, the governor polled 3,377 votes against Adeoti’s 242 and Yusuf’s 5. It is the same humiliation for the minister in Ife South LGA where Oyetola got 8,268 votes against a paltry 43 for Adeoti and none for Yusuf.

Aregbesola’s ego was also subdued in Ifedayo LGA, where Oyetola got 4,214 votes against Adeoti’s 141 and Yusuf’s nothing.

It was the same story in Ifelodun LGA where Aregbesola could only garnered 631 votes for Adeoti against Oyetola’s 11,873. Yusuf did fairly with 27 votes.

The minister could not penetrate Ila LGA, the base of Chief Bisi Akande. Governor Oyetola secured 8,834 votes while Adeoti got 47 and Yusuf zero.

In Irewole LGA, Oyetola secured 7,560 votes against Adeoti’s 537 and nothing for Yusuf.

It was not different in Isokan LGA where the governor got 6,468 votes against Adeoti’s 279 and Yusuf 13.

In Obokun LGA, the governor got 5,245 votes against Adeoti’s 527 while Yusuf had two votes.

In Odo-Otin LGA, Oyetola polled 7,735 votes, Adeoti had 384 and Yusuf had no vote.

In Ola-Oluwa LGA, the governor got 3,771 votes, 363 for Adeoti and none for Yusuf.

The governor continued with the winning in Olorunda LGA. He defeated Aregbesola’s choice with his 7,103 votes against Adeoti’s 555 and one vote for Yusuf.

In Ori-Ade LGA, the governor polled 10,935 votes against Adeoti’s 438 and Yusuf 11 votes. It was the same story in Orolu LGA where the governor secured 6,652 votes against Adeoti’s 130 and none for Yusuf.

TheStar