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Tag: Oyo 2019

  • Oyo 2019 and agitation for zoning

    The imminence of next year’s general elections has expectedly sparked off series of debates and discussions on which party would come tops, which positions would go to where and which new alliances would emerge at State and Federal levels. All these efforts are geared towards accurately forecasting where the pendulum of victory would finally swing and stay.

    At the state level, the central focus of political activities is the gubernatorial apple from which everyone wants to have a bite. Election into this second tier of government, more than the first and third tiers generates such intense political heat and passion that makes voter interest more pronounced in it than in the other two. In elections to the state government house, factors that often come into play are ethnic, religious and sectional considerations.

    Before proceeding on to the national discourse, this writer would first like to focus on Oyo State, the “Pace-Setter State” where the current political maneuverings make it imperative for analysis to lay the cards on the table with a view to guiding the people on how to make the right choice of candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in the state. All the three afore-mentioned factors – ethnic, religious and sectional usually come into play here when issues of governorship elections are being decided.

    Oyo State, although almost 100 percent homogenous still parades some dialects found in Saki, Ibarapa, Igboho and others in Oke-Ogun, while the indigenes of Ibadan, Ogbomoso and Oyo township speak virtually the same tongue. This probably explains why the people of Oke-Ogun want a state of their own, mainly because they don’t feel at home with the larger rest of the state that speak the same dialect and so prefer to have their own state or at least produce the next governor of Oyo State from that area.

    Now Ibadan, the state capital and one with the highest population density has since 1979 the first civilian era after 13 years of military rule produced five governors for the state; Omololu Olunloyo, Kolapo Ishola, Lam Adesina, Rashidi Ladoja and the incumbent Abiola Ajimobi. On the other hand however, only one governor has emerged from all the other parts of the state put together, and that is Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala from Ogbomoso, the second largest city in the state.

    As mentioned above, Ibadan with the largest population has produced five governors since the advent of the 2nd Republic while Ogbomoso, the second largest city has produced only one, while Oke-Ogun has produced none. Here lies the hues and cries over the unjustified Ibadan domination of Oyo State politics. This current position of things continues to bog the minds of elders and traditional rulers in the state, even those reasonable ones of Ibadanland.

    The big question now is: must the Ibadans be allowed to continue to use their numerical strength to suppress other parts of the state, especially if it is considered that the city and its environs control only eleven out of the thirty three local government areas of the state? This writer is a free-born citizen of Ibadanland who does not share the view of those who believe Ibadan should continue to govern the state, to the exclusion of the other areas.

    Ibadan our great and sprawling city is today a thing of pride and joy to many of us, both the indigenous and the non-indigenous alike. Great achievements in infrastructural developments that placed Ibadan above its peers like Kaduna and Enugu were recorded by political leaders who were no indigenous of the ancient city. Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola were great politicians and statesmea who brought monumental developments to Yorubaland and Ibadan in particular.

    The joint leadership of these two men witnessed great infrastructural strides that were second to none not only in Nigeria but in Africa as a whole. Among these were the first television facility in Africa, the Olympic-sized Liberty Stadium, the imposing first skyscraper in Nigeria the Cocoa House and several other projects that made Ibadan the primus interpares among its other colleagues like Kaduna and Enugu.

    After the duo of Awolowo and Akintola came Bola Ige, the Cicero of Esa-Oke, who also did wonders to the landscape of Ibadanland. The big textile market at Gbagi (The Bola Ige International Market), the modern Aleshinloye Market, the Trans Amusement Park, the Agbowo Office and Shopping Complex, the ultra modern high Court buildings at Ring Road and the Adamasingba Shopping Complex and many more are a living testimony to his meritorious service to the city of Ibadan. And this brilliant orator was not of Ibadan origin but a free-born son of Ijesaland.

    Later after the lack-lustre rule of four Ibadan indigenes came an ebullient politician from Ogbomosoland who recorded notable infrastructural achievements like the complete rehabilitation of two derelict state hospitals (Yemetu and Ring Road), the Children’s Hospital, Oni and Sons as well as the ancient Mapo Hall, the magnificent monument to the gallant generalissimos of Ibadanland.

    Other major achievements are the complete rehabilitation and beautification of some major intra-city roads whose dilapilated condition had always been a major source of concern to the inhabitants of the city. These are the Molete/Queen Cinema Road, Iwo Road Round About to Olodo, New Garage to Apata and many more. Now, which of these former rulers, Awolowo, Akintola, Bola Ige and Alao-Akala hailed from Ibadan? None.

    Let the Sons of Ibadan who had been governors in Oyo State before now come out and show us the tangible evidence of their stewardship. It is only the incumbent Gov. Abiola Ajimobi who as “Omo’badan” has also recorded spectacular achievements in infrastructural developments in the state. He too has done very well.

    For the purpose of equity, fairness and unity in the state therefore, I think our people of Ibadan should release their vicious grip of numerical strength to breathe down the necks of other areas and let the music go round. If Ibadan has played the gubernatorial role five times, Ogbomosoland should be allowed one or two more terms as the next biggest population concentration in the state. After that it should now come to the turn of Oke-Ogun to govern for two or more terms. It is only by following this arrangement that all the people of Oyo State would have a full sense of belonging.

  • Oyo 2019: Can PDP survive its crisis?

    There is anxiety in the Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The supporters of two chieftains, former Governor Rashidi Ladoja and Seyi Makinde, who are struggling for the control of the party, are locked in a battle of mutual suspicion and distrust. Ladoja has threatened to defect from the platform. Can the troubled chapter survive the crisis? BISI OLADELE examines the implications of the disunity on the party as it prepares for next year’s elections. 

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State is addicted to crises. As it is struggling to put behind it the Makarfi/Sheriff rift, the troubled chapter is being torn apart by the struggle between former Governor Rashidi Ladoja and a chieftain, Seyi Makinde, over the control of the party machinery.

