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Tag: Aketi

  • Ondo APC primary: How far can Team Aketi go?

    Ondo APC primary: How far can Team Aketi go?

    Signs of things to come within the ranks and supporters of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State unveiled itself during last month’s visit of President Bola Tinubu. Supporters of many governorship aspirants other than those supporting Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa were attacked.

    Billboards and campaign posters of many aspirants that adorned the streets of Akure were pulled down and destroyed. The action of the hoodlums and thugs was not unconnected with the battle to secure the ticket of the party in the primary scheduled for next month. It was also a pointer that the Ondo APC might implode.

    The APC in Ondo State has subtly zoned its governorship ticket to the Ondo South senatorial district in line with the unwritten political arrangement in the state. Former Governor Olusegun Mimiko hails from Ondo Central, later former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu hails from Ondo North and the next governor is expected to hail from Ondo South. All the aspirants in the race to secure the APC governorship ticket are from the South.

    They are former Finance Commissioner, Wale Akinterinwa, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, business mogul, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Chief Olusola Oke, a former NDDC Commissioner, Hon Olugbenga Edema, a former member of the House of Representatives, Mayowa Akinfolarin, a former President of the Nigeria Medical Association, Prof Dayo Faduliye, Dr. Paul Akintelure, Chief Matthew Oyerinmade, Dr. Olamide Ohinyeye, amongst others.

    Governor Aiyedatiwa has declared to run for a fresh term in office after completing the tenure of late Akeredolu in February of next year. He was sworn into office in December last year after the death of Akeredolu. His emergence followed months of intrigues and political imbroglio occasioned by the prolonged ill-health of the late Akeredolu. An intervention by President Bola Tinubu stopped the impeachment move by the Ondo State House of Assembly before the uneventful death of Akeredolu.

    Aiyedatiwa does not enjoy the support of the Aketi Political family otherwise known as Team Aketi. During the political imbroglio occasioned by the illness of the late Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa was backed by so many forces including the Peoples Democratic Party. Others included some Abuja-based Ondo APC leaders who had been on the move to take over the party structure in the state.

    During the declaration of Aiyedatiwa, key leaders of Team Aketi were absent. Also absent were seven members of the House of Representatives, senators, and other political leaders from the state.

    Governor Aiyedatiwa understood the opposition he faced in the Ondo APC ahead of the primary when he said, “My dear people of Ondo State, the gubernatorial primary election is at hand. Your vote is a potent weapon that must be wisely used. We must reject those who seek to buy our conscience with money. We must stop those who seek to govern this State by muscles. That is not what our late legends and founding fathers who once governed this State handed to our generation.

    “Today, I offer myself to lead, not to rule, to respect your wishes, not to dominate you, and to lead by example of humility, good character, and empathy, which I have demonstrated in office since 2021.”

    Aiyedatiwa also reminded APC members and leaders that the late Akeredolu wished him his successor.

    According to him, “I must re-echo what our late leader had always wished for in his lifetime. It was his wish that I succeed him, not in death though, as the next Governor of the State. He was a courageous and visionary leader who had no time for pretense and so he expressed this wish at different fora in both public and private. All was with one conviction and implicit confidence in me to carry on the torch of accelerated development.

    “I dare say too with a sense of humility that our departed leader would be proud of me as a worthy constitutional successor who has not derailed on the path of development we jointly pursued.”

    However, Team Aketi is yet to break its silence since the passing of Akeredolu and the swearing-in of Aiyedatiwa.

    Former spokesman of late Akeredolu, Richard Olatunde gave an insight into the thinking of Team Aketi. Olatunde, in a statement, insisted that his former boss had a strained relationship with Governor Aiyedatiwa before his death.

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    Olatunde said Akeredolu’s ardent followers, including members of his family, do not support Governor Aiyedatiwa’s aspiration to clinch the ticket of the party.

    He said the late Governor did not anoint or express any desire for Aiyedatiwa to succeed him adding that the relationship between the late Governor and Governor Aiyedatiwa became strained and distant until his passing.

    “Despite attending to official matters and meeting people from Akure, the late Governor intentionally kept Mr. Aiyedatiwa, who was the deputy governor at the time, away from him in Ibadan.

    “Our late Governor was deeply disappointed and regretful of certain behaviuors and character traits displayed by Mr. Aiyedatiwa during his health challenges, which ultimately led to his passing.

    “One thing that discerning minds can clearly see is the turn of events in the latter half of last year. Trust was betrayed. Confidence was shattered. And the true colours of desperation overshadowed the good intentions of our late Governor. What followed was a tale of disappointment and betrayal. Our late leader, to say the least, was heartbroken before his demise.”

