I read a very interesting report this morning, even though, it is not the focus of this write up, but it is worth mentioning.
According to the report, Governor Seyi Makinde and his co- travelers in the PDP are now ready to ‘ reconcile ‘ with the Nyesom Wike faction of the PDP while the Governor of Bauchi state, Bala Mohammed is reportedly opposed to such moves.
The Governor Makinde camp is hinging its decision on an advice given by the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, just before the Abuja Division of the same Court delivered judgment in the various Appeals involving the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday.
It is said that the Governor Makinde faction is considering the proposal for the setting up of committees on each side and these committees would be asked to draw terms of settlements.
After reading that report, the first thing that came to my mind was to ask if this is the appropriate time for such moves? ( Igba yi laaro)?
For the avoidance of doubts, the admonishing by the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan has no force of Law.
It was a simple advice which the contending sides are not bound to obey but the judgment of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal which the pro-Makinde Group lost is binding on the contending sides until it is overturned by a superior court.
In other words, Wike holds the aces for now and he is the position to determine whether he wants to negotiate or not and even, if he wants to negotiate, he will be doing so from a position of strength while the Governor Makinde side are going to be at his mercy.
The other question to be asked at this point is, why would it take Governor Makinde and his followers this long to understand that they have been holding the short end of the stick in this contest?
Wike was always a step ahead and some of us warned them but our harmless advice fell on stone deaf ears.
If Nyesom Wike agrees to their proposal, it would be interesting to see Governor Seyi Makinde cow toeing before the same man he has been vilifying all these while but I’m sure that Governor Makinde would not want to be part of such an undignified assignment.
I would be monitoring these events very keenly.
Having said that, I read another report yesterday which states that the Oyo state Independent Electoral Commission OYSIEC has released a reversed Local Government election timetable.
According to the reversed timetable, Local Government election in Oyo state would now hold on 29th December, 2026 in-between Christmas and New year celebration!
You will note that the election had earlier been fixed for January, 2027.
You will also note that the tenure of the current occupiers of the office of Chairmen will end by May, 2027, just a few days before the expiration of Governor Makinde’s tenure on May 29, 2027.
The 2027 general election would be held in January and February of 2027.
Now, let us ask ourselves, in the prevailing circumstances, why is Governor Seyi Makinde so desperate to conduct a Local Government election in the thick of the general election and in-between Christmas and New year celebration, most especially, when the present occupiers of the office have until May 2027 to leave office?
Why not leave the decision to conduct a Local Government election for the incoming Administration in the state?
I know why the Governor is this desperate about the Local Government election.
Under his watch, there is so much rot in the Local Governments.
Governor Makinde has been committing so much atrocities across the 33 Local Governments that he would not dare to think of failing to put his puppet in the Local Governments before he leaves, even though, I do not see how such a situation would prevent him from being exposed eventually.
For all the billions of Naira he has received on behalf of the Local Governments in the past seven years, there is nothing to show for it.
The foul stench of corruption oozing out of the Local Governments under Governor Makinde is so massive that it would worry anyone in his shoes.
Unfortunately, heads or tails, I don’t see the Governor getting away with the atrocities he has been committing in the Local Governments.
I honestly also do not see how he would be allowed to legally conduct a Local Government election.
The encumbrances are too many to be ignored.
I am not unmindful of the fact that Governor Seyi Makinde is admittedly stubborn but on this one, stubbornness would not be enough to see him through.
I hope the Conference of Nigeria’s political parties, CNPP, Oyo state chapter know what to do to legally stop the election at the appropriate time.
I will not go into the details of what needs to be done but when the time is ripe, we will be in the vanguard of the legal resistance to the sinister plans by both OYSIEC and Governor Makinde.
I will round up this piece by commenting on the Greek Gifts recently distributed by Governor Seyi Makinde.
According to reports, the cars are flying once again.
Governor Seyi Makinde gifted cars to some Mogajis in Ibadan a couple of days ago.
I congratulate the recipients. ( Epo ni a maa je, ko nii mu eje o).
If you ask me, I am not surprised that Governor Seyi Makinde has resorted to distributing cars once again and I wouldn’t have minded, except for the fact that he is the Governor of Oyo state and must be held accountable.
He is known to be the Governor who has gifted cars to people the most.
He has distributed cars to PDP Executives at both the Local and the state levels.
He gave cars to his campaign DGs across the 33 Local Governments before the 2023 general election.
We have seen a journalist who took his birthday cake to him at the Government House and he returned with a SUV.
He has given SUVs to musicians and all manner of people who have no function in Government.
The pertinent question is, where is the resources for the purchase of these vehicles coming from?
From personal purses or Government coffers?
The other time, he illegally approved the release of about four vehicles belonging to Ibarapa East Local Government to Samuel Adebayo Adegbola who had been removed from the throne as the Eleruwa of Eruwa.
If there is evidence that Governor Makinde is buying these cars from his personal purse, no problems but if he is doing so with Government funds, I have a big problem with him.
At this point, the Governor must come clean with evidence that he has been buying the cars he is giving out at will, with his personal resources.
Today, Oyo state is in debts.
Huge debts for that matter.
A member of the Oyo state House of Assembly came out last year to tell us that some members of the Oyo state House of Assembly have been approving billions of Naira as loans for Governor Makinde without following due process.
Governor Seyi Makinde and the Oyo state House of Assembly have swept the allegations under the carpet without properly addressing it.
It will be so sad to discover that the resources that Governor Makinde has been using to procure vehicles for non-state actors actually belong to the Government.
You cannot be in debts and still continue to live a life of affluence. ( A kii fi gbese sorun ka tun maa se eso).
Governor Seyi Makinde, we demand answers.
Sola Abegunde.