    Ladoja and Makinde, an engineer like the former governor, recently returned to the party, following reconciliation with aggrieved stalwarts. Ladoja left the fold in 2011. Makinde left in 2015. Both are the main strong leaders of the party with mass appeal.

    While Ladoja dumped the PDP for the Accord Party, shortly before the 2011 general elections, Makinde left for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), shortly before the 2015 elections. Another chieftain, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, also dumped the party for the Labour Party (LP) in 2015 and later defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) after failing to win the governorship election. He has not retraced his steps.

    While Akala rejected the offer to return late last year, the former PDP governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin, left for the APC. The development left Ladoja as the leader of the ‘new’ PDP in Oyo State. His leadership was based on his pedigree as a former PDP governor, senator and a chieftain with the highest number of followers in the party.

    But, the unfolding events show that the bloc led by Makinde has become a threat to Ladoja’s plan to be the party’s arrowhead. Following the breakdown of talks on the sharing of positions in the State Executive Committee, the two blocs held separate congresses in Ibadan, the state capital, on November 4, last year. Ladoja’s supporters held their congress at the Watershed Events Centre, Old Ife Road. Makinde’s held its  congress at Baptist Secondary School, Oke- Ado, Ibadan.

    In Makinde’s group  are Senator Hosea Agboola, former leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Mulikat Adeola-Akande, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi and Bose Adedibu. With Ladoja are Senators Ayo Adeseun and Olufemi Lanlehin, former Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Jumoke Akinjide, Senator Gbenga Babalola and Hon. Muraina Ajibola.

    The Makinde camp elected astute politician Chief Jacob Adetoro as State Chairman. Chief Kunmi Mustapha was elected Chairman by the Ladoja bloc. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials attended the factional congress held by Ladoja’s supporters. INEC shunned the congress held at Oke-Ado.The Public Relations Officer of the commission, Mr Ayodele Folami, said INEC did the right thing by attending the congress organised by the Ladoja faction, having monitored its activities from ward congresses.

    A former deputy governor, Gbolarunmi, who belongs to the Makinde faction,  said the crisis was borne out of Ladoja’s plot to produce all members of the State Executive Committee. It was learnt that only one slot was given to the Makinde faction by Ladoja in its original plan, which prompted the former to hold a parallel congress.

    To avert the danger of plunging the party into another intractable crisis, the national leadership released a harmonised list last month to placate the Makinde faction while retaining Ladoja as the leader, whose camp retains the highest number of key positions. But, the decision threw the former governor and his supporters off balance. They threatened to leave the party again. Ladoja viewed the sharing formula as another assault on internal democracy, saying that future decisions may be unilaterally taken against his interest.

    But, Makinde was happy, saying that it was a good bargain. It got 12 out of the 26 slots. Having got a good deal, all is well. But, to the Ladoja, the future is uncertain. The Makinde faction is particularly pleased that Ladoja will not contest as governor in next year’s   election as he has publicly promised.

    The harmonisation of the State Executive Committee has raised a dust that may not settle in time. It has aggravated the suspicion that the PDP, unlike the Accord Party, may not be another cosy home to the former governor and his supporters. Ladoja left the PDP in 2011 when it became obvious that he was no longer in charge, although he was still the governor. As the Accord Party leader, he called the shots. In fact, PDP leaders appealed to him to return becaue of his political strength. But, as things stand now in the party, Makinde and other chieftains have succeeded in slicing Ladoja’s powers. The balance of power will determine who picks the governorship ticket and other positions in the next year’s election. Although the former governor is yet to announce his next move, it is clear that he is reviewing the situation along with his supporters. Ladoja is planning to regain his full strength, ahead of the polls.

    Makinde, on the other hand, is basking in the euphoria of comparative advantage. His camp is likely to get majority of the slots. But, the faction cannot survive without Ladoja’s. If the camps can manage their differences, the party is likely to go far in the next elections. But, it appears that mutual suspicion and distrust will make them to work at cross purpose.  Already, Ladoja’s faction has called passed a vote of no confidence on the Southwest zonal chairman, Dr Eddy Olafeso. It accused him of colluding with others to frustrate Ladoja.

    Mustapha, the party chairman, said the decision became necessary because Olafeso, who could have intervened by finding out what was happening in the party, took the matter to the National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja.

    He disclosed that the proposal to share the 26 state offices lacked the approval of the NWC and the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, adding that it was a secret agenda between Olafeso and others, which prompted the national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, to warn against tampering with Oyo PDP executive as currently constituted.

    The chairman admitted that the ambition of some peoppe to get the tickets for elections led to the crisis. He advised them to elevate the interest of the people of the state who desired a change above their personal interests.

    Mustapha said: “The day we shared the offices, we did not do so on the basis of factions, but among the five political parties that came together to form the new PDP, namely the old PDP, Accord, SDP, Labour Party and AD.

    “While the PDP got 13 offices, the Accord Party got only six, the SDP, three, the Labour Party, three, and the AD, one. Seyi Makinde can’t say he has not got any slot. He has three of the SWC members given to the SDP.

    “But, Secondus told us he would not be a party to anything that is illegal. We received a call from Abuja that I should see that I bring five people each from Ladoja’s faction and five from Seyi Makinde’s faction. To me personally, I see that as an insult.

    “We did the ward and local government congresses successfully and there was no faction and there was no rancour. We did not have any problem because the arrowheads of the five parties were appointed coordinators to handle the congresses in the wards and councils.

    “We formed a committee of 33 people. But Eddy Olafeso unilaterally increased the number to 47, until he was vetoed by the Senator Ahmed Markafi-led National Caretaker Committee (NWC).

    “Makinde himself conducted the congresses in Ibadan North East Local Government Area. Honourable Mulikat Akande-Adeola did the congresses in Ogbomosho North and South councils. Senator Hosea Agboola conducted those of Itesiwaju Local Government Area, while Chief Sharafadeen Alli handled Ibadan North Local Government Area.