    The Aketi Political family has proven its worth since 2016 when it defeated the ruling PDP. It repeated the feat in the 2020 governorship election and last year’s general election. However, the ill health and death of Akeredolu death a big blow to its organizational structure even though many of the structures remained intact.

    It is not clear yet whose aspirant has the backing of the Aketi Political family and certainly not Governor Aiyedatiwa.

    A loyalist of Akeredolu who pleaded anonymity said the Team Aketi political structure remained intact. The loyalists said the leaders were not happy but watching the turn of events.

    “Whatever decision from Abuja on the choice of a candidate is what they will abide with. Aketi has his men at the unit, ward, and local government levels. The Aketi dynasty is a strong one. For him to be a man of his word means a lot to everybody. His loyalists are waiting.”

    A lawmaker in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Olatunji Oshati, said there would be political realignment before and after the APC governorship primary.

    Hon Oshati who is a supporter of Aiyedatiwa said the silence of Akeredolu before his death led to confusion among his followers before his death.

    Oshati said it was unfortunate that Akeredolu was not around to state his own side when allegations were raised against Aiyedatiwa.

    He said: “There had been misperception about those claiming to be Aketi Team. We are all Aketi Family. Most of us hold allegiance to the former Governor. It is unfortunate at the time of infighting within us the children, Oga was not around to tell his side of the story to the children. Those were part of the intrigues we are talking about. The oga we know we tell you off if you offend him. He was not around to tell the truth.

    “We had doubt of the truth about allegations against Aiyedatiwa. We all heard when Akeredolu confessed that he believed and wanted his Deputy to succeed him. Any other endorsement was not clear to anybody.”

    As the Ondo APC approaches, will Team Aketi get its pounds of flesh? Can it install its desired aspirant as the candidate of the party? Can it get back its supporters already with Aiyedatiwa? The coming weeks will tell.

  • Between ‘Umoru’ and Aketi

    Between ‘Umoru’ and Aketi

    “Umoru, are you dead?”  

    That was former President Olusegun Obasanjo with ghoulish relish, at a live phone-in, on the stumps for the 2007 presidential election.  It was Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s spectral run for the Presidency.  It all ended in tears. 

    Yar’Adua’s illness was an open secret.  So, when Obasanjo was, in absentia, stumping for Yar’Adua, with the candidate rumoured to be somewhere abroad, the thick rumours that Yar’Adua was “dead” buzzed with added virulence.

    “No, I’m not” — Yar’Adua assured, to the thunder of cheers from the gathered PDP zealots.  But less than three years into his Presidency on 5 May 2010, he did.  Enter Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

    In 13 years, the spirituality of brash politics and stark politicking has again happened upon us, with the 27 December 2023 death of Rotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, the late governor of Ondo State.

    As it was then, just as it is now, everyone seems sucked in by the easy din of it all.  No one seems struck by the terrible quiet of its portent.  Contemporary Nigeria!  Yak, yak, yet fail to grasp the significance of many a grave situation!  

    Yet, Akeredolu’s link to it all — alive or dead — is nothing but stunning.

    Akeredolu, the fearless Aketi, was the fiery crusader-president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), thundering the “right thing” must be done on Yar’Adua; bashing the Yar’Adua ”cabal” that blocked Vice President Goodluck Jonathan from rightful power.

    Aketi thundered the right and principled things under the law, earning the respect of not a few, under those unfortunate circumstances.   

    But 13 years down the line, Aketi himself became the new “Yar’Adua” — and the Aketi “cabal” hee-hawed no less than the “Umoru” “cabal”!  Deja vu?

    Should Aketi have, even in his moral thunder, been more sensitive to the pangs of the Yar’Aduas, who not only pined at the inevitable but also wilted under the harsh censure of their dying patriarch? 

    The jury is still out.

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    To be sure, Aketi was no Obasanjo who egged on Yar’Adua despite — many swear — knowing his frail health; yet was the first to disown him on his virtual death bed. 

    Aketi was only the fiery archangel of the rule of law.  But would he have been far more empathetic, far more nuanced than brash, though his cause was just, if he knew he was yoked to Yar’Adua by fate, and would exit power — and life — much the same way the Katsina noble did? 

    Life!

    Yet, how Yele Sowore was yakking over the Aketi fate — as Aketi himself did over Yar’Adua — shows the enfant terrible of Saharareporters, and likes, have learnt nothing from these twin-fates, only 13 years apart.

    Does Sowore know what lies ahead of him 13 years on?  But more on that presently.

    Now, back to Aketi and Yar’Adua — a stunning parallel. 

