The Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate, Olalere Oyewumi, says Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, is in support of the ministerial nomination of his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola.
Oyewumi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Osun West Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly, made this known on Friday when Oyetola, an All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, appeared before the Senate for ministerial screening.
After Oyetola’s introductory comments on the floor of the Senate, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, yielded the floor to the lawmaker representing Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi. Fadahunsi, also a member of the PDP like Oyewumi, spoke highly of Oyetola, saying he is the best man for the job.
Oyewumi subsequently took to the floor, disclosing that himself and two other lawmakers in the Senate caucus from Osun met the incumbent governor on Thursday and he gave his support for Oyetola.
Oyewumi said, “In Osun State, the three of us representing Osun State in this hallowed chamber have met with the Executive Governor of Osun State yesterday (Thursday), Senator Ademola Adeleke and I’m speaking on his behalf, that we should give our total support for the nominee standing before you, Mr Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola, as the next minister from Osun State. We believe in him.
“Osun State is a state yearning for development and we believe this can come from anybody and he is one of our leaders…If all of us work together, Osun State will be better. So, I am speaking on his (Adeleke’s) behalf and on behalf of other two senators from Osun State that we have no objection to his (Oyetola’s) nomination and we believe that he is going to perform.”
Akpabio said the development where PDP Senators support an APC man is good for democracy and asked Oyetola to take a bow of the Senate.
Oyetola is one of the nine former governors that made President Bola Tinubu’s 48-man ministerial list.
Oyetola was governor of Osun between November 2018 and November 2022. The APC candidate sought re-election in July 16, 2022 governorship poll but was trounced by PDP’s Adeleke.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Adeleke the winner of the poll, saying he scored 403,371 votes to sack Oyetola who was the then incumbent with 375,027.
However, Oyetola and his party had alleged irregularities in the polls and challenged Adeleke’s victory at the Tribunal.
Respite came for the former governor on January 27, 2023 as Justice Tertse Kume who gave the majority judgement, upturned Adeleke’s victory and declared Oyetola the winner of the poll.
Justice Kume held that Oyetola scored the majority lawful votes of 314,931 against Adeleke’s 290,266.
But not satisfied with the judgement, Adeleke and the PDP headed to the Court of Appeal, which on March 24, 2023 nullified the Tribunal judgment and returned Adeleke as the winner.
Aggrieved with the Appeal Court’s verdict, Oyetola and the APC headed for the Supreme Court. On May 9, 2023, the apex court backed the Appeal Court’s ruling and upheld Adeleke’s victory.