“BY any standard, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola is one of Nigeria’s most dedicated leaders since the return to democracy in 1999.When a comprehensive history of Osun State will be written, Aregbesola will be portrayed as a man of vision who achieved enormously”. Quoted in Nowinta’s book, 2014: OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA(In the Footsteps of Obafemi Awolowo, page 50)
Just as the entire nation was eagerly waiting for the historic inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari, as the fifth Executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a Supreme Court judgment was unanimously given in favour of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on May 26th 2015,as the duly democratically elected Governor of the State of Osun
This recent victory coming the way of Ogbeni Aregbesola is symbolic in many dimensions. Firstly, it came at a period when the wind of change was ferociously blowing across the Nigerian nation, signaling the end of an era of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP),in which much was done to milk our Commonwealth to death.
Secondly, the victory cemented the fact that never again will politicians same who failed to rig their way to power through the ballot box will get into office by influences judges.
Thirdly, with President Muhammadu Buhari in the saddle it is hoped that a revolution of some sort will creep into every facet of our national life making it impossible for unprincipled politicians to resort to widespread impunity, such that dotted the PDP reign for 16 years.
Fourthly, person in the like of Senator Iyiola Omisore who have been circulating and parading terrible and negative credentials in the political system have been taught a bitter lesson never to bother to try their luck in the political arena if they know they are not popular and sincere
Now, here is a Senator Omisore who was heavily flogged and humiliated during the Osun state Governorship election by the dazzling political exploits and uncommon achievements of Ogbeni Aregbesola,(who has been able to demonstrate what it means to distribute dividend of democracy to the electorate in the state of Osun)
Yet the same Omisore still went ahead to the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Oshogbo and the Federal Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, where he was further disgraced, before he stupidly approached the Supreme Court.
Like a drunken sailor living in a self imposed dream fairy land, It is absolutely sad that Omisore has simply wasted the precious time of the Judiciary in his sheer pursuit of power. Here is what Justice Centus Nweze of the Supreme Court, while delivering the lead judgment noted: “In the absence of credible evidence by the appellant to prove that there was substantial non- compliance and gross infraction to the Electoral Act, his allegations could be said to be merely speculative and hypothetical.”
This is the cross of the matter. Must Nigerian politicians rush to the law court every time they fail to win elections, even in the face of their obvious rejection and unpopularity by the electorate?
Sentiments aside, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is a workaholic, incredibly disciplined personality and infinitely passionate about taking the people of the State of Osun to the next level of accelerated development.
How could an Omisore have succeeded in edging out such pragmatic and profusely focused leader of the forgotten majority in Osun State? I have written adequately about Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, before the August 9th Governorship Election in Osun State, after the election and when Iyiola Omisore began his wild goose chase in the Judiciary
And putting the facts on the ground here, I said Omisore will never triumph over Aregbesola on this matter of election; and I have been clearly vindicated
As I congratulate Ogbeni Aregbesola in his recent well deserved final triumph over Senator Iyiola Omisore I equally doff my hat for President Muhammadu Buhari for his successful earth shaking inauguration in Abuja on May 29th 2015.
I want to quickly advise President Buhari to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Committee that will ask all looters of our collective patrimony to return what they have misappropriated or stolen, and there after draw a line against further stealing of public funds. We desperately need these looted funds to help fix our education, labour, power, and oil sectors, among others.
Never before has our nation been left in an excruciating bad shape by the rampaging misrule of PDP for sixteen precious years.
Nowinta wrote, OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA (In The Footsteps of Obafemi Awolowo)
Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola
