What Happened To Iyiola Omisore?

By Chuks Ekpeneru

Former Deputy-Governor of Osun State, Otunba Oyiola Omisore may still have to wait for the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to fulfil promises made to him in the countdown to the September 2018 governorship election rerun in the state.

Omisore carried the ticket of the Social Democratic Party, SDP into the election, which had Ademola Adeleke as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Gboyega Oyetola of APC.

At the end of the first round of the election, Omisore came third in the governorship election, without a chance of being elected governor after the supplementary poll.

Adeleke of the PDP scored 254,698 votes to beat his APC rival, Gboyega Oyetola, who polled 254, 345 votes.

INEC declared the governorship election inconclusive saying the margin between the two leading parties, PDP and APC, was less than the number of cancelled votes (3,498) in the seven polling units.

With the election declared inconclusive, Omisore, who hails from Ife Central local government and polled 128,049 votes to occupy the third place was seen as the deciding factor for the rerun.

To win him to their side, the APC sent top leaders of the party to Osun State.

PDP leaders including Atiku Abubakar and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki also visited to solicit support for Adeleke.

However, Nigerians believe that the ruling APC might have dangled carrot and stick before the Osun prince, which made him cave in.

Omisore had an outstanding case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegation that he collected N1.3 billion from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki prior to the 2015 General Election, when he was still with the PDP.

EFCC said the money was used to rig  Ekiti State gubernatorial election in 2014.

PDP faithful in and outside the state were disappointed when Omisore ditched the PDP for the APC making Femi Fani-Kayode, also from Osun to describe Omisore support for the APC as shameful.

“Iyiola Omisore’s decision to support the APC in tomorrow’s rerun is shameful. It is sad that he would seek to deny Ile-Ife the position of Dep. Gov simply for money,” Fani-Kayode tweeted.

 However, Omisore denied he was offered money, saying he gave his support to the APC to have a coalition government which will birth development in the state.

Some other observers believe that he used his support for Oyetola to wriggle out of his graft case with the EFCC.

However, they were said to be some other political concessions.

This was aptly captured by the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole who said after the deal was struck “We agreed that he would have an opportunity for him to contest for a seat on the APC platform. Not just for Senate or House of Representatives, but also for house of assembly. That is why I said we spoke about the immediate, which is the Osun election and going forward.

It was also rumoured that some of the local governments in Ife would be “given” to him.

Almost two years on, Omisore remains in the SDP with no trace or traction in the APC government. He has also been unusually quiet.

Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG