If ”Gbadamosi”, the drummer begins to beat his talking drum, passing a message of hypocrisy, “Aibuki”, the dancer will show him that he is not a fool. (Bi Gbadamosi ba nlu ilu abosi, Aibuki ti o joo kii se dindinrin).
So much has been happening in the political landscape of Oyo state in the build up to the 2027 general elections. Governor Seyi Makinde, like the proverbial Gbadamosi, is beating a talking drum, sending signals and patterns of hypocrisies.
He had his hands in the happenings within almost all the relevant political parties in Oyo state. He planted a preferred gubernatorial candidate in the Action Alliance. He disrupted the flow of the ” Oyo Npe O’ movement in the Accord.
He tried to disrupt the gubernatorial primary of the Action Democratic Party, ADC, through a surrogate. He is yummy with the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, a political party under which he contested to be the Governor of Oyo state in 2015.
In fact, in what he and his followers would have considered a masterpiece, he tapped a former appointee of the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Bimbo Adekanmbi and presented him as the gubernatorial candidate of his current political party, the Allied People’s Movement, APM.
Presently, despite the fact that there is no legal basis for it, Governor Seyi Makinde is still laying claims to the Leadership of an imaginary Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. All these are rhythms coming out of Governor Seyi Makinde’s hypocritical talking drum.
About a week ago, Governor Makinde, through the Director General of the Oyo state Signage and Advertisement Agency, OYSAA released a draconic, far reaching but grossly illegal rules aimed at stifling opposition political parties in Oyo state.
I have responded to that unrealistic document from the office of the OYSAA and I will let it stay at that for now, but it is important to reference that step as another panicky move and another rhythm from the talking drum of Governor Seyi Makinde.
As Gbadamosi the hypocritical drummer, Governor Seyi Makinde is very effective, unfortunately, Aibuki the dancer will not follow the hypocritical rhythm of Governor Seyi Makinde’s talking drum.
It is an understatement to say that Governor Makinde is mortally afraid of losing out in his quest to install Bimbo Adekanmbi as his successor. Some of us understand the reasons why he must be afraid.
There are a lot of dirty secrets which Governor Seyi Makinde would never wish to be exposed. Some of you might be wondering why the outgoing Governor of Oyo state would rather settle for someone like Bimbo Adekanmbi as his successor if he has dirty secrets he wouldn’t want to be exposed, most especially, considering where Adekanmbi is perceived to be coming from.
I can conveniently say that Bimbo Adekanmbi is not a stranger to Governor Seyi Makinde and Seye Famojuro. They share a lot in common and their relationship didn’t just start in 2026.
I have said it before, when it is time to treat the issue of Bimbo Adekanmbi, we will let the public know certain facts which point to the conclusion that the rain didn’t just start falling on him, Seye Famojuro and Governor Makinde yesterday. I must give some credit to Governor Makinde. He did his best.
He sent an ally to disrupt the Action Alliance. He sent a contractor with his government to scatter the Accord and he is able to sustain a group of politicians within the PDP until now, even though, Wike had effectively ensured that the idle group could no longer pose any threats to his main structure.
Governor Seyi Makinde’s greatest fear is the thought of having to face Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli as a challenger to his anointed gubernatorial candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi.
Sadly and unfortunately for Governor Makinde, it’s looking like his anointed gubernatorial candidate can not avoid a face off with the Oyo South Senatorial District Senator. That is why the loudest rhythm coming out from Governor Makinde’s hypocritical talking drum are being directed at Sharafadeen Alli.
According to reports, some High Chiefs of Ibadan had applied to Governor Seyi Makinde for elevation. Governor Makinde ignored the request for years or months.
However, immediately he discovered that Sharafadeen Alli would most likely emerge as Oyo APC standardbearer in 2027, he quickly arranged for the elevation of the Oyo South Senator as the Ekarun Balogun of Ibadan Land.
Despite the fact that one of the High Chiefs lined up for elevation with Senator Alli was reportedly out of the country on health related issues at the time and despite the fact that Senator Alli and other requested for a postponement of the elevation on different grounds, Governor Makinde went ahead and purportedly crowned Alli and the affected High Chiefs in absentia.
The most unfortunate part of this unpleasant story is the fact that the Government of Oyo state was alleged to have wasted a whooping 1.5 billion Naira on the controversial exercise. I have seen a lot of reactions and comments following the death of another High Chief in the Balogun line recently. In fact, I saw a lot of people celebrating in ignorance.