    “People are yearning for a change in Oyo State and we feel our coming together will bring about the change. If all of us can’t come together, if Ladoja joins us we will win the election. But these people don’t want Ladoja from the onset and they are still on it.

    “All that is happening now is just to frustrate Ladoja out of the PDP. But they will not succeed by the grace of God.

    “We have told the national headquarters to leave us alone. We will deliver the state. I am exonerating the national chairman, Secondus. But it is the legacy of Markafi that others are trying to destroy.

    “We worked hard to bring Ladoja to PDP unsuccessfully. But, it was during Markafi that this was achieved. We know Ladoja has the masses on Oyo State behind him and politics is a game of number. They don’t want Ladoja, but we want him to be the rallying point for Oyo PDP.”

    The list ceded 14 slots to Ladoja’s faction while 12 went to Makinde’s faction. The positions of State Chairman, Women Leader, Publicity Secretary, Legal Adviser, First and Second Vice Chairmen went to Ladoja while the position of State Secretary and other positions went to Makinde.

    Makinde said he  has a lot of respect for Ladoja, pointing out that,  if he had his way, he would avoid any disharmony over the harmonisation.

    A chieftain, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said called for unity, saying that crisis will tear the party apart. He added:  “As pragmatists, what party leaders must do is to dig deep into the recess of unity and look at the bigger picture. Will our people forgive us if we commit another horror mistake and allow the APC to continue its punishment of our people through misgovernance and misplaced priorities that have left the most susceptible masses at the hand of poverty?

    “We cannot clap with one hand and we must focus on the larger objective instead of allowing ourselves to be weakened by internal crisis.

    “As a major stakeholder, I have volunteered myself to ensure that I do all in my power to achieve what we failed to achieve in 2015 and I am convinced that it is God’s own project.”

     

  • Oyo 2019: How far can Oke-Ogun go?

    Oyo 2019: How far can Oke-Ogun go?

    Ahead of the 2019 governorship election in Oyo State, the people of Oke-Ogun zone have renewed their agitation for power shift. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines why the coveted seat has eluded them for long and suggests how they could realise their ambition of producing a successor to Governor Abiola Ajimobi in 2019.

    INDIGENES of Oke-Ogun in Oyo North Senatorial District of Oyo State have for long been complaining of marginalisation by successive administrations.

    Oke-Ogun is an area with 1.4 million people, according to the 2006 census. It occupies 60 per cent of land mass in Oyo State and it has 10 out of 33 local government areas in the state.

    The grouse of Oke-Ogun people is the monopoly of the governorship seat by Ibadan indigenes.  Since the creation of old Oyo State in 1976, Oke-Ogun has not produced a governor. The late Chief Bola Ige, from the Ijesha axis, was the first civilian governor of the state. He was elected on the platform of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in 1979. He was succeeded by an Ibadan man; the erudite scholar and mathematician, Dr Omololu Olunloyo in 1983. After nine years of military interregnum, another Ibadan man, Chief Kolapo Isola, became governor in 1992. At the return of democracy in 1999, the late Alhaji Lam Adesina, an Ibadan man, took over the mantle of leadership. He was succeeded by another Ibadan indigene, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, in 2003.

    However, in 2007, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, an indigene of Ogbomoso, was elected as the governor. His emergence was attributed to providence, because the Ogbomosos are minorities. Not surprisingly, Alao-Akala lost his re-election bid to Senator Abiola Ajimobi, another Ibadan indigene in 2011. Ajimobi was re-elected in 2015.

    The highest position an Oke-Ogun man has ever occupied is that of the deputy governor. An Oke-Ogun man, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, was elected deputy governor during the tenure of Adesina. The current deputy governor, Chief Moses Adeyemo, is also from Oke-Ogun.

    Many pressure groups from the Oke-Ogun area have decried the system that limits the governorship slot to a particular area, saying that it marginalises them, because it does not provide an opportunity for an indigene of the area to emerge as governor.

    As the state gradually prepares for the 2019 general elections, these pressure groups, with the backing of traditional rulers, have started mobilising the political class, to ensure that an indigene emerges as a governorship candidate of one of the major parties.

    A political activist and an Oke-Ogun indigene, Hon. Adekunle Sulaiman, lamented that the area is not being fairly treated in Oyo politics. He said the time has come for the people to fight for their right. He said: “The existing political equation appears to have put a ceiling to the office to which a citizen of the region can aspire to attain, as if perpetually restrained to second-in-Command to the highest political office in the state; budgetary allocation has consistently been below 10 per cent of the state’s total budget while lack of infrastructure is synonymous to Oke-Ogun zone.

    “It may interest you to know that most of the roads traversing the region were constructed by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo administration during the First Republic they have neither been rehabilitated nor reconstructed. Successive administrations in the state have concentrated development along the Ibadan, Oyo and Ogbomoso axis to the utter neglect of Oke-Ogun.

    “There is no federal or state university in Oke-Ogun, no tertiary health institution, no good roads and no pipe borne water in any part of the region. We are not ignorant of fifth columnists in our midst that prefer to serve the interests of their pay masters, rather than support the struggle for the political emancipation of the area. As a result of the neglect and injustices meted out to our people, they are now unified in the agitation for power shift in 2019. We have resolved not to play second fiddle or third position in Oyo State come 2019. Politicians cannot continue to deceive us with impromptu projects in 2019. Enough is enough.”

    The Chairman of Oke-Ogun Consultative Council Forum (OCCF), Dr Olusegun Ajuwon, agrees with Suleiman. He said in a bid to produce the next governor of Oyo State the Oke-Ogun people have agreed to queue behind only a candidate from the Oke-Ogun axis, irrespective of the political platform.

    He said: “In 2019, nothing will divide us, we understand the essence of unity in this game and at the appropriate time we shall endorse a candidate and all of us will queue behind that person. He reaffirmed that it is achievable because our people are ready to do all that is necessary to ensure Oke-Ogun person occupy the exalted office that has eluded them since 1976 when the state was created.”

    Ajuwon argued that a situation where only a zone in the state produces successive governors is not in the best interest of the people. He believes rotation should be a factor determining who becomes governor. He said: “If you have followed the politics of the voting pattern in Oyo State since 1999, you will see that nobody will emerge governor without the votes from other zones. Ibadan votes alone cannot produce a governor in Oyo State.”

    He said the Ibadan zone make up over 50 per cent of the voting population, while Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibarapa constitute 21 per cent, 15 per cent, eight per cent and three per cent respectively. Ajuwon it is only fair, in the interest of justice, equity and fairness, for the zone that constitutes 21 per cent of the voting population and next to Ibadan in electoral strength to be allowed to occupy the governorship seat in 2019.

    But, a political analyst from Ibadan, Mr. Lasun Oyedeji, disagreed. He said politics is a game of numbers and that the voting strength of a people determines what they get.  He argued that the Ibadan people would continue to leverage on their voting population to produce governor in the state. He added: “Beside the political supremacy, over 90 per cent of internally generated revenue (IGR) in Oyo State comes from Ibadan. Ibadan is responsible for over 90 per cent of the IGR in Oyo State.”

    Oyedeji advised the people of Oke-Ogun to be cautious in their quest for the governorship position and that they should not hold their Ibadan counterparts responsible for their political woes. Oyedeji said Oke-Ogun people had the opportunity to elect one of their sons as governor in 2015, when the current Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, from Saki within the Oke-Ogun axis, contested the governorship election. But he lost the election. He got only 2,000 votes; meaning that even the electorates did not vote for him.

    Public Affairs analyst, Dr Rasaq Adedeji, has predicted that the 2019 governorship election in Oyo State will be a straight battle between the Ibadan/Ibarapa and the Oke-Ogun zones. He said the election may not be fascinating, because the political gladiators from Ibadan might outwit their Oke-Ogun counterpart with monetized politics.

    Adedeji said: “Given the history of winners who have occupied the governorship seat by the circumstances and the population, nobody has won governorship election in Oyo State from the Oke-Ogun axis; not because there are no qualified candidates from the zone, but due to political calculation which has been essentially opportunistic against the zone. The governorship seat has always been occupied by the Ibadan people; the exception is Alao-Akala who won the seat by accident, through the influence of the late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu; with the support of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    “Ajimobi broke the myth of governing Oyo State for two straight terms in 2015 and this brought to fore once again the agitation to present a new candidate from another zone, apart from Ibadan. In this regard, Oke-Ogun is favoured, because Ogbomoso, apart from having produced Chief Ladoke Akintola as Premier in the past, has also produced Alao-Akala.

    “The bid to occupy the Agodi House, Ibadan, come May 29, 2019 will raise the stake for whoever is being presented against Oke-Ogun candidates. The race will not only be tough, but seriously competitive. It will be quite interesting again, because politicians from the Oke-Ogun are moving towards uniting efforts to present a single candidate to win the election and the zone seems to be where the votes will come from. The winning votes that helped Senator Ajimobi to break the myth of second term came from Iseyin, a town in the Oke-Ogun area in 2015.

    “There are two strategies on game plan which might be the joker that will produce the next governor for Oyo State from outside Ibadan in 2019. One is the suggestion to use the rainbow coalition being built between the old PDP under Alao-Akala/Raji Rasaki/Teslim Folarin on one hand and majority of Accord Party defectors aligning with the APC to present Alao-Akala for governor in 2019. This arrangement might spring a surprise on the other splinter parties which are not popular in the state. However, as fascinating as this strategy might look, it will not please the Lamist (the Lam Adesina group) and majority of the APC members who are from the CPC, the ANPP and the ACN. This could be another albatross against the APC winning eventually.

    “The second strategy is that whoever is supported by the Governor Ajimobi political machinery for sustainable regiment from any zone might be the winner given the party structure being built for the 2019 elections. By the time the election will be conducted in 2019, only governor will be controlling the chairmen of local government councils in the 33 local governments and the 35 LCDA in the state. All the 350 councillors will also work for the governor and vote for whoever the governor supports. The declaration of his preferred candidate by Governor Ajimobi in 2018 will give an indication of the zone that the APC candidate will come from.”

    The agitation for a governor of Oke-Ogun extraction has received a boost from the Ibadan axis. For instance, Ajimobi has expressed support for the agitation. He, however, counselled that they must seek the support of other zones for the dream to be actualised, adding that Ibadan alone constitutes 52 per cent of the entire population of the state. He recalled that during the 2015 governorship election that he won in nine out of the 10 local governments in Oke-Ogun and “this aided my emergence as the first governor to secure a second term in office in Oyo State. I am using this opportunity to assure you that I will reciprocate your love for me”.

    He added: “Without prejudice to the competence and legitimacy of aspirants from other zones nursing the ambition of succeeding me, I can say the people of Oke-Ogun deserve my support. But I will advise you seek the support of people from other zones. You must win them over to win a governorship election”.

    Oke-Ogun indigenes that have so far declared their interest in running for the position in 2019 include: the Minister for Communication, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu; former Chief of Staff to Governor Ajimobi, Professor Adeolu Akande; the Editor-in-Chief of Guardian newspapers, Mr Debo Adesina; a legal luminary, Alhaji Ahmed Raji (SAN); and a former Permanent Secretary in the State, Remi Olaniyan.

     

  • Oyo 2019: Oke Ogun makes case for zoinng

    Oyo 2019: Oke Ogun makes case for zoinng

    In this piece, Folake Aderounmu examines the agitation of Oke Ogun in Oyo State for power shift in 2019.

    The politics of the 2019 governorship race in Oyo State began to take shape on July 07 when the people of Oke Ogun addressed a press conference to stake a claim to the governorship of the state come 2019.

    It was a colourful event as men and women, regale in traditional outfits, filed into the Dapo Aderogba Hall of the NUJ Press Centre, Ibadan, to address the press. The National President of the Oke Ogun Development Consultative Forum, Dr Segun Ajuwon addressed the press. Although a medical doctor and former Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Abuja, Ajuwon’s working in the company of politicians had obviously rubbed off him given the dexterity with which he presented the case of his people. Ajuwon had worked as Personal physician to former President Olusegun Obasanjo throughout the latter’s tenure as President between 1999 and 2003.Ajuwon was in the news lately when Obasanjo disclosed that he was the medical doctor who saved him from being poisoned by General Sani Abacha while he was incarcerated in Yola Prison. He has worked with personalities at a very high level of government and he knows the facts about the marginalization of the Oke-Ogun people through the years.

    Ajuwon, leading the cream of leaders from the Oke Ogun area of the state, explained that the people from the area are staking a claim to the governorship of the state because they have been marginalised in the occupation of the number one position in the state. History bears him witness. Since the creation of Oyo State in 1991, no indigene of Oke Ogun had been governor of the state. This is in contrast to Ibadan which had produced many governors of the state. In 1992, Chief Kolapo Isola was elected the governor of Oyo State on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) though the government was truncated in 1994 when General Sani Abacha sacked democratic institutions at the height of the June 12, 1993 crisis.  When the nation returned to democracy in 1999, another son of Ibadan in the person of Alhaji Lam Adesina was elected governor on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD). Yet again, in 2003, another Ibadan son, Senator Rasidi Ladoja, was elected governor of Oyo State on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Ladoja’s tenure was crisis- ridden and he was eventually impeached and replaced by Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala. Akala was removed after 11 months when the Supreme Court ruled that Ladoja was wrongfully impeached. Akala, with the support of the Obasanjo Presidency won his way back to power in 2007 on the platform of the PDP. His tenure as governor had been widely attributed to providence because of the minority status of the Ogbomosho area where he comes from. If anyone disagreed, this interpretation of history was confirmed in 2011 when Akala, the incumbent lost his re-election bid to Senator Abiola Ajimobi, an Ibadan indigene, who contested on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN). Ajimobi, like other indigenes of Ibadan, leveraged on the majority votes locked up in Ibadan. Ibadan singularly controls over 50 per cent of the votes in Oyo State. This contrasts with Oke Ogun that has 21 per cent, Ogbomosho 15 per cent, Oyo 8 per cent and Ibarapa 3 per cent. It is for this mathematics of politics that except for Akala, whose ascendancy to the governorship was predicated on the impeachment of Ladoja, no other part of the state except Ibadan has produced the governor of the state. And, according to Ajuwon, political fair-play necessitates that the zone next to Ibadan in electoral strength should be allowed to occupy the governorship position in 2019.

    Ajuwon also discussed the implications of the absence of Oke Ogun indigenes at the helm of affairs in the state and the paucity of infrastructural development projects in the zone. This, according to him, includes the absence of state and federal institutions that could hasten the socio-economic development of the state. In his words,” the roads linking us to the state capital are all very bad and have remained so forever, I dare say. We do not have a single federal institution except for the Nigeria Police and a few other uniformed law enforcement agencies whose presence is to collect taxes and other revenues without any compensation in the form of derivation as other sections of the country that are earning resources for government through Oil and Gas. This is despite the equally huge returns from Customs, Duties and taxes daily accruing from Oke Ogun that habours extensive stretch of the nation’s international borders. We are also lacking in federal schools, hospitals or establishments. The absence of government presence has come with great deprivation for us as a people. It is therefore fair and equitable for us to be given the chance to produce the Chief Executive of the state.

    He explained that it is for this marginalisation and the consequence that the people of Oke Ogun feel it is time for them to produce the governor. “We believe as the people of Oke Ogun that the time has come to ask for and to get this coveted position of the Executive Governors of our dear state. There are reasons to justify this clamour for power shift to Oke Ogun. We are a people located strategically in 10 out of the 33 Local Government Areas of the State”. Ajuwon exhibited his understanding of politics in a democratic setting when he volunteered that the people of Oke Ogun are going to work for the understanding and support of other parts of the state in their quest to produce the governor of the state. “We, as a people, however duly acknowledge that we certainly cannot win the governorship by ourselves in Oke Ogun as the incumbent Executive Governor of the State, our dear friend and brother, HE Sen. Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi, has counselled. We are therefore soliciting for the understanding and support of our dear compatriots in Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomosho and Ibarapa. We urge you all to join hands with us in this quest and push. Democracy is a game of numbers. We need as many friends as we can get to accomplish this goal”.

    Ajuwon explained that the Oke Ogun agitation is a replay of the Nigerian history wherein the northern part of the country conceded the presidency to the southern part in 1999, despite the superior electoral strength of the north. The argument is that the Ibadans should show understanding to promote equity and fairness in the state. The agitation for a governor of Oke Ogun extraction has received a boost lately when Governor Ajimobi again and again announces his preference for a governor from the area. His position has widely been seen as principled and has won him respect and applause not only in Oke Ogun but across the state.

    As   Ajuwon and the leaders of Oke- Ogun are clamouring for a shot at the number one seat in Oyo State, some indigenes of Oke Ogun area already in the field mobilising support for their gubernatorial ambitions They include the Minister for Communication, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, former Chief of Staff to Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Professor Adeolu Akande, the Editor in Chief of Guardian Newspapers, Mr Debo Adesina and a former Permanent Secretary in the state, Engr. Remi Olaniyan. The months ahead will tell whether the Oke Ogun will get the governorship this time around. What is however certain for now is that the elite and people of the zone are fully braced for the challenge of a shot to occupy the Agodi Government House come 2019.

