The plan to repeal the law on the parliamentary system of government at the local government level in Osun State has further exposed the rift between the state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, and his predecessor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola
The plan to reverse the parliamentary system of government at the local government level in Osun State appears to have further widened the gulf between the camps of the state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, and his predecessor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
From all indications, Osun plans to have its local government elections towards the end of the year or latest by January, 2021.
Uncertainty, however, still hangs on the form the poll will take, because the body language of the governor and unfavourable disposition of his core men to the continued use of the parliamentary system is already being viewed as a precursor to imminent amendment to laws to pave way for the return of the presidential system.
Should that eventually happen, Oyetola would have erased another landmark legacy that his predecessor and current minister of interior left in the state.
The present leadership in 30 local government areas and 39 local council development areas and administrative offices would have served out their tenure by January 27, 2021, having been elected on same day in year 2018.
Preparatory to the election, Oyetola recently inaugurated the State Independent Electoral Commission with a mandate to conduct a poll that would be acceptable to all parties.
Although the day for the poll has not been fixed, the uncertainty surrounding the form the election would take is worsening the already bad relationship between the camp of Oyetola and that of his predecessor, The PUNCH has learnt.
Before the 2018 local government election, Aregbesola introduced parliamentary system of government at the local government level through the State of Osun Local Government Areas Creation and Administration Law.
Under the arrangement, elections are held only to fill the post of councillors, while the elected lawmakers are the ones that will elect the chairmen.
While Aregbesola’s men felt that parliamentary system of government at the local government level should be sustained being one of the legacies bequeathed to the state by the ex-governor, loyalists of the incumbent have not hidden their displeasure for the parliamentary system and have not hidden their desire to have it changed.
They are of the opinion that operating council areas with the parliamentary system, apart from being an odd style, since Osun is the only state that adopted it, it has also led to instability following spate of suspension of chairmen by the parliamentarians, over trivial matters.
But the fact that the incumbent governor was in the cabinet that brought the parliamentary system where he held the post of chief of staff to the governor, has remained a major source of concern for many non-align members of the ruling party.
This particular group of members that neither belongs to Aregbesola or Oyetola caucus in Osun APC, findings have shown, harbour fear that is predicated on the fact that people of the state will see reversal of another Aregbesola’s policy as indication that the party is divided.
However, keen followers of political events in the state, are already insinuating that it is only a matter of time before the parliamentary system of government will go the way of school merger and single school uniform and some others policies introduced by the Aregbesola’s administration, but reversed by a cabinet led by his successor.
