Politics
GSM, When Will Sharafadeen Alli’s Prayers Be Answered?
Politics of preservation manifests in Oyo state, as political gladiators realign to protect and further hiding interests. The people of Oyo state clamoured for change of government, when the former occupant of the Agodi Government House, Senator Abiola Ajimobi was subjected to the public through wholesale media attacks , blackmailing, campaign of calumny with huge Pull Him Down (PHD) strategies by his political adversaries.
He was crucified , nailed to the cross, and they were able to achieve their sole aim which was to score cheap political points, as well as short circuit his political strength and that of his party, the APC in the state.
Despite his brilliant policies tailored at improving the lives of the people, yet, they manipulated the electorates against him and made them believed that the Abiola Ajimobi led administration’s policies were anti- people without human face. The political actors were able to sell their agenda through the media and it was assumed that the ‘injuries’ inflicted by the immediate past administration in the state were unbearable. Then , mediocrity reigned supreme in every aspect of life.
Indeed, for long, when he held sway, the then Governor Abiola Ajimobi had worked assiduously for his senatorial ambition and also to install a successor. A great number of those who called the shots in the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) especially those who had earlier benefitted from his political style felt disenchanted, frustrated and confused when other members of the party are about to benefit from the same political system.
Taking the risk as usual, former Deputy Governor (Operations) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Adebayo Adelabu emerged as the governorship candidate of the then ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state.
This resulted in most of the political actors in the party and members working at cross purposes with the party, which is beyond Senaco, Lamist struggle, since Ajimobi was alleged to had hijacked the party structure.
Interestingly, Governor Seyi Makinde (GSM) eventually secured the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But, for a former governor in the state, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, remaining in the PDP meant a bleak future for him. He, then left with his supporters for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and later to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) with Sharafadeen Alli, secretary to the state government, when Ladoja was Governor, while Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin remained in the ADC to pursue his governorship ambition.
At the end of it all, Chief Ladoja and others saw the need to come together to fight their common enemy – Abiola Ajimobi, who is becoming the emerging political godfather in the state. They realised that participating separately under various political umbrellas comprising the ADC, PDP and ZLP will further confirmed their enemy’s status as the political godfather in Oyo state as the coast was more clearer for the APC candidate, Chief Adebayo Adelabu to becoming the next occupant of the Agodi Government House.
Chief Ladoja went further to midwife and lead a collation where the major opposition parties in the state adopted Seyi Makinde of the PDP, as Sarafadeen Alli and Senator Olufemi Lanlehin sacrificed their governorship ambitions which now serves as tool for bargaining. Members of the political class insisted that Makinde occupies the Agodi Government House and the support base went beyond party line.
The coalition is the first time in the history of the state that opposition parties agreed to ‘gang up’ against the ruling party in the state.
The event which took place at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan was well attended by political elites and footsoldiers targeted at promoting the need for a change of baton. The people were continuously sensitized on why they should vote responsibly, curiously, the much awaited change has commenced and the people have changed the song .
Meanwhile, five opposition parties in the state successfully presented a coalition governorship candidate, Engr Seyi Makinde to run against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The parties in the coalition include African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the New Progressive Movement (NPM).
Speaking at the event, Sen. Lanlehin said, “It is no longer news that a good number of parties in Oyo state have deliberated intensely over the last few weeks and have come to the resolution that there is an urgent need to free our dear state from the shackles of outside oppression and domination.
“We have therefore decided that in order to present an effective and workable solution to the unpalatable situation where Oyo State has been remotely controlled for the past 8 years by outside forces and all manner of constituted authority, there is the need to form this alliance of political parties in the state.
“We have firmly resolved to present one candidate in the person of Engineer Oluseyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party for the office of Governor at the elections holding on 9th March, 2019.
“He shall be heading by the special grace of God and the power of the people of Oyo State, a Government of Unity which will cater for the interest of all our people irrespective of political association.”
Other governorship candidates, Sharafadeen Alli (ZLP), Bolaji Ayorinde (SDP) and Col. Feyisayo Ladoye (NPM) appealed to their supporters to vote for Makinde.
Also, in his short remarks, Chief Ladoja submitted : “It is my pleasure to present to you the agreed candidate for the election coming up on Saturday March 9, and who Insha Allah, will become governor-elect on that day, and will be subsequently sworn in on May 29 as governor of Oyo State.
“He is my son. I present to you Engineer Seyi Makinde.”
Political barriers were broken ; politicians were united in the quest to have a change of leadership in the state. In the government today, is the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and on the number one seat is Seyi Makinde. This was achieved courtesy of the agreement between the major political actors.
The members speaking incognito also disclosed that the incumbent Governor had series of agreements with members of the political class. According to a source in the know, the mutual understanding revolved round positions in cabinet, local governments and parastatals . But the source laments that Seyi Makinde refused to keep its own part of the agreement completely or to a satisfactory level , so to say .
“Look closely at his cabinet and other bodies in government, you will see the manifestations of failed agreement, where is Alli or Lanlehin? Aside from Baba Ladoja, these are the major political juggernauts in the coalition”, one of the members argued.
Governor Seyi Makinde (GSM) has repeatedly maintained that governance transcends party affiliation, while assuring that he would take care of all the interests. But party loyalists find it difficult to understand the governor’s statement.
Shockingly, cracks hit the coalition parties in the state, three months after they forged an alliance that ousted the All Progressives Congress from the seat of power.
The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the March 9 election, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, publicly announced his withdrawal from the alliance.
The ADC guber nominee, in a statement by his media office in Ibadan, said “I, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (Solan), Oyo State Leader of the ADC, hereby announces forthwith, my personal withdrawal from the coalition with Seyi Makinde, the Oyo State Governor.”
Lanlehin, who hinged his decision to quit the coalition on what he tagged Makinde’s non-compliance with the spirit and letters of the terms of the governorship pre-election agreement, also maintained that his party (the ADC) was at liberty to remain in the coalition, and believed it should, in fact, remain.
The former Senator added that he remained a committed member of the ADC, but would adopt a ‘siddon look’ posture in the governance of Oyo State and allied matters.
Considering the configuration of the PDP led government in Oyo state, under the leadership of Engr Seyi Makinde, political observers averred that the best man that can stabilize the present administration as its Scribe (Secretary to the State Government) is Akogun Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli due to his cognate experience in the art of politics and governance as a former local government chairman, ex Secretary to the State Government and ex Chairman, Oodua Investment among others.
Governor Makinde, his Chief of Staff, Oloye Bisi Ilaka and other allies in the government are from private sector with little or no experience as far as public administration and governance is concern, the political watchers added.
Fear of the unknown gripped the occupant of the Agodi Government House, believing that the Ibadan Chief, Akogun Alli, is a threat to his future political ambition and conceding such a position to him or any other relevant role may jeopardise his chances, thus a less prominent role such as an ordinary member of the state advisory council was offered to the ZLP governorship candidate with a view to regulating the growth of his political wings.
Political analysts in the state suggested that a good politician will risk it to keep the last man standing, Akogun Alli at bay, since Lanlehin is old and cannot contest again in 2023.
Though, political observers also believed that he has committed political harakiri considering the ‘kangaroo coalition’ and efforts targeted at sending him to political oblivion, but as a political strategist, Alli has not been successfully displaced or thrown into the dustbin of history, he remains one of the threats to Makinde in 2023.
However, there are nagging questions that requires resolute answers: Was there not agreement between ZLP, PDP and ADC and others before the 2019 guber election? Why not fulfil the agreement for the sake of prosperity? Was the PDP credible enough to dislodge the APC, if not for the alliance?
Another technocrat from the private sector, Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun, was appointed as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) by Governor Seyi Makinde (GSM) while other juicy positions have been doled out to perceived ‘alter egos’ whom were also technocrats. Alli has remained silent and inactive since he has tactically rejected the offer ( Member, Advisory Council).
Presently, neglected politicians are keenly studying the game and forming clusters among themselves for future political games if the status quo remains.
For now, political climate in Oyo state is conducive for governance and development depending on Governor Seyi Makinde’s administrative acumen, but political quagmire may begin after the first two years.
GSM, When Will Alli’s Prayers Be Answered?
