I have just read the frustrations pour out by Governor Seyi Makinde’s newly recruited Senior Special Assistant on Information and Orientation, who also doubles as the Deputy Director for the Bimbo Adekanmbi Campaign Committee, Dapo Falade.
I must welcome my good friend Dapo, to a baptism of fire. His job and that of his colleagues on the other side is never going to be easy.
My father used to tell me that when a toad swims in normal water, it displays all manner of swimming skills, but when the water became hot, the reality of life dawned on it. No condition is permanent and for the APM, the tide just changed.
After reading through the lamentations from the APM, as authored by Dapo Falade, I couldn’t help but to laugh.
I see that the Senior Special Assistant was taken by the late Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala’s” Aja ota eni kii pa odu oya” remark.
What about Akala’s remark about the elephant and it’s severed head? Has the APM quickly forgotten that the same Alao Akala also said that the severed head of an elephant is not a package for the toddler to carry? ” Atari Ajannaku kii se eru Omode”.
I will not waste time on diction. Let us examine the statement from the camp of Adekanmbi and the APM on its merit.
It seems they are no longer comfortable to be associated with the many failures of Governor Seyi Makinde and they are trying so hard to find a way to remove Governor Seyi Makinde from the discussion around the Gubernatorial election in Oyo state.
How is that possible?
The process that produced Adekanmbi is no longer hidden from the public.
A prominent Leader of the Allied People’s Movement, APM, Alhaji Ismaila Ashipa publicly declared that Bimbo Adekanmbi was nominated by Seye Famojuro. We all know that Seyi is Seye and vice versa and neither of them have denied the statement by Ashipa.
Just yesterday, my good brother and friend, Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo SAN revealed what transpired between him and an unnamed Ibadan Elder who visited him with a view to appealing to the Learned Silk to support Bimbo Adekanmbi as Governor of Oyo state.
He said that the Elderly man told him that Bimbo Adekanmbi was never interested in contesting as Governor of Oyo state, but, that he was dragged into the race by Governor Seyi Makinde. No one has denied this fact.
For the sake of emphasis, Governor Seyi Makinde adopted the Omi Tuntun mantra for the Bimbo Adekanmbi campaign.
Who is the originator of Omi Tuntun? Is it not Seyi Makinde?
Then, let me refresh the minds of our friends on the other side a bit.
In 2019, how did Governor Seyi Makinde campaigned against Bayo Adelabu? Did he bypass the late Abiola Ajimobi and his Government and just focused on Bayo Adelabu?
Was Bayo Adelabu the one accused of demolishing properties belonging to residents of the state during the 2019 campaign?
Was he the one accused of insulting the then Olubadan of Ibadan Land through the reform of the Olubadan of Ibadan Land Chieftaincy Declaration?
Did he not suffer for the campaign grounded on these and other perceived atrocities of the sitting Governor at the time?
So, why should Bimbo Adekanmbi be treated differently?
I am surprised that the APM are saying that the APC have not been addressing the problems facing the people of Oyo state and proffering alternatives.
Well, if they needed to be reminded, so be it.
The APC Gubernatorial candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli unfolded his plans for Oyo state over a month ago and this program took place at the Press Center, Iyaganku, Ibadan. It was all over the News. I am not aware that Adekanmbi did anything similar.
Not only that, he has spoken directly to some critical aspects of governance. For the avoidance of doubts, he addressed the problems associated with the Broadcasting Corporations of Oyo state BCOS and he suggested alternatives.
He condemned the sales and handing over of Oyo state Farm Settlements and promised to review every sales and handing over agreements, with a view to protecting those Legacy projects when he becomes Governor.
For him, Farm Lands which are supposed to be used for Agricultural purposes should not be handed over or sold to Estate Developers.
He made this clarification with respect to the ongoing attempts by the Oyo state Government to hand over the Farm Settlements at Ogbomoso and Saki to Estate Developers against the wish of the host Communities.
He addressed the rot in our education sector, promising to ensure that we return to the 30 Pupils per classroom policy of the administration of Senator Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja when he was Governor of Oyo state.
I remember that the Governor mocked him at the time.
He has been very vocal about the fact that he will ensure that local governments enjoy full autonomy under his Administration.
To all these and many more issues which Sarafa Alli has addressed, what are the clear and independent position of Bimbo Adekanmbi?
You have not placed anything on the table different from what has been obtainable under the Seyi Makinde Omi Tuntun agenda, so, what should we have been speaking to?
If the APM wants us to take Bimbo Adekanmbi serious, they should appeal to Governor Seyi Makinde to remove the feeding bottle which he stuck deep in his throat.
I have to say that it is the height of hypocrisy for the APM to accuse the APC of gutter politics, when, indeed, they are the ones guilty of the crime.
Who started the ” lapping” joke? Who started the banter of “the Lawyer who has never been to a court”? Who?
In response to a conversation around the failed Light Up Oyo Project by the APC, how did the Governor respond?
Did he not responded by abusing the APC Gubernatorial candidate, referring to him as a Lawyer who has never been to a court?
So, we should have clapped when your principal descended to the gutter, raining insults at the APC Gubernatorial candidate, instead of stating his own side of the story?
If you know how give insults, you should equally be prepared to take it in equal measure.
Truth hurts, but it is sacrosanct. Bimbo Adekanmbi is Makinde’s third term Agenda and we will continue to warn the electorates about the dangers associated with electing a puppet.
There is nothing wrong in that. It is a duty we owe the people of Oyo state and we will not be ashamed of doing our duties.
It is not our responsibility to assist the APM to make Adekanmbi look good. If they have now discovered that Governor Seyi Makinde has become an albatross, it is open to them to divorce the marriage of inconvenience between him, Governor Seyi Makinde and Seye Famojuro.
Oyo deserves better.
We have raised questions about the wasteful characteristics of the present Government.
We revealed that the First Lady of Oyo state and the wives of the 33 Local Government Chairmen are presently in Dubai, squandering public funds. The APM became dumb.
We complained about the fact that it is not acceptable for Oyo state to languish at 27th position in NECO, when Osun state is placed fifth. They pretended to be blind.
We have asked questions about the debts profile of the state, Agbowo Shopping Complex, the 30bn Bodija relief fund, we asked for explanation about the Airstrip which this Government promised to construct at Igbeti, we asked questions about the operations of the TCTC and to all these and many more questions, the APM have pretended to be deaf.
So, how else are we supposed to do our duties?
Like I said, it is not our responsibility to assist the APM on how to cope with the fire from the APC.
They have never been in this difficult position since their days in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Things have changed and the sooner they understood, the better for them.
Sola Abegunde.
