There should always be a time when a man needs to tell himself that all his efforts to avoid disgrace has failed.
At such a point, the available alternative is for that man to do everything possible to ensure that he lives to fight another day. ( Bi a ba nsare ki a ma te, ti a ba te, ere ki a ma ku lo ku).
The Yoruba man have a way of admonishing someone who keeps dissipating energy on a seemingly apparent futile efforts.
In admonishing such a person, they will plead with him to stop wasting his gunpowder on a desolate settlement. ( A kii yinbon si ilu to ti tu).
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, yesterday, reportedly, delivered judgment in nine separate but consolidated Appeals.
The Appeals arose from legal conflicts between rival factions of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
According to reports, the pro-Makinde faction of the PDP lost in all the Appeals upon which judgment was entered and they were reportedly fined the sum of 2 million Naira for each Appeal.
In other words, the Governor Seyi Makinde faction of the PDP is owing the Pro-Wike faction the sum of 18 million Naira which the former Governor of Rivers state is saying they have to pay.
I am very sure that the 18 million Naira is the least of Governor Seyi Makinde’s worries right now.
There are conflicting reports about whether the Court of Appeal actually affirmed the suspension of some Pro-Wike members of the PDP National Working Committee, NWC.
While some are saying that the Court of Appeal actually affirmed the suspension, Samuel Anyanwu, in an interview last night claimed that such report was misconceived.
He said the issue of suspension was never before the Court of Appeal.
I am also curious when I read that report.
I did not see or read anywhere that the Governor Seyi Makinde faction of the PDP recorded a partial victory in any of the Appeals determined yesterday.
If you don’t know, Appeals are allowed or disallowed either in whole or part.
This means that if you file an Appeal against the judgment of a lower Court and the Appellate court granted you one or more of the reliefs you sought while still refusing some, it would be held that your Appeal succeeds in part but if all the reliefs you sought were refused, your Appeal is said to be disallowed.
The reports I read signified that the Appeals were all dismissed with costs awarded against the Appellants in favor of the Respondents.
If none of the Appeals were partially allowed, where is the claim of the affirmation of suspensions coming from?
I am also not sure if truly, the issue of suspension was canvassed before the Court of Appeal but these facts will become clear when the judgment is made available.
However, one thing that is not in doubt is the fact that the Court of Appeal affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court which nullified the National Convention of the PDP held in Ibadan last year.
This fact is not in contention by the parties in the suit.
I have read several reactions from both Camps.
While the Nyesom Wike Camp are saying that they are satisfied with the judgment, the Governor Seyi Makinde Camp are saying that they will Appeal the judgment at the Supreme Court.
That decision by the Seyi Makinde faction also reinforces my curiosity about the affirmation of suspensions claim.
They are also saying that they will conduct Congresses in some States and hold another National Convention sometimes this year.
All I see around them is confusion.
How logical is it for you to file an Appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal at the Supreme Court and at the same time, continue to hold Congresses and Convention?
Is this particular action not the same reason they are in the present mess they have found themselves?
I am surprised that the caliber of people involved in this action are failing to see that there is actually nothing to fight for again.
Except this whole fight is about ego, what exactly is left of the PDP?
When they were inside the Court of Appeal yesterday, the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal finalized his move to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
It was reported that Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state who was with them at the Court of Appeal stormed out of the Court immediately the Appeal by the Taminu Turaki led- NWC was dismissed.
He could announce his defection from the PDP any time from now, according to reports.
So, what is left of the PDP?
As at today, no one can call a meeting of the PDP Governors Forum because only Governor Seyi Makinde remains in the party and Governor Makinde can not constitute a Forum.
What a pity!
When I said that only zombies would heed Governor Makinde’s instructions to would be Governorship aspirants the other time, someone got angry with me.
Thankfully, he was enlightened by another person who clarified that I already gave sufficient reasons to back my claim.
Now, what would you call anyone who still thinks that there is hope within this PDP?
Only the National Chairman and Secretary of a political party can transmit the names of party candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
In the case of the PDP, can Taminu Turaki and Amb. Taofeek Arapaja transmit any names of PDP candidates to INEC under the prevailing circumstances?