By Idowu Ayodele
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the Governor of Ekiti State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, announced the result at about 3:13 a.m. on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti, saying Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest rivals and secure a second term in office.
According to Oladiji, who is the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Oluwole Oluyede, garnered 40,543 votes, while the African Democratic Congress candidate, Dare Bejide, secured 12,872 votes.
She said 384,940 voters were accredited for the election, while 375,777 valid votes were recorded. The electoral umpire also announced that 6,332 votes were rejected, bringing the total number of votes cast to 382,109.
The declaration capped a governorship poll largely adjudged peaceful by observers and security agencies, despite complaints of malfunctioning Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines, delayed commencement of voting in some polling units and allegations of voter intimidation by opposition parties.
INEC said voting was conducted in all the 2,445 polling units across the state’s 16 local government areas, noting that 2,257 units, representing 92.31 per cent, opened before 8.30 a.m., while 188 polling units commenced accreditation and voting before 10.30 a.m. after experiencing minor delays.
The commission also commenced uploading polling unit results to its Results Viewing Portal shortly after the completion of voting and counting in several centres.
The PDP candidate, Oluyede, had expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the exercise at Ugele/Arokun Ward in Ikere Local Government Area, alleging that many prospective voters were disenfranchised due to BVAS-related challenges.
Speaking with journalists after voting at Polling Unit 006, he further alleged cases of harassment and intimidation of voters in the area.
Some elderly voters at the polling unit also lamented difficulties encountered during accreditation and urged INEC to urgently rectify the technical glitches.
The ADC candidate, Bejide, similarly alleged irregularities during the exercise.
However, Oyebanji dismissed the claims, insisting that those making allegations of electoral misconduct should provide credible evidence to support them.
The governor, who voted at Polling Unit 003, Okelele, Ikogosi-Ekiti, in Ekiti West Local Government Area, described the election as satisfactory and urged eligible voters yet to cast their ballots to do so peacefully.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of election security, Abayomi Shogunle, said no case of vote-buying was reported to security agencies throughout the exercise.
Election observers commended the peaceful atmosphere that characterised the poll but raised concerns over procedural inconsistencies.
The First Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Sebastian Anyia, described the process as orderly and peaceful, saying voter turnout was encouraging.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Brenda Anugwom, lauded the resilience of female voters, many of whom remained at polling units for several hours with their children to exercise their franchise.
Yiaga Africa, however, expressed concern over discrepancies involving ballot papers, result sheets and INEC’s published list of candidates, warning that such inconsistencies could create challenges during collation and reconciliation of results.
The election observer group urged INEC to provide further clarification on the final list of participating parties and candidates and issue clear guidance to electoral officials handling result documentation.
Ahead of the poll, INEC and security agencies had repeatedly assured residents of their preparedness to deliver a peaceful, credible and transparent election, deploying personnel and restricting vehicular movement to forestall electoral violence and other offences.
The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has rejected plans by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde to conduct another local government election on December 26, 2026, describing the proposed exercise as illegal, premature and a calculated move to retain political influence at the grassroots beyond the governor’s tenure.
The party declared that it would neither participate in the election nor remain silent over what it termed an attempt to squander public resources on a process allegedly designed to install loyalists in the 33 local government councils and 351 wards across the state.
The controversy followed the decision of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to shift the date earlier fixed for January 2027 to December 26, 2026, after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
The move has continued to generate debate among political observers, many of whom have questioned the urgency of conducting another council poll barely six months before the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent chairmen and councillors elected in the 2024 local government elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the APC said it would not stop at boycotting the election but would also collaborate with “patriots and rational minds” to resist what it called an unnecessary expenditure of taxpayers’ money.
The party accused Governor Makinde of lacking commitment to local government autonomy, alleging that the administration had exercised undue control over council resources for more than seven years.
“The whole world knows that Governor Makinde does not believe in local government autonomy and, when it comes to democracy at the grassroots, he cannot be trusted for anything,” the statement said.
The APC alleged that the proposed poll was aimed at positioning individuals loyal to the governor in local councils before his exit from office on May 29, 2027, arguing that such a move would enable him to sustain political influence after leaving the Agodi Government House.
