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The people of Osun State did not only celebrate the victory of
their newly sworn in governor, Rauf Aregbesola, in addition, there was
declaration by many individuals to decamp into the new governor’s party, the
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Dramatically, the Technical School playground, Osogbo, where the
swearing-in event took place last Saturday was not only visited by the party
faithful but also loyalists to the former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

The chairman of the ACN, who is an indigene of Iwo, Moshood
Adeoti, said the “era of deceit is gone in the state. Oyinlola is gone and as
you can see, we don’t have to start telling you the strength of our popularity
around here. Even our enemies are here to celebrate with us. We are ready for
them if they so wish to repent and meanwhile, this is a government of the
people and not just a military painted green and white,”

Supporters trooped in from all parts of the state and converged
in the state capital, holding brooms. All roads were blocked and the venue of
the swearing-in filled to its brim. Even children were not left out in the
broom holding ritual.

Apart from the words of promises and position of Mr. Aregbesola
on Mr Oyinlola’s tenure in the state, many individuals and groups who had
besieged the venue, told NEXT their expectations from the new government.

An official of the state’s farmers association, Bode Omoloye
accused the former governor of hijacking the cassava plantation fund that was
provided to the state by the federal government for use on his own private
farms. Mr Oyinlola was accused, alongside his deputy, Erelu Obada of diverting
the entire state agricultural machineries into their private farms, “He must
go, there is nothing to do about that. The buildings that Awolowo built for us
at the farm settlements were taken away from us and no one has compensated us for
that,” he said.

Olasunkanmi Adebayo, the chairman of the farm settlers, said the
former governor had the opportunity to perform miracles in the state, but “he
has done his own part and we are waiting on the new governor to turn things
around for good in the state.”

The swearing-in of the new Governor by the state Chief Judge,
Olaniyi Ojo, was held amidst huge funfair. Mr. Aregbesola received the
imprimatur of office in the company of his wife, Sherifat Aregbesola and the
Deputy Governor, Titilayo Laoye-Tomori.

Celebrating what he described as the new beginning for the
state, the party’s leader and a former governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu
said: “the charge,

‘never give up’ is a spirit we must all seriously embrace from
now on and across the length and breadth of Nigeria. For us in the Action
Congress of Nigeria, it has become a cardinal aspect of our party culture.
…And this is why I must congratulate our great party, ably led by Bisi
Akande, who incidentally is the last progressive governor of this state. I
celebrate with you the beginning of a new era after seven and half years of an
era of locust, during which the clock of progress restored in 1999 by our own
indefatigable Akande was set backwards by the People Destructive Party of Nigeria
(PDP).”

The new governor, in his speech, promised to provide 20,000 jobs
within his first 100 days in office,adding that within the first 150 days, he
will turn Osogbo into a commercial hub, where goods would be sold for the same
price they are sold in Lagos.

Inglorious exit

At exactly 1:50PM last Friday, power changed hands in the state
and jubilation spread across the state while some of the former governor’s
associates and friends left the state in disgrace. Vehicles bearing some top
government functionaries were seen making ways out of the state government
house, all in a move to prepare for what seems like an inglorious exit.

Several, including Mr. Oyinlola, were not only openly mocked,
they were booed and some stoned in a desperate revelation that shows the
people’s feelings about their performance while in power.

Police officers stationed at the government secretariat arrested a
photographer who claimed to be working for a journalist. They said some
documents linked to the governor’s office were found on him, but they declined
to tell NEXT what the documents were.