2023: Continuous assessment report of gubernatorial gladiators in Oyo APC

In our research across voters, governance and stakeholders in Oyo state, we came across other gubernatorial interests such as that of the international surgeon, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan , AD’s Hakeem Alao, Ibadan highly influential chief, socialite and politician, Sarafadeen Alli, elder statesman, Barrister Olufemi Lanlehin, and many of the highly empowered late Governor Ajimobi ‘guys’.

Huhn! Truth is sacred, bitter and sometimes hard to tell. Readers should please permit us to limit our analysis to seven (7) aspirants; though in our altruistic service to the society, Nigeria, our generation and humanity, we believe sincerely we are helping some people and systems towards engaging in logical reasoning. We are unapologetic in doing this and we welcome criticisms and differing opinions both objective, parochial and biased ones. Tomorrow, we pray all get there, is very near.

In the APC gubernatorial contest going forward, the following names usually come up at least for now and they included: Bayo Adelabu, Teslim Folarin, Niyi Akintiola, Bayo Shittu, Fatai Buhari, Joseph Tegbe and Sunday Dare. We can quickly add that except incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde himself decamp to APC ( anything is possible in Nigerian politics), any new gladiator towards 2023 election is likely to be wasting his time and resources.

In our previous submission, we have opined that it is in APC interest to trim the number of contestants to various offices. The myriads of contending interests were also partly responsible for the loss of many seats to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election. The party elders and stakeholders need to learn lessons on how Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT), the Jagaban manages political interests and contenders for elections in Lagos state. See how the fresh run-up Senatorial election was wisely settled with no rancour, that is leadership. Other factors for APC loss in Oyo state was the fact that the person who emerged to contest the gubernatorial election could not manage others who contested with him.

Again, he needs to learn how Rotimi Akeredolu Aketi of Ondo state visited, begged and carried along other contestants towards his gubernatorial election in year 2020. All the above were factors that made the merger that propped up Seyi Makinde to work. We are of the opinion that many traditional archaic, premodial interests in Oyo State APC need to be checkmated to enable the party has a headway in the state and move forward .

From the foregoing therefore, if APC will go to the 2023 election seriously, the number of contenders who will vie in the primary must be reduced to the barest minimum. The eventual candidate must of necessity deliberately and compulsory embrace other contenders and the APC must fashion out ways to merge with other parties, caucuses, political gatekeepers. As a follow up to our earlier opinion, we advise and profess that it is in the best interest of Oyo State APC to accept the State leadership of former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and cooperate with him in the onerous task of galvanising all interests.

Oyo APC Gubernatorial Gladiators

Bayo Adelabu : Was a former deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He, therefore came into politics with a rich corporate and sound educational pedigree. He had no visible political structure and relied substantially on the Ajimobi’s political structure and succession plan that did not work for him in the 2019 election. The influential Ibadan voters did not vote for anything or anybody Ajimobi in 2019 and so Adelabu failed.

Still, he has the young, progressive, mostly diasporan Ibadan upcoming but rich elites rooting for him. Apart from occasional philanthropic activities he is into, he is not funding any impactful political structure. He has concentrated more on his hotels and other businesses. To many other contenders, he is regarded as a political neophyte and to line up behind him is considered degrading by his political seniors.

Except he is imposed again, or Chief Bayo Adelabu funds Oyo State APC politics more and expand his political networks, the truth is that he cannot win a free and fair primary as things stand now.

Teslim Folarin: Is coming from the political family of the late strongman of Ibadan politics- High Chief Lamidi Adedibu. As it stands, Teslim had the backing of the traditional PDP conservatives; this is both a strength for him and a weakness. A weakness in the sense that the traditional progressives do not trust the PDP family; they belief he may decamp after winning through the APC. This may poses challenge for him to win the APC primary except the new State Party leader ,Chief Bayo Alao-Akala backs him.

However, if he wins APC primary, in the spirit of esprit de corps, his comrades from the Adedibu camp will back him. In the gubernatorial contest, he had a rich political pedigree, having risen to the post of a Senate leader in the National Assembly, he is educated and well connected.

Being an high chief of Ibadanland, he commands wide acceptance in Ibadan’s eleven (11) local governments out of the thirty three (33) local governments in the state. However, he is not as popular in other senatorial zones. While he was in the Senate, his constituents complained of lack of stomach infrastructure. He does not have deep pockets, but judging by his performances in electoral contests , Teslim know how to win elections.

Niyi Akintiola : Is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a former majority leader, Oyo State House of Assembly. He is also a Chief in Ibadanland and had won many political cases for the progressives camp. He has meagre following among the critical Ibadan elders and no visible political structure. Aside all these, he is not politically influential outside Ibadanland.

He cannot win a free and fair primary in the APC except he is imposed. Though, highly cerebral and progressive minded, but Akintola has not shown that he has the required deep and extensive funding and networks for a gubernatorial contest in a wide state like Oyo state.

Olasunkanmi Tegbe: Was brought into contest the gubernatorial election by the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi. Prior to year 2019 elections, he was not known in the political landscape of Oyo State politics. He came in with sound education and wide experience and exposure in the corporate world. He had no political structures aside the Ajimobi political structure and was largely sponsored with strategies, networks and funding. He has been able to reach out and undertake meagre philanthropic activities.

Initially, his state of origin was a battle he had to fight. The Ajimobi political structure were ready to encourage him with funding. He is a neophyte politically and the political arena has moved farther than a stranger in the field emerging as a gubernatorial candidate in the highly politically sophisticated state such as Oyo state. He has so much work to do to come to reckoning.

Sunday Dare : Is the current Minister of Youths and Sports. He has good educational pedigree and is reputed to be a tested and trusted political godson of the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Before he was appointed minister, he was not even known as an indigene of Oyo state. He did not actively participate in the political activities. He has distributed some stomach infrastructures since he was appointed a minister.

Apart from his political god father funding his political moves, he cannot single-handedly fund a gubernatorial move. Except he is imposed from above to the disadvantage of APC members in Oyo state, he cannot win a free and fair primary.

To his disadvantage too, the State APC Leader, former Governor of Oyo state, Adebayo Alao Akala is from Ogbomoso , the Oyo state APC chairman, Chief Akin-Oke is from Ogbomoso. Sunday Dare also comes from same Ogbomoso. This arrangement cannot work as Oyo state APC stands now.

Bayo Shittu: Is a lawyer, former lawmaker, commissioner, and ex-minister of Communications in the first term of President Buhari democratic administration. He started contesting for the gubernatorial ticket under the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) merged to form the new APC. He had not really fit in to win in the new competition that faced him in APC. He was at loggerheads with the former governor of Oyo state, late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

He cannot and will not be able to get the support of the highly empowered and influential SENACO group of APC anytime he wants to contest, especially for the governorship ticket. He is labelled a religious bigot and cannot win a free and fair election in Oyo state. He has neither the funds, network or acceptability to pursue a gubernatorial contest. However, he played a leading role in ensuring that the Unity Forum, a breakaway faction of the Oyo APC had enough protest votes and political advocacies to dislodge APC candidate from being elected as Governor in year 2019.

Therefore, efforts should be made to retain Bayo Shittu within the progressive group and APC interests during elections.

Abdulfatai Buhari: Is a serving Senator in the current National Assembly from Oyo North Senatorial District. Arguably, he is offering several dividends of democracy to people from his zone. His experience in the two chambers of the National Assembly is a plus for him. Senator Buhari also a former Commissioner in the state has good educational pedigree, widely respected in his Senatorial district and within the APC as a party.

However, it is doubtful whether the influential Ibadan voters are ready for a non Ibadan indigene to be elected a Governor now. Aside this, the Senator has a background of being a cross-over leader from the conservative PDP party, this is not usually comfortable for long standing progressives.

Conclusion:

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chance is high to recapture the governorship seat in Oyo state. If Dr. Olusola Ayandele Eruobodo from Ibarapa zone, Senator Adesoji Akanbi or Sarafadeen Alli could be given the Senatorial ticket for Oyo South , Abdulfatai Buhari/Barrister Adebayo Shittu/ for Oyo North Senatorial district and Prince Akeem Adeyemi/Akin Alabi/Yunus Akintunde for Oyo Central and all these candidates agree to work for a formidable Muslim gubernatorial candidate from Ibadan with a strong , hardworking christian deputy governorship candidate from Oyo North Senatorial district, Oke-Ogun to be precise, and humbly working together with other political parties and caucuses, Oyo State APC will return to the Agodi Government House.

But, who is the Muslim governorship candidate from Ibadan ? Time will tell.

Let us do it together

* We are researched – based

• By last quarter of 2020, we shall review the above submissions according to realities on the ground by December 2020

*You too can work with us. Fill and send to us. Rate each person from 1%-100% according to the following indices : Education, Ibadan elders, funding, governance pedigree, Lagos support, political structure, statewide impact.

Also state your name and local government in Oyo state.

Idowu Ayodele
Political Desk
Mega Icon Magazine

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