Osun 2018: APC’s popularity soars ahead of Re-run Governorship Election, to win in Osogbo, partly in Ife

In their efforts of securing the needed victory for the tomorrow’s rerun governorship election, the two parties with the highest votes during the first ballot have sought strategic alliance with other parties and individuals in the last 72 hours.

Both the ruling and main opposition parties have sought assistance of the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Senator Iyiola Omisore who was in third position during last Saturday’s election. The two leading parties believe that their victory during rerun election is in the hands of Senator Omisore because the election will be held in Units where he has highest supporters than them and the possibility of further reducing their chances if his cooperation is not sought.

Local newspapers report that Senator Omisore's response to the two parties was the implementation of his programmes by any party that wants his cooperation. “I have given my programmes to both the APC and the PDP. My programme is like this; payment of salaries and pensions. Good governance is what is important to me. Anyone among the two that will do that will get my support. I am passionate about Osun State and my interest is the welfare of the people of this state.”

In order to further consolidate her chances tomorrow, the All Progressives Congress has equally pacified Alhaji Moshood Olalekan Adeoti, the former Secretary to the State Government and current governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party, and Honourable Lasun Yusuf, the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives. Alhaji Adeoti left the ruling party after the primary election that produced Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola as candidate. Alhaji Adeoti’s participation during the first ballot denied the ruling party the needed victory by 7.24% of the total votes cast.

“This to me is pure medicine after death. Why not make this move before Adeoti left? The leadership of All Progressives Congress should have placated him to remain in the party. Over 49,000 votes he garnered should have done the magic by now,” Femi Ogunshola, one of the people who reacted to the Adeoti’s return to APC said.

Meanwhile, Infoprations’ Analysis has shown that the ruling party is most likely to get the needed votes from the remaining Units in Osogbo and partly in Ile-Ife based on her popularity in the last 24 hours ahead of the election. Maximum votes are also likely to accrue to the ruling party in Orolu where Honourable Yusuf is expected to woo electorate for the party. Like the APC, there is possibility that the People’s Democratic Party will win some Units in Osogbo while there is no assurance of getting the required votes in Ile-Ife. Infoprations specifically found that people from Osogbo have sought knowledge about All Progressives Congress and the People’s Democratic Party within the same percentage (100%) while the ruling party is being popular in Ile-Ife by 81% than the PDP, having no percent threshold.

From the virtual election prediction perspective, being popular in a particular city or town during an election period is an indication that votes could be in favour of the party or its candidate, especially when people who sought for knowledge about the party got positive information or negative ones that increased their level of sympathy towards the party.