Before I proceed with my thoughts on Governor Makinde and the fresh dilemma before him, it is important to touch on a news that broke out on Sunday evening.
This time around, Oyo APC is leaving no margin for error in its desire to occupy the Agodi Government House in 2027.
The Reconciliation Committee jointly headed by Chief Olufemi Lanlehin and Professor Tahoreed Adedoja recorded a major breakthrough in its assignment of reconciling aggrieved gubernatorial aspirants under the All Progressives Congress, APC.
It was announced, on Sunday evening, that the former Deputy Governor, Engr Rauf Olaniyan, Engr Akeem Alao, Dr. Bakare Usman Ololade and Prince Musbau Asanike have agreed to support the Candidature of Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli PhD.
This is a very welcome development and such that would cause headaches within the ranks of the Allied People’s Movement, APM.
In particular, the case of the former Deputy Governor, Engr Rauf Olaniyan is bound to be sad news in the ears of the APM. Most of them have been celebrating prematurely, after listening to an interview granted by the former Deputy Governor a couple of weeks ago.
I recollect a particular instance, when I was a guest on a Radio station. One of the callers was so sure that Engr Olaniyan’s interview signalled a decision to leave the APC for the APM.
I told the particular caller that his wishes will forever remain a dream because the Engr Olaniyan that I know very well, is not only a principled and an intelligent person. He is also not an irrational human being. I have to acknowledge the efforts of the Leaders and Elders of the party who have been working day and night to ensure that all goes well this time around for the APC.
I also have to acknowledge the sacrifices of the aspirants who have chosen the collective good over personal ambitions. They have done this, not for themselves, but for the party at large and Oyo state in general.
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I sympathize with the APM. The snare they set for the patridge has ended up catching a monitor lizard. (Okun ti won de fun aparo, agilinti lo mu).
The positive development from Oyo APC is not too far from the issue I had in mind.
Governor Seyi Makinde is indeed trying everything within his power to survive the onslaught of the APC in 2027. You have to give it to him. He has also learned a few tricks of his own.
However, God Almighty is never known for backing the hypocrites. There was a time I wrote about the fact that the Governor of Oyo state is responsible for the crisis in some political parties in Oyo state.
I was very specific about the Accord Party. I am revisiting this topic for two reasons;
One, it was Governor Makinde who cried the loudest when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, frozen the accounts of the Osun state Government last week.
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According to Governor Seyi Makinde, the actions of the EFCC was a threat to democracy. Before then, he was in the vanguard of those who accused president Tinubu of stifling the opposition.
Interestingly, it is the same Governor Makinde who had been trying to ensure that opposition political parties in Oyo state do not know peace.
The second reason why I revisited this issue is because of my warning to Governor Makinde and others when they joined the APM. I remember telling them that the political party, under which platform they sought refuge, was also emeshed in crisis.
I told them that the APM is also battling litigations and that, if anything should go wrong for them, they shouldn’t ascribe their problems to the president.
On Friday night, I came across a news report which claimed that Goodugoodu, I hope I got the spelling correct, had approached the Federal High Court in Ibadan, asking the Court to void the nomination of Oriyomi Hamzat.
Ordinarily, that should not be my business. That same night, I saw another news report which says that a factional National Chairman of the APM had approached the Supreme Court over disputes touching on the determination of a valid leadership of the party.
After reading the report, one of the lyrics of a song by Odolaye Aremu came to my mind. ” Eni ti nde Ile Okete Olorun nde idi Oun naa”. ( When you dig the hole of the pouch rat, God above is viewing on your buttocks).
There are overwhelming evidence to suggest that Kunle Busari, aka Goodugoodu is acting a script prepared by Governor Seyi Makinde in the Accord Party.
He is a contractor with the Oyo state Government. A picture and video of him also went viral, inside the personal residence of Governor Seyi Makinde, the day VDM visited the Governor at home.
The fellow is in court, perhaps, acting a further script, but out of nowhere, someone else took Governor Seyi Makinde’s APM to the Supreme Court!
See Karma at work.
Very certainly, Governor Seyi Makinde is now faced with another court battle.
Unfortunately, the resources of Oyo state would bleed, just as it bled when he was fighting for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Even, Padre Michael, ( Paadi Minkailu) didn’t go through this kind of dilemma.
I pity the ” Bricklayer” and other candidates of the APM.
I hope the newly selected Local Government Chairmanship candidates would take the court case into cognizance before they start wasting their resources.
There are surely, interesting and anxious days ahead for Governor Makinde and his Cassava party.
For the APC in Oyo state, things are falling in the right places.
Sola Abegunde.