They felt like, now, Sharafa Alli is caught in the net. He must be elevated to the position of the Ekerin Balogun of Ibadan Land. Sometimes, I worry a lot about the level of ignorance in our society. If the purported elevation of Sharafadeen Alli to the position of Ekarun Balogun will not stop him from contesting as Governor of Oyo state, it follows then that a further elevation to the position of Ekerin Balogun of Ibadan Land would not change the status quo.
I have discussed this topic on Radio. I have also written about it, but for emphasis sake, let me repeat it here, that Law, the controversial Gazette, promulgated by Governor Seyi Makinde through the Oyo state House of Assembly can NOT and will NOT prevent anyone from contesting as Governor of Oyo state.
At best, hypocrites and the mediocre will raise moral questions around it but that Law does not possess the force to stop Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli from being the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress if the National Working Committee of the party nominates him as gubernatorial candidate.
I told someone this morning that Governor Seyi Makinde will be waiting for the announcement of Sharafadeen Alli as the APC Gubernatorial candidate before he starts another elevation wahala. Although, now that I have exposed him, he might be forced to consider a change of strategy.
I think I understand why Governor Seyi Makinde is so obsessed with Sharafadeen Alli. Infact, I can call it a phobia. Deep inside him, Governor Seyi Makinde, knows that the Oyo State Gazette he is banking on will not stop Sharafadeen Alli. Yet, he is still throwing the card up.
The only reason he is doing this is because he is scared of the personality of the Oyo South Senator. He wants to build a moral burden around his candidature but it will not work.
Like I said sometimes ago, the conduct of federal elections are guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act. I have carefully studied the two Laws, I do not see how they align with the Oyo State Government Gazette which Governor Seyi Makinde thinks he is going to apply against Sarafa Alli.
Most unfortunately for the Governor, he is not in control of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the body saddled with the responsibilities of conducting federal elections.
I can say it without equivocal that the INEC can not and will not look at the Gazette before deciding on the eligibility of Sharafadeen Alli. So, what’s all this noise about? I will be surprised if Governor Seyi Makinde was deceived to believe that he had a sucker punch in that Gazette.
I am however not too sure if it is not possible for him to have been deceived, considering the manner he went about his strategies against former Governor Nyesom Wike when the two of them were locked in a legal battle over the control of the PDP.
Unlike 2019 and 2023 when he had support from powerful quarters, Governor Makinde would be facing the 2027 political challenges on his own merits and demerits and his demerits are plenty. He is a very lucky politician but through his ego and self admitted stubbornness, he abused the opportunities placed before him.
Before 2019, he could not win, even a Senatorial election and in 2015, under the SDP, he was beaten blue and black when he aspired to be the Governor of Oyo state. His first victory in an election contest came in 2019 and it was all thanks to the political dexterity of the former Governor of Oyo state, the present Olubadan of Ibadan Land, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.
In 2023, after messing up the coalition that worked for his success in 2019, Governor Makinde found solace in a new alignment with the then presidential candidate of the APC, the current president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Someone once said that if you want someone’s fall to be more pronounced, allow them to get to the pinnacle before you send them crashing on the floor. It looks like, the fact that Governor Seyi Makinde was able to get a second term in office without the alliance of 2019 got to his head to the extent that he took up everyone who assisted him to secure a second term in office, including the president himself!
Now, Governor Makinde is all alone with his bags of expired tricks and that is why no one will be stupid to dance to the rhythm of his hypocritical talking drum in the manner he expected. We will respond with wisdom and select our dancing steps very carefully, avoiding every landmines, just as Aibuki did while dancing to the drumbeat of Gbadamosi.
Governor Makinde’s greatest strength, going to the 2023 general election was the heavily compromised local media outlets but the tide is changing really fast. That is not to say that there are still no Media establishments and owners who will do anything to support Governor Makinde, however, more and more practitioners are beginning to insist on professionalism over patronage.
Moving forward, we will not surrender the agenda setting for the 2027 general election to Governor Makinde’s heavily compromised section of the Media. We were too docile in that regard in the past but it won’t happen again. For 2027, everyone is going to be on trial.
Governor Makinde, the gubernatorial candidates and even, the SUV induced Media owners and practitioners. No one is saying anyone should not receive gifts, whether Greek or Persian gifts but don’t collect gifts from the Governor and think you will return the privilege by running down the Governor’s political opponents. If you do that, moving forward, you will hear from us.” Ti Gbadamosi ba nlu ilu abosi, Aibuki ti o joo, kii se dindinrin”.
Sola Abegunde.