According to the opposition party, expectations among many residents are centred on ongoing efforts by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to strengthen local government autonomy and ensure that councils enjoy direct access to their statutory allocations without interference from state governments.
The APC also linked what it described as poor development outcomes in some rural communities to the operation of the state-local government joint account system. It cited communities such as Ahoro Esiele and Yawota in Oriire Local Government Area, which have reportedly faced security challenges, as examples of areas where local government resources should have translated into visible improvements.
“It is sad that Governor Makinde appears determined to sustain a system that has left many rural communities vulnerable despite huge allocations accruing to local governments monthly,” the party said.
The opposition further dismissed the local government elections conducted in 2020 and 2024 as lacking credibility, alleging that winners emerged through predetermined outcomes rather than a transparent electoral process.
“The fraud called local government polls in 2020 and 2024 should be the last the people of Oyo State would witness. Governor Makinde and his supporters should bury any thought of staging another charade in which results are announced without genuine voting and public offices become tools for the diversion of public funds,” the statement added.
The APC consequently urged officials of OYSIEC to halt preparations for the proposed December election, warning against actions capable of undermining democratic values and public confidence in the electoral process.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Oyo State Government nor OYSIEC had issued an official response to the allegations raised by the opposition party.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, on Saturday mobilised thousands of artisans and traders across Oyo State in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Oseni said the support base of the Remi Oseni Committee of Friends (ROCOF), in collaboration with other stakeholders, was intensifying efforts to deliver one million votes for the President in the state.
Oseni, Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), said artisans and traders must see themselves as critical stakeholders in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that the success of the administration depends largely on grassroots participation.
The federal lawmaker spoke in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during a stakeholders’ engagement with members of the ROCOF Progressive Workers and Traders’ Associations.
In a symbolic show of political readiness, scores of traders and artisans displayed their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), while Oseni urged eligible Nigerians yet to register to obtain their voter cards ahead of the next general election.
He cautioned against vote-buying and vote-selling, warning that such practices threaten the future of democracy and mortgage the destiny of younger generations.
The meeting, according to Oseni, was also convened to deepen economic support for members through empowerment programmes targeted at strengthening businesses and improving livelihoods.
He announced that requests for a N250 million interest-free loan scheme for artisans and traders, construction of an artisans’ village with stable electricity supply, and health insurance support had received approval.
According to him, the loan facility will be administered through a microfinance bank under the Remi Oseni Foundation to ensure transparency, accessibility and sustainability.
He added that road and infrastructure projects across communities would remain a major priority.
Oseni, who is seeking to represent Oyo South Senatorial District in the next election cycle, also used the meeting to explain his decision to pursue a Senate seat instead of his earlier governorship ambition.
He said the move followed consultations with party leaders and supporters.
According to him, supporters deserved clarity on the political direction of the movement.
He said: “We convened this stakeholders’ meeting to review our present position. Before now, our focus was on leading Oyo State through the governorship. That was our clear objective as a movement, but today, it has become evident that God is directing us towards the Senate.
“Our people needed to understand the reasons for this decision, the position of the party and what we have accepted in the overall interest of our political future. It is not enough for leaders to take decisions. We owe our supporters explanations and must carry them along.
“We have encouraged them to embrace this opportunity in good faith and believe that greater opportunities still lie ahead.
“Many of them felt our governorship ambition would have delivered greater benefits, but we have reassured them that the government remains supportive and the future is bright.
“We have equally assured the President that our decision to pursue the Oyo South Senate seat will not affect the one million votes earlier promised him, because ROCOF structures across the 33 local government areas are fully mobilised and committed to his re-election.”
On the crisis within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oseni said efforts were ongoing to reconcile aggrieved members, expressing confidence that outstanding differences would soon be resolved.
He described competing interests within the party as a reflection of the APC’s growing strength and political attractiveness.
Earlier, the Oyo State Coordinator of ROCOF Progressive Workers and Traders’ Associations, Alhaji Munirudeen Adegoke, described Oseni’s empowerment drive as a strategic investment capable of reducing unemployment, youth restiveness and poverty.
Adegoke said meaningful empowerment for artisans and traders must go beyond temporary palliatives.
According to him, sustainable support requires deliberate policies that guarantee access to capital, improved infrastructure and social protection.
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