Politics
Oyo 2019: Adelabu, An Enemy of Himself !
By Idowu Ayodele, and Taiwo Oluwadamilare, Ibadan
FOLLOWING various crises in Oyo State political space, the All Progressives Congress, APC appeared to have edge over the oppositions in the state.
However, after the APC governorship candidate, Mr Adebayo Adelabu won the party’s ticket, he seems to be fueling intraparty crisis by creating enmities among members of the ruling party.
It would be recalled that during primaries which eventually produced Adelabu as flag bearer, all the aspirants enjoyed supports from party stalwarts especially the leading aspirant, Engr Olasunkanmi Tegbe who enjoyed total support from the people at the corridors of power before the pendulum swung and stepped down among other contestants for Adelabu as a result of Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s intervention.
After the emergence of Adelabu, the expectation of the party faithfuls was for him to reconcile, resolve differences among warring party members to stand better chances in the forthcoming poll. But surprisingly, Adelabu is busy pointing accusing fingers to those who supported his contemporaries in the primary most especially, Tegbe.
The cabinet members and others at the corridors of power who are the governors’ think tank are yet to resolve with Adelabu, an internal crisis which could best be described as ‘cold war’.
The political strategists and influencers whom could also contribute to Adelabu’s victory are now his ‘perceived enemies’ because they didn’t support him during the race to the primary.
According to sources, the guber nominee, Adelabu has been alleged to have constituted his cabinet when the election is less than 3 months to be held. As a result of the aforementioned, the emergence of Adelabu as the APC’s standard bearer in the 2019 governorship election is now causing commotions among the progressive fold.
The incidence of an APC party member can be regarded as an evident instant of crisis rocking the ruling party after emergence of Adelabu.
Isiaka, popularly called ‘Adedibu’ who resides around Monatan axis of Ibadan, Oyo state capital recounted his ordeal in the hands of Adelabu’s boys for allegedly supporting one of his co-contestants, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan in the APC’s guber primary.
Isiaka, nicknamed Adedibu in a chat with our reporter on Friday
Isiaka, the APC member on evening of Friday, November 23, 2018 around 9:01pm while speaking with Mega Icon Magazine said he went to Adelabu’s hotel situated at Jericho, but on getting there, he didn’t see anybody around. He said: “I went to his hall where we used to hold meetings, also located around the same Jericho axis in Ibadan.
“When I got to the hall, I met them there and other people. But, surprisingly when they saw a face cap on me, with an inscription of Ganiyat Olawore Omo oku orun (Former Special Assistant to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Political Matters, Community Relations and Agriculture), the Adelabu’s boys fumed that Ganiyat didn’t worked for them during the primaries but rather worked for Dr. Azeez Adeduntan.
But I quipped, “Ganiyat (Omo oku orun, who also secured APC ticket for state Assembly) is our person”. And I can tell you that I have not benefitted anything from Adeduntan. It is based on the governor’s instruction that we should continue to work for the party irrespective of individual differences that made me give my support to Ganiyat. That’s why I deemed it necessary to go to Adelabu to get some posters to paste around my axis in Monatan.
“But when Roma, one of Adelabu’s aides and SA to the Governor saw me with Ganiyat’s face cap, he said I have told you before that this guy (me) isn’t Adelabu’s loyalist, saying that I am Ganiyat’s loyalist working for Dr Azeez Adeduntan. Another one said I am Tegbe’s loyalist and I told them that I am for Adelabu. All of a sudden, they started beating me , stabbed me with bottle, hit me on the head with stones.
“My head, hands and body were stabbed which mutilated my skin through other sharp objects. They are many, Adelabu was there, even his Personal Assistant, Boye”, Isiaka narrated further.
As a result of related issues like this, some APC members in the state are ready to work for candidates in their respective areas but not for ‘Penkelemesi’, (Adelabu’s branded name) due to alleged fences around him or intra-party crisis caused by Adelabu and his men.
It would be recalled that when Governor Abiola Ajimobi inaugurated his campaign committee in 2007, 2011 and 2015 respectively, the committees were comprised of people with familiar faces and the doors to his Oluyole private residence were opened to everyone.
“Any candidate eyeing the Agodi Government House must be submissive and decline hiring a reputable construction companies like Julius Berger (JB) to construct fences around him like that of biblical ‘Jericho wall”, another source submitted
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has criticized the alleged forceful conversion of public reading and learning facilities in Dugbe, Ibadan, into shopping malls and lock-up shops by the state government, describing the development as shameful, ill-conceived, and unacceptable.
In a statement released over the weekend by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the APC also raised concerns about the alleged sale of the modern motor park facility at Wema Area on New Ife Road, Ibadan, built during the administration of the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
According to the party, the motor park has been sold to a pastor who presides over a popular church near the facility.
Residents of Ibadan, the state capital, were reportedly stunned when they noticed the sudden erection of massive private business complexes within the premises of the Oyo State Library Board.
The facilities, built by the defunct Western Region government, had served as public libraries and archives for decades, benefitting students, researchers, and tourists until recently.
“It is a sad reality that the buildings which used to serve as public libraries and archives in Dugbe axis of Ibadan have now paved the way for the development of commercial and business structures,” Sadare said.
“The implication is that education and research development have been relegated to the background in the state by an administration that has done little to address the poor reading culture among young students.”
The APC expressed alarm over what it termed the erosion of public heritage under Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, alleging that public properties are being sold or leased to private individuals and groups under questionable circumstances.
“How can a government wake up one day and convert public reading facilities and archives into lock-up shops in the name of making money, thereby subjecting society to the dangers of illiteracy and ignorance?” the statement queried.
The party also cited other instances of alleged mismanagement of public assets, including the concession of OYSADEP Guest House in Saki and Agbowo Shopping Complex in Ibadan, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to the state’s socio-economic development.
“Sad enough, the ignoble activities of the governor and a few other characters around him as they involve mismanagement of land and other resources belonging to the state have paved the way for a surge in land grabbing cases in most parts of the state capital. There are many cases involving appointees of the governor, PDP lawmakers, local government officials, and party chieftains,” the statement added.
The APC called on well-meaning individuals and stakeholders in the state to demand accountability from the Makinde administration and halt what it described as the systematic erosion of public resources and heritage.
Over 300 constituents of Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in Oyo State benefitted from a skill acquisition and empowerment programme organized by their representative in the National Assembly, Hon. Akinmoyede Olafisoye.
The event, held at Faith Joe Event Centre, Alegongo, Akobo, Ibadan, aimed to address the challenges of unemployment and economic hardship by equipping participants with practical skills and financial support.
The programme focused on empowering youths, students, and unemployed graduates to become self-reliant. Each participant was provided with a certificate, a Point of Sale (POS) terminal, an umbrella, and ₦100,000 as a startup grant to kickstart their businesses.
The tools and financial aid were designed to enable beneficiaries to establish sustainable sources of income.
Participants received comprehensive training, gaining hands-on experience to ensure they could effectively utilize the tools provided. The POS machines were configured with the personal details of the recipients, ensuring proper use and discouraging unauthorized transfers.
Addressing the participants, Akinmoyede who is the Chairman House Committee on Nigeria/ Mexico Parliamentary Friendship enjoined the beneficiaries to explore the opportunity for their