The Osun State Governorship election has come and gone, but the dust raised by the outcome is yet to settle. In the aftermath, several fingers have been pointed in the different directions, with some party members and observers attempting to place the bulk of the blame on the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and the former Governor of Osun State, His Excellency, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.
Such accusations, however failed to take into proper consideration the broader realities of the election, the enormous role played by Oyetola in sustaining the APC in Osun state and the sacrifices he has continued to make for the growth and stability of the party.
Whatever the shortcomings of the election may have been, it’s unfair and politically shortsighted to portray Oyetola as the reason for the party’s challenges. Rather, the former Governor remains one of the strongest pillars upon which the APC in Osun State has survived and continued to stand.
At the critical moments, Oyetola has provided leadership, structure and direction for the party. His political influence, capacity and commitment to party unity have helped to keep the APC together through difficult periods, even after office as Governor and taking up national responsibility as Minister, he has remained deeply committed to the progress of the state and wellbeing of the party and it’s members.
The Osun State APC members must first realised that, elections are not won or lost by one individual, it’s a product of several factors, campaign strategy, party cohesion, grassroots mobilisation and so on, can Oyetola do all these alone? Therefore, reducing the party’s performance to the actions of one man is not only unfair, it’s a way of telling the world that you are yet to learn your lesson and ignore the deeper lessons that we must be learn.
As a leader of the party in the state, Oyetola has been the stabilising factor. He has consistently provided a rallying point for members across different tendencies, his calm disposition and commitment to collective progress have earned him the respect beyond Osun state. It was Oyetola leadership that brought opposition big wigs to the party, including Omisore, Baba Shuaibu Oyedokun, Prince Dotun Babayemi and Ogunbiyi, to mention but a few. It’s unfair to blame him for inability of these great politician’s failure to deliver their territories to the party.
While I don’t want to speak with both sides of the mouth, by exonorate Oyetola and blame any other person, we must learn to move forward and learn from the failure of the party. The Osun APC don’t need to destroy it’s strongest political asset through blame and bitterness, what the party needs is honest reflection, reconciliation and a renewed commitment to grassroots politics. The time has come for members to close ranks, identify the mistakes of the past and build a stronger and more united platform for the future.
Gboyega Oyetola should therefore be supported and not scapegoated, his experience as a former Governor and his deep understanding of Osun politics remain valuable assets to the future of APC. A party seeking to rebuild cannot afford to discard leaders who have demonstrated capacity, loyalty and resilience.
The post-election period should be an opportunity for sober reflection rather than a season of blame, we must look beyond personality and focus on strengthening the structure of the party.
History will judge leaders not only by victories they celebrate but also by how they respond to setback. Oyetola has remained a committed leader whose contributions to the survival and growth of the APC in Osun cannot be erased by the outcome of a single election.
The task ahead is to learn, reconcile and rebuild and in that process, the experience, influence and leadership of Gboyega Oyetola will remain indelible. Rather than pulling him down the APC must rally around him and other committed leaders to build a stronger and more united party.
By standing together, learning from the past and supporting a tested leader like Oyetola, the APC will rise stronger and reclaim it’s political momentum in Osun State.
Source: Facebook
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