  • Oyo 2019: Can Ibadan retain power?

    Oyo 2019: Can Ibadan retain power?

    As politicians step up preparations for the 2019 elections in Oyo State, BISI OLADELE examines the strengths and weaknesses of the Ibadan Zone in its quest to retain power in the next dispensation

    Political activities are gathering momentum traction in Oyo State as politicians are gearing up for the next general elections, which are expected to hold in February, 2019. Governorship aspirants are multiplying. many of the rely on the strength of their constituencies or political parties.

    Since civil rule returned to Nigeria in 1999, the Ibadan Zone has produced three out of the four governors. They are Lam Adesina,  Rashidi Ladoja and Abiola Ajimobi (incumbent). The four other zones in the state are Ogbomoso, Oyo, Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun.

    Prior to 1999, two of the three civilian governors were Ibadan indigenes – Dr Omololu Olunloyo and Chief Kolapo Isola. The late Chief Bola Ige, who was the first civilian governor of the old Oyo State, hailed from Esa-Oke (now in Osun State). Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, who was governor from 2007-2011, hails from Ogbomoso.

    This history has propelled calls for power shift to other zones. Oke-Ogun Zone, which comprises 10 local government out of the total of 33, has been consistent in this call.

    Ajimobi recently pandered to their desire when he voiced support for their agitation. Yet, most of the current aspirants are Ibadan indigenes. Will power shift in 2019?

     

    Ibadan and other zones

    In population and voting strength, Ibadan towers above other zones in the state. It has the highest population and by implication, the highest number of voters. With 11 local governments in a central city bubbling with commerce, civil service and agriculture, Ibadan commands a huge advantage in Oyo State.

    Out of a total of 906,870 votes cast for the five top governorship candidates in the 2015 election, Oke-Ogun had 23 per cent, Ibarapa had six per cent, Oyo had nine per cent, Ogbomoso had 15 per cent while Ibadan had 47 per cent.

    Similarly, Ibadan accounted for the 51 per cent of total votes cast in the 2011 governorship election. Oyo had 105,020, representing 9.7 per cent, Ibarapa 57,641, representing 5.3 per cent, Ogbomoso 151,803, representing 14 per cent and Oke-Ogun 216,299, representing 20 per cent, Ibadan recorded 552,994 votes representing 51 per cent of the total 1,083,757 votes.

     

    Ibadan elders as factor

    In governorship elections, Ibadan elders have a strong voice in determining the candidates that will emerge as the overall winner. Though the group is a coalescence of elite who see themselves as apolitical, it has strong influence on many indigenes living across Ibadan and other towns in the state. The solidarity of the group for any candidate goes a long way in swaying the result of the election, in spite of the fact that over 70 per cent of them are not card-carrying members of any political party.

    The elders wielded their influence in 2007, although their preferred candidate, Abiola Ajimobi, did not win due to alleged rigging of the election. He was actually the adjudged winner. He was the candidate to beat and he gave Alao-Akala a serious nightmare. The 2011 and 2015 elections, however, went in their favour for Ajimobi.

     

    The aspirants

     

    APC

    Niyi Akintola (SAN)

    Akintola, an erudite lawyer, hails from Ido Local Government in Ibadan. He is a former Deputy Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly and a close associate of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. He resigned as Deputy Speaker in 1992.

    The lawyer has won many election petition cases since 1999. By the reason of his career, he is a friend to many present and former governors and senators.

    Akintola has been going round the state seeking the support of party members and critical stakeholders. He hinges his campaign on the need to sustain the good work Ajimobi started, stressing continuity is the secret of the stable success of Lagos State since 1999.

     

    Adesoji Akanbi

    Senator Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi is currently representing Oyo South District. He hails from Ibadan North West Local Government.

    A former member of the House of Representatives, business man and grassroots politician, Akanbi was a governorship aspirant in 2011. After losing the ticket to Ajimobi, he shunned politics, until he returned to contest and won the 2015 election to represent Oyo South District at the Senate.

    Akanbi is keeping a tight hold on his constituents to serve as launchpad for the governorship race. All the densely populated local governments in Ibadan are within Oyo South District. They include Ibadan North, Ibadan South West, Ibadan South East, Ibadan North East and Iddo. The district also comprises the three local governments in Ibarapa Zone.

     

    Adebayo Adelabu

    Adebayo Adelabu is a grandson of the late popular Ibadan political titan, Adegoke Adelabu (aka Penkelemeesi).

    Currently a deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), it is believed that the banker is seriously nursing the ambition to participate in the 2019 governorship election.

    Young, brilliant and talented, Adelabu is thought to be a major contender for Agodi Government House. But, he has not openly declared his ambition.

     

    Azeez Adeduntan 

    Dr Azeez Adeduntan hails from Ibadan  South East. A medical practitioner in the United States of America (USA), Adeduntan vied for the Peoples Democratic Party  (PDP) governorship ticket in 2011 and lost before moving over to the Labour Party (LP) for the same ambition in the build-up to the 2015 elections. He joined the APC shortly before the election.

    The Commissioner for Health, is not dropping his ambition to govern the state.

    Adeduntan is said to be widening his tentacles within the APC to be able to give the 2019 race a good shot.

     

    Accord Party

    Accord is the major opposition party in Oyo State. Its leader, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, said he would unlikely contest in 2019. His decision leaves only Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin as the aspirant from Ibadan Zone.

     

    Olufemi Lanlehin 

    Olufemi Lanlehin was the senator representing Oyo South from 2011 to 2015 on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which metamorphosed into the APC. He crossed to the Accord party during the preparation to the 2015 elections.

    The politician, who once served under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s administration in Lagos State as a Special Adviser, hails from Ibadan North West. He is also a former member of the House of Representatives.

    He was a governorship aspirant in the ACN in 2011. He lost in the primary to Ajimobi. Since then, Lanlehin has sustained his desire to govern the state.