    As Vice President, Yar’Adua had Goodluck Ebele Jonathan — and Yar’Adua’s “nemesis” was Jonathan’s “good luck”: luck so good it must survive poor Yar’Adua and claim his office, by law, by morality and by right!

    Aketi had something even more intriguing — a deputy governor with a triple name, a triple name forged for intriguing times: Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa!

    Lucky is lucky — self-explanatory in English.  Orimisan is Ikale — a Yoruba sub-ethnic group — reinforcement of lucky: dub it lucky raised to Power 2!  Then, came the clincher and picturesque nemesis: Ayedatiwa — the world has become our own!

    How — at least with the superstitious — could Aketi have survived his fatal odyssey, with a guy with such turbo-charged, treble-trouble names, waiting in the wings?  How?

    Then, throw in the perceived roles of Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua and Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, luckless wives doomed to become widows, under the harsh glare of hard gladiators, that take no prisoners, in merciless politics!

    Hajiya Turai was as taciturn as Madam Betty, the preening “Ada Owerri”, was vocal. Yet, both were charged — at least by the scandal-chomping media — as alleged heads of cabals: the one from Katsina though domiciled in Abuja; the other from Owo, though domiciled in Akure — or was it Ibadan?

    The soon-to-become widows — poor ladies! — were alleged to have given no quarters, dished out purported diktats in darling husbands’ names as the battle for power and control raged, while poor darling hubbies wilted in a futile clinging to life!

    Still, never gulp in all of these colourful tales, for the scandal-hugging media thinks nothing of spicing and sizzling up stuff!  But maybe there was no smoke sans fire?

    After the grim inevitable — Aketi gone, Lucky to take his place — Ayedatiwa became a subject of sundry tales.  A few growled over his “A ku oriire” — congratulations to us — comment. Yet, that could have been blown out of its innocuous context.  

    Others kicked the new governor for beaming with smiles all through his swearing-in —that was half-true, though — when a long, grave and sombre face would do.  

    Why, even our own Sam Omatseye bombed the poor fellow for satanic hurry to present himself for inauguration as governor.  Sam reasoned he ought to have tarried as a last mark of honour for Aketi.  The snag here though is that the law would scowl at such mushiness, no matter its ingrained nobility!  The harried fellow had little choice.

    But all of this nibbling missed the most devastating symbolism on Ayedaitiwa’s part: did anyone notice how the new governor had shaved off the extended grey beard he shared with Aketi, leaving just a grey moustache, with a trim grey goatee?  So long for identity politics!  That clearly died with Aketi!  Life!

    Still, why all of this bad blood, when all is vanity?  Make no mistake: between the Aketi and Lucky power gangs, no side was a saint.  Both sinned and fell short of civil glory.

    But what triggered the crisis was that penchant to scorn the office of the Deputy Governor (and Vice President), reducing the occupier to some glorified serf — at the mercy of some overzealous governor’s aides, many of them below cabinet ranks, never part of the winning ticket.

    That dysfunctional order often holds — if the governor lives through his term.  But if he doesn’t?  Kata-kata bursts — as it goes with that picturesque street lingo.

    That was what happened with Aketi — and with Yar’Adua before him.  The dead are dead.  But the living can fix the problem: give the office of the Deputy Governor the honour it deserves.  By that, you can drain needless bad blood and deepen our democracy.

    As for Sowore that turned another person’s death into morbid excitability, yakking as rogue coroner? That was uncalled for.  Every death tolls the end for the living.

  • Goodbye Aketi (1956-2023)

    Goodbye Aketi (1956-2023)

    Few knew about the arrival in this world on July 21, 1956, of a baby, who was later known as Rotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, popularly known as Aketi. However, millions knew about his departure in the early hours of Wednesday, December 27, 2023, exactly one week ago. He was 67 years old.

    The publicity of his death stemmed from three major factors: (1) his status and role as the incumbent Governor of Ondo state; (2) controversies over the temporary governance crisis in the state due to his illness and subsequent disagreements between him and his Deputy; and (3) negative perception of the role of his family over his illness and in the affairs of the state.

    Preoccupation with these issues have led to mischaracterisation of Akeredolu as a person and as Governor. Yet he was a rounded figure: Christian, unionist, Kegite, lawyer, politician, husband, father, and cherished anchor to his network of friends. He would be remembered for his legacies in these roles.

    However, the two roles for which he was widely known were lawyer and politician. He birthed both roles at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). As a law student at Ife, while I was teaching there, Akeredolu was popularly known as an activist and a strong member of the Student Union. He successfully ran and won the election as Vice-President of the Student Union in 1975/76. Akeredolu was also a visible and proud Kegite (that is, a member of the Palm Wine Drinkards Club) of which he later became a Grand Patron. It was also at Ife that he met Betty, who would later become his wife. The coterie he developed as an undergraduate remained as his permanent friends till death.

    The commingling of law and politics at Ife would persist throughout Akeredolu’s life. After a stint as Attorney General in Ondo State, he contested and won the presidency of the Nigerian Bar Association. After joining other top lawyers, including his law partner, Akin Olujimi, SAN, and Wole Olanipekun, SAN, to help rescue the stolen mandate of a number of politicians in the progressive fold, Akeredolu opted for the rough terrain of “real” politics. But it was not until the second attempt in 2016 that he won the governorship election in Ondo state under the banner of the All Progressives Congress.

    I did not support Akeredolu on both occasions. Nevertheless, I supported his administration and reelection in 2020. I also had several conversations with him throughout his tenure, admonishing or praising him and offering tips, where necessary. For example, I admonished him over the scuffle with Osun delegates in Akure in 2017 and advised him to close ranks with then Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state just as I also advised Aregbesola to do the same. They both met in Abuja and closed ranks.

    Regardless of the assessments of armchair columnists and social media bugs, Akeredolu’s stewardship as Governor was good in comparative terms. His stellar projects featured over 500 kilometres of roads, including a virgin link road between Akure and Idanre via Ijoka and dualised roads in major towns; the Ore flyover at the intersections of Sagamu-Benin Expressway and Ondo-Okitipupa roadways; the flyover at the Onyearugbulem junction in Akure; the ODIRS Building Complex; the Technology Hub; the conversion of two major State Specialist Hospitals in Akure and Ondo to Teaching Hospitals and the construction of a 200-bed Complex in each one; the development of Ore Industrial Hub; and advanced plans for the construction of a deep seaport in the state.

    Akeredolu’s stature grew beyond the state, when he took on herdsmen encroaching on farmlands and the state’s forest reserves. He pushed against open grazing and the detectable activities of herdsmen, notwithstanding criticisms from Northern quarters and even the presidency. He gave the herdsmen a seven-day ultimatum to vacate Ondo forests; banned under-age, night, and highway grazing in the state; and, as Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum, he ultimately led other Southwest Governors to establish the Amotekun Corp to defend their states against criminality.

    Another national issue he boldly took on was the advocacy for political parties to honour the established convention of zoning the presidential ticket to the South in the name of equity, justice, and fairness after an eight-year tenure of a Northerner. These major positions on national issues came as a capstone of Akeredolu’s preoccupation with fairness, equity, and justice, all of which he honed during his undergraduate days at Ife.

    Nevertheless, all was not rosy for Akeredolu. Like most others, he had his own albatross to contend with. What was exceptional in his case was the conjunctive pressure of three albatrosses, namely, a debilitating illness; over-ambitious Deputies; and an immediate family beyond control.

    The details of Akeredolu’s illness were never officially revealed. Rumours pointed to leukemia and prostate cancer, but the family only named the latter after his death. If that was the case, Akeredolu should have known that prostate cancer was detectable through periodic medical checkups and was treatable. However, like breast cancer, it had to be caught early before it spread beyond the prostate. Even leukemia is treatable, if diagnosed early, usually before blood blasts begin to accumulate.

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    Akeredolu’s first Deputy, Agboola Ajayi, was so over-ambitious that, like Atiku Abubakar, he was planning to supplant his boss during the latter’s reelection in 2020. Once the details of his plans were uncovered, he got ostracised from government until he resigned from the APC and later joined the Peoples Democratic Party. He jumped over to the Zenith Labour Party, when he lost the PDP primary. He eventually performed woefully in the election.

    Ajayi’s replacement, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, allegedly took advantage of his boss’s illness to spy on his medical records and to begin planning to replace him, hoping that he might die sooner. He also began to plan his election in 2024 once power was transferred to him while his boss was on medical leave between June and September. His actions paralysed governance in the state for three months. Aiyedatiwa’s media aides, who broadcast all sorts of negative stories about Akeredolu’s illness, were dismissed on Akeredolu’s return from medical leave in September. The relationship between the two men became so frosty that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had to intervene twice.

    It was during Aiyedatiwa’s latest stint as Acting Governor that Akeredolu never returned as Aiyedatiwa had long hoped. His anxiety to become Governor became even more evident when he greeted his supporters in Yoruba, “A ku ori ire” (roughly, we thank God for His blessings) as soon as he was inaugurated as Governor on the day Akeredolu died.

    It was also during Akeredolu’s illness that the shenanigans of his wife and son, Babajide, became even more evident than before. However, I will not go into the details here in deference to Akeredolu’s memory and the agony of family members, who just lost a dear one.

    Goodbye, Aketi.