Can the Taminu Turaki faction successfully hold another National Convention in the present circumstances?
If they proceed on Appeal to the Supreme Court, is there an assurance that the outcome would favor them?
Most importantly, do they have time on their side?
For a reasonable person, the answers to the above questions would be in the negative.
Now, if in the midst of this commotion, someone asked you to erect Billboards and put PDP logo on it, what are you?
Even, a zombie would most likely not do that.
It is unfortunate that Governor Seyi Makinde has neglected his primary duties as the Governor of Oyo state for this reckless and hopeless pursuit.
Huge resources are being committed to this exercise on daily basis.
Ask yourself, whose resources are being wasted on this efforts?
Governor Seyi Makinde’s personal resources or that of Oyo state?
Your guess is as good as mine.
What I am yet to understand, at this point, is, when Governor Makinde would be convinced that he has lost the battle.
Even a dog, when it got its head smeared with faeces, knows the way back to its Master’ home. ( Bi aja ba fi ori ko imi, yoo mo ona ile olowo e).
The misadventures in National politics has ended up in disaster.
When will Governor Makinde admit this hard fact?
The tortoise was once asked when he would return from a particular journey and he answered, ” not until I have been disgraced”.
Are we going to have a tortoise, who, despite the fact that it has been disgraced, is still refusing to return from a journey?
Honestly, the stakes are so high.
Governor Seyi Makinde has promised heaven and earth to his followers.
He has never admitted to failure.
When the Supreme Court said Samuel Adebayo Adegbola could not be selected as the Eleruwa of Eruwa, Governor Makinde dared the highest Court in the Land and wrote his own judgement.
” The Olaribikusi Ruling House is wasting my time. I hereby nullify their rights to present a candidate. My judgement is that the Akalako Ruling House should present the next Eleruwa of Eruwa”.
Court!!!
As a result of Governor Seyi Makinde’s overruling of the Supreme Court, Samuel Adebayo Adegbola is the pretender sitting on the throne as the Eleruwa of Eruwa today.
We all know how he installed and Alaafin of Oyo and how he is dealing with him today.
When a child is proving stubborn in the home, those who would teach him bitter lessons are waiting for him outside.
I think Governor Seyi Makinde thought that the political terrains at the National level is as the same as that of Oyo state and that mistake is costing him dearly.
He stepped on so many toes in the local politics of Oyo state and went away with it and he thought he could bring such attitude to National politics.
Little did he know that the political terrains at the National level is meant to be threaded by men, not boys.
Just because he had the opportunity to associate with the big boys, he thought he has arrived as one of them.
Now, the boy has been separated from the men and the boy is finding it difficult to come down to his level.
One thing is certain, if Governor Makinde continues to fight on like this, he won’t even have the chance to fight to retain Oyo state.
Fighting and losing is one thing, at least, people might say, oh, he fought a good fight even though he lost in the end but not having the opportunity to fight at all, that would be terrible.
Ego, if not managed, is a destroyer of man.
When people began to say, see, I could be stubborn, take note, they are on a journey to peril.
It is ego and stubbornness that makes someone thinks that he knows it all and he doesn’t need someone who could check his excesses.
The foundation for destruction is often laid when people in position of authority began to say ” I have no godfather”.
I am surprised that someone who chided the late former Governor Ajimobi for saying that he was the Constituted Authority for Oyo state would later become a Governor who claims that he has no godfather.
What is wrong in having a godfather if the essence of having one or several, is to seek guidance and counsel?
It is when we want to be mischievous that we began to weaponize the word godfather as if they exist just to share state resources.
The late Awolowo, as Premier of the Western Region, admitted in his book, ‘ Travails of Democracy ‘, that, as Premier, he appointed for himself, unofficial Advisers.
I think both of them were Monarchs whom Awolowo trusted to be able to tell him the truth no matter how bitter it was.
Truths that his official Advisers might not be able to tell him.
That is how you succeed ad a Leader.
Not when you decide that you know it all.
The Court of Appeal has delivered its judgment on the PDP conflicts.
Now that the Governor Seyi Makinde faction are saying that they want to keep fighting, let’s grab our popcorn and keep watching as we are well being entertained.
Are you not entertained?
Sola Abegunde.
