IN continuation of examining the frontline candidates in the Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, the ICIR, therefore, presents three of the five top candidates. The other two can be found here.

Moshood Adeoti (Action Democratic Party)

Until July 24 this year, Adeoti was the Secretary to the Osun State Government, but he resigned, dumped the APC, and declared his intention to contest for his former boss’ position.

Born on February 27, 1953, Adeoti graduated from the University of Benin in 1984 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

He was a member of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), as well as the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Adeoti began his political career from the grassroots, gradually climbing up the ladder of political office till he got to the top.

He was elected a local government councilor in 1988, a local government supervisor in 1991, Iwo local government chairman in 1999, State Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy, and pioneer chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria.

Adeoti was appointed SSG during Aregbesola’s first term in 2010 and he was retained in 2014. In the political circle in Osun State, Adeoti is referred to as the ‘grassroots man’, but whether the nickname would translate into votes on September 22, is yet to be seen.

Fatai Akinnade Akinbade (African Democratic Congress)

Like Adeoti, Akinbade was a former Secretary to the Osun State Government during the administration of Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

The 63-year-old prince was trained as a civil engineer at the Polytechnic of Ibadan, before obtaining a post-graduate degree in the same discipline at the Federal University of Technology, Akure.

Before starting his own construction firm, Akinbade worked briefly at Adold Engineering Company in Opebi, Lagos, and at another firm called Feel Nigerian Limited, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Before becoming SSG, Akinbade had worked as Commissioner for Works, Land and Physical Planning in April 1994 during the military administration of Anthony Odofia. He was retained in that office by the two military governors that succeeded Odofia, namely: Anthony Obi and Theophilus Bamgbose.

Akinbade was also a former Chairman of the Osun State PDP, and was a governorship aspirant on the party’s platform in 2011; the election did not hold eventually following the Court of Appeal’s annulment of Oyinlola’s electoral victory in November 2010. Four years later, Akinbade contested the governorship candidate on the platform of Labour Party but lost to Aregbesola.  Now he is running as a member of the ADC, it is difficult to say whether he would have better luck.

Gboyega Oyetola (All Progressives Congress)

Born on September 29, 1954, Gboyega Oyetola has a Bachelors’ degree in insurance and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, all from the University of Lagos (UNILAG). He did his National Youth Service in Potiskum, Yobe state, before starting his career as an assistant manager with Leadway Assurance Company.

Oyetola also worked at Crusader Insurance and at Corporate Alliance Insurance. In 1991, he founded his own company, Silvertrust Insurance Brokers, and ran it successfully, until his foray into politics.

He was one of the founding members of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, in 1998 preparatory to the transition from military to civilian rule. He later moved to the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), becoming one of the party’s chieftains in Osun State. He was also one of those who played an important role during the 2014 merger that gave birth to the APC.

Oyetola was the Chief of Staff to the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, throughout his tenure. He only resigned recently when he decided to run for the governorship election.

Aregbesola, during a recent visit to the Ooni of Ife, described Oyetola as “a man of impeccable character and worthwhile personality who remains dogged and forthright to all policies that had impacted positively the lives of the citizens”.

Another interesting fact about Oyetola is his reported biological relationship with former Lagos State Governor and APC Chieftain, Bola Tinubu. Both men are believed to be cousins, but this factor could count for or against the APC candidate in the polls on September 22.

Many had criticised Oyetola’s emergence as the APC candidate, describing it as Tinubu imposing his cousin on the people. Others say Oyetola’s relationship with Tinubu would rub off positively on the State. However, whatever the case, Oyetola remains one of the candidates to beat in the coming election.