Alhaja Fasilat Titilayo Adesina Oseni, the Senior Special Assistant on Grassroots Mobilisation to Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, has presented a nuanced analysis of Nigeria’s security crisis and previewed the political climate ahead of the state’s gubernatorial election.
Moving beyond conventional calls for heightened military action, Oseni argued that sustainable peace requires investigating the fundamental motives behind the violence.
She spoke during an interview with Adamimogo 105.1FM Ibadan.
“We should look more into why this is happening,” Oseni stated. “If it is political, if it is religious… If we know the roots, we will be able to have it sorted out at once.” She questioned the long-term efficacy of a purely tactical response, asking, “If we kill all these people, do we still believe that they are not still inside that bush trying to reorganize themselves?”
Her comments come on the heels of a growing sentiment among some government officials that a strategic, root-cause approach is needed to “nip insecurity in the bud” at both federal and state levels.
Shifting focus to the upcoming Ekiti governorship election, Oseni projected a climate of confidence and high voter participation, crediting the performance of the incumbent APC administration.
“I believe Ekiti will come out more this time around than even before,” she said, asserting that the “APC imprints are all over because the governor is really doing well.” She described the current political atmosphere in the state as akin to “a family meeting,” suggesting broad consensus on the government’s trajectory.
While expressing the Oyebanji administration’s firm opposition to thuggery and any activities contravening INEC guidelines, Oseni voiced confidence in a free and fair process. “The governor believes in a free and fair way of doing things,” she affirmed.
The interview also touched on the competitive landscape, with Oseni acknowledging other candidates, including the NNPP’s “youngest candidate,” who claims to be the only legally certified contender. She concluded with a metaphor of readiness: “Everybody needs to say that when it comes to the table, we have the food,” indicating the APC’s preparedness to present its record to the electorate.