    It is believed that the politician only retreated after the last election to gather more strength for the 2019 election.

     

    SDP

    Oluseyi Makinde 

    Oluseyi Makinde, an engineer, is the backbone of the SDP in Oyo State since he joined the party from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015. He has remained stable in the party and pulls many juggernauts together.

    Since he joined the governorship race in 2015, he has remained resolute, rejecting offer of other positions.

    Though the SDP is less popular in the state when compared to other leading parties, Makinde’s profile is rising as a young and decent politician with philanthropic credentials. His political machinery has started working in preparation for the 2019 election.

    Though the aspirants from Ibadan have good credentials, belong to popular parties and will enjoy the advantage of a huge constituency, it is believed that whoever emerges as the flagbearer of the APC will need the support of the incumbent governor. With Ajimobi expressing support for Oke-Ogun candidacy on one hand, his natural interest in having a loyalist to succeed him and the need to sustain the relationship with Ibadan elders on the other, analysts believe that the coast is not yet clear as to where Ajimobi’s successor will come from.

     

  • Oyo 2019: Akintola deserves our total support – Alaafin

    Alaafin  of Oyo , Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, has appealed to leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) to ensure that the governorship ambition of Chief Adeniyi Akintola, (SAN) received their blessings.

    Speaking when paid him a courtesy visit, the monarch, who described Chief Akintola as a formidable pillar in legal practice, recalled that  the aspirant  had applied sheer legal prowess to save situations for the progressives on many occasions, especially in south western part of the country.

    He said: ‘’If Niyi (Akintola) does not come out, someone else will. When those who are wise and intelligent refuse to contest elections, fools will take over. When the party chooses you, we know the next move. You have come to work. No rest till the last day.”

    He commended the incumbent governor, Abiola Ajimobi for what he called  his ‘’socio-infrastructural renewal across the state,’’ noting that those who ensured a second term mandate for Governor  Ajimobi have no cause to regret their action.

    “Perhaps if we have not voted Ajimobi, we would today have remained under thugs and brigands, with touts taking over garages, tormenting and harassing innocent people with cutlasses.”

    Earlier, in his remarks, the aspirant  pleaded for the support of the monarch whom he referred to as a father. He said his interest in the governorship race was informed by the need to sustain the enviable legacies of the incumbent governor, Abiola Ajimobi.

  • Oyo 2019: APC and the opposition’s gang up

    Oyo 2019: APC and the opposition’s gang up

    In Oyo State the permutations for Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s successor in 2019 have gathered steam as the opposition gang up for the plum seat, reports Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan

    Former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, has once again indicated interest in succeeding Senator Abiola Ajimobi as the Governor of Oyo State in 2019. Ajimobi is currently rounding off his second term as the governor of the southwest state and as such, will not be eligible to seek re-election during the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.

    Aside Folarin, about ten other opposition politicians are eyeing the Agodi Government House, Ibadan, after the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent governor. This is just as Ajimobi and his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are working round the clock to ensure that the party continues in government beyond the 2019 governorship election.

    The Nation gathered that opposition parties in the Pacesetter state may set aside their differences and work together in a bid to dethrone the ruling APC in 2019. Indications of this possible co-operation amongst opposition parties in the state are currently rife as leading opposition politicians continue to close ranks and hold talks ahead of the coming election.

    Reliable sources within the opposition camp also told The Nation that the growing number of opposition aspirants in recent weeks is a product of ongoing talks within the camps of those opposed to the continued stay in government of the ruling APC. They added that while the mode of the expected collaboration is still unclear, ongoing talks are aimed at working out the modalities as soon as possible.

    “The government of the APC in Oyo has not been in the interest of the good people of the state. The agony and suffering unleashed on the people is so much that the people are now crying out to the opposition parties to come to their aid. This is why we are in talks to see how best we can tackle the ruling party and free our people in 2019.

    “However, it is obvious that a divided opposition cannot wrestle down the ruling party in the governorship election. There is need for us to go into the election more united than we currently are. Unlike ever before, I can tell you that the desire of those of us in the opposition is to see APC out of the government house in 2019. It no longer matter which party will replace it,” Hon. Lai Oni, former Scribe of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP), in the state said.

    The Nation learnt that leaders and chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Accord Party (AP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Labour Party (LP), Action Alliance (AA) and a number of other opposition parties, have been holding talks following growing calls on the opposition parties to close rank if they want to defeat the ruling APC in the 2019.

    Confirming alleged talks among opposition leaders, National leader of the Accord Party, Senator Ladoja, recently said his party would lead the coalition to mop up all opposition parties into a big political platform in the state ahead of the 2019 election. The former governor said he and others were working hard to bring about this coalition.

    Speaking on the readiness of the opposition parties to challenge the APC in 2019, a chieftain of the SDP and former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Kehinde Ayoola, said there is hope for a vibrant opposition challenge in the state. According to him, the SDP and many other opposition parties are on ground in the state.

    “We have the structures at the state, local and ward levels. We have our executives in the state and they are carrying out activities. In so far we are not in an electioneering period you may not see so much. We are reaching out to other parties to form a synergy which would help to form a government that truly responsive and responsible to the people of the state. We’re talking to people across board. Even APC members,” Ayoola said.

     

    Opposition aspirants

    Perhaps buoyed by the ongoing talks towards a formidable opposition platform ahead of the 2019 governorship election, a number of opposition politicians have been indicating interest to contest the gubernatorial tickets of their various political parties in their bid to succeed outgoing Governor Abiola Ajimobi after the next governorship election in Oyo state.

    Within the PDP, aspirants including notable party chieftains liker the former Senate leader, Senator Teslim Folarin; former Minister of Sports, Professor Taoreed Adejumo; former deputy governor, Alhaji Azeem Gbolarumi and former SUBEB boss, Professor Soji Adejumo, are currently revving their political machineries reportedly in preparation for the 2019 election.

