Osun 2026: Osun West traditional rulers call for zoning of governorship position to Osun West

Osun 2026: Osun West traditional rulers call for zoning of governorship position to Osun West 

Traditional rulers in Osun West senatorial district of Osun State have declared that the governorship position of should be zoned to the senatorial district come next year.

Rising from a meeting held in Iwo, the traditional rulers said the zoning of the governorship position becomes expedient in the interest of fairness, justice and equity.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the traditional rulers said "as Royal Fathers and custodians of our people's cultural values, we have the onerous duties to ensure mutual development of our communities and the growth and well-being of our numerous subjects.As Royal Fathers, we hold it as a duty to watch, guide, and call to attention when things seem to be going the wrong way. 

"Although in view of our position, we should be apolitical, that does not mean we should close our eyes to anomalies going on in the society, whether social, political, economical or cultural. This is because when chaos replaces peace, when disorder becomes the order of the day, no palace will be spared nor any crown sacred.

"We want peace. We want progress. We want even development of our communities based on mutual trust, justice, and fairplay. However, the activities of our politician-subjects and stakeholders in Osun State since the inception of our democratic governance in 1999 called for concerns from all and sundry. 

"The quest for political offices and allocation of public offices is, to say the least, unsatisfactory, unbalanced, and inimical to social justice and mutual trust. It baffles our imagination to think that in a state that we all call our own and the creation of which we all laboured for, a section of the state will see itself as more qualified for one office or the other.

"For clarity sake and without sounding immodest, the way Osun West Senatorial District is being marginalized in the scheme of things is becoming absurd and no longer acceptable. From the topmost position of governorship to the least in the ladder of appointment, Osun West has been and is being treated with disdain.Worrisome is the observation that some Federal appointments have also been reserved for Osun West, just as if there are no capable hands in Osun West to handle other more important and strategic offices in the governance of Osun State. 

"For instance, Osun West has occupied the position of Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, for three consecutive times from 2011 to date. This has to stop. Why can't we be Governor? We are the people bound together by culture, vision, and aspirations. 

"The well-being of every part of this state should be our collective agenda.From the experiences of the last 25 years of our democratic exercise so far, Osun West only has four years at the governorship position by the time the incumbent governor, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke finishes his tenure in 2026. 

"Osun Central and Osun East Senatorial districts have shared the remaining years unequally.Osun Central has occupied the governorship position for 15 and half years with the administrations of our referred father, Chief Adebisi Akande, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola. On the other hand, Osun East has taken the governorship pie for 8 years, as seen in the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. 

"It is only through the incumbent administration of Senator Ademola Adeleke that Osun West is having a chance to govern the state for the first time since 1999. For historical purpose, we should add that the first executive governor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, who is also from Osun West, was there for just 22 months .

"Our stand as royal fathers in quest of peace, equity, and stability is to implore all political parties in the state to shop for their governorship candidates from Osun West as another governorship election draws nearer. 

"We are blessed with capable, qualified, and mentally stable individuals across the 10 local government areas that make up Osun West that can successfully steer the ship of the state. Anything short of this is clear inconsideration, injustice, and marginalization of Osun West and its people.

"We have nothing against the incumbent governor. We do appreciate him and applaud his developmental strides so far. However, so as not to be seen as being biased and antagonistic, we implore every registered political party in the state to shop for their gubernatorial candidates from Osun West only.

"Having the Osun State Governor from Osun West Senatorial District in 2026 will give our Senatorial District a sense of belonging and encourage us to contribute our own quota to the development, growth and progress of our dear state.We have resolved that no Royal Father from Osun West will mobilize his subjects for any gubernatorial candidate picked outside Osun West. 

"This is not an empty decision. We mean what we say. Our people will be mobilized and sensitized towards achieving this noble goal.The argument that zoning is alien to democracy may not be incorrect; however in the Nigeria context, it is a measure to address the issue bordering on marginalization. 

"In fact, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a beneficiary of the zoning system. Nigeria is a developing nation, and our democracy is an emerging one. With time, we shall get to an advanced stage when leadership will be more concerned with entrenching the principles of justice, equity and fair play in the polity. 

"Then, Nigerians will no longer worry where their leader(s) come(s) from.Once again, we have nothing against any aspiring individual from another zone outside Osun West or any political party for that matter; neither do we have a preferred political party. Our only motives are justice, equity, peace and development of the state where no part will feel cheated or marginalized," the communique added.