    Senator Folarin was the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 election in the state. His emergence as the candidate was so controversial that the party became further weakened in the run up to the governorship election. And by the time the result of the election was released, Folarin finished a distant fourth position behind eventual winner, Ajimobi, Ladoja and another ex-governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala.

    2015 was the second attempt by Teslim to govern the state. A well known politician with strong political machinery across the state, he was the senate leader on the platform of the then ruling PDP until 2011 when he decided to compete for the Governorship position. He is considered by many analysts as a strong aspirant in 2019 on the strength of his youthfulness and structure.

    “Folarin will contest again in 2019. He is still the best candidate for the job in PDP today. He will win the election this time around because the party is solidly united behind him unlike in 2015 when internal wrangling and anti-party activities militated agains his victory. Let me assure you, all hands are on deck to ensure PDP win in 2019,” an aide to the Senator said.

    Accord Party’s Senator Femi Lanlehin is also eyeing the governorship seat. He looks good to clinch the ticket of his party. This likelihood of his emerging as the Accord Party candidate is premised on indications that Senator Ladoja is not interested in contesting for the governorship seat in 2019. Given his antecedent, Lanlehin is a well liked politician across the state.

    “With Lanlehin still in our party and willing to lead the quest for Accord Party to chase away the clueless APC from government house, the party can boast of a good replacement for Senator Ladoja as our gubernatorial candidate. He is capable, ready, well liked and acceptable across the state. 2019 is for Accord Party and we are prepared to take our chance,” a chieftain of the party in Ogbomosho told The Nation.

    Lanlehin, who lost his senate seat to Honourable Soji Akanbi of the APC in 2015, was formerly a member of the ruling APC. But he defected to the Accord Party in the build up to the 2015 general elections following protracted disagreements with Governor Ajimobi and the leadership of the state chapter of the ruling party.

    Also believed to be interested in the race is Engineer Seyi Makinde of the SDP. He emerged as the governorship candidate for SDP in 2015 after he dumped the PDP. An old warhorse in the politics of the state, his spirited and gallant fight for the position in the last governorship contest endeared him to many within and outside his political party.

    Not a few pundits in the state are of the opinion that with him as candidate, the opposition coalition will find it easier displacing the ruling APC. “Makinde is a vibrant politician with his eye on the goal. His efforts in 2015, despite having to contest on the platform of an unknown party, exemplified him as the man to beat if the platform is right and vibrant,” a source said.

    But how ready are the opposition parties to contend with the ruling party in the much awaited 2019 gubernatorial election? A PDP governorship aspirant in 2015 in, Femi Babalola  insists that the PDP is very much alive in the state though it went through some problems  which, according to the politician, are being resolved.

    “If we have local government elections today in Oyo state, PDP will  field candidate for all slots and we will perform creditably well across the state. We are aware that there is crisis at the national, which is indirectly affecting us. But within the family of PDP in Oyo State,  we are going  through some re-organization, which to the glory of God we have been  able to achieve.

    “We also understand the need to reach out to other political groups ahead of the next election. We have made advances to Otunba Adebayo  Alao-Akala, Seyi Makinde and many other stakeholders across the state.  We had very useful discussions with them and people will start seeing the results very soon,” Babalola claimed.

    APC ready

    Meanwhile, in spite of the reported ongoing gang up against its next gubernatorial plans, the APC in Oyo State says it is ready to confront the opposition in 2019. The party said it remains a united and progressive platform through which the state will be  developed. The ruling party claimed that the people of the state will reject any opposition to its continued stay in government come 2019.

    And contrary to speculations in some quarters, Olawale Sadare, the ruling party’s Director of  Publicity and Strategy  in the state, told The Nation that  the party was not enmeshed in crisis. He insisted that given the level of unity of purpose currently being experienced within the APC today, no amount of collaboration by the opposition can defeat the ruling party in the state.

    “Insinuation  that all is not well with the state chapter of the APC is a figment of the imagination of some mischief makers who would wish that the party became scattered for their selfish benefits only. As much as we would have desired to see the opposition in other political parties as formidable enough to play the role expected of them, their camps  are becoming  more vulnerable to emptiness.

    “This is simply because more discerning people are realising that the APC could deliver the goods  regardless of the odds. The daily influx of influential members of the opposition is a pointer to how ready APC is in Oyo today. The recent composition and inauguration of  a Council of Elders of the party became necessary to further strengthen  the mobilisation and crisis management machinery of the party at the grassroots.

    “The council, though not a creation of the APC constitution, is purely an advisory body which was the initiative of both the governor and the Chief Akin Oke-led State Executive Committee. The council is not meant to replace the party executive committee at any level as being erroneously rumored in some quarters,”  the party’s spokesperson said.

    In a related development, key stakeholders in the ruling APC in the state recently pledged their unwavering loyalty to Governor Ajimobi while distancing themselves from purported cracks in the party. Of interest is the fact that the stakeholders are former disciples of Senator Ladoja, the leader of the Accord Party in the state.

    The state leader of the group formerly known as “Ladoja Idera De”, Alhaji Rasaq Lawal Akilapa told journalists that “there was no basis for any member of our group to ditch APC following the unmatched political prowess and unequalled achievements of the governor, whose reign had returned hitherto elusive peace and had brought all round developments to the nook and cranny of the state with APC members taking the glory of his unprecedented selfless service to the people of the state.”

    Reacting to insinuations that the large number of governorship aspirants within he APC will work in favor of the opposition in 2019, a chieftain of the party, Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan, insists that the growing number of APC members eyeing the governorship seat in Oyo state would not undermine peace and harmony in the party.

    Olaniyan, who recently decamped from Accord Party to the APC, desires to become the governor of the state. His words: “Are the up to 1000? Even if aspirants are up to 1000, the political space is wide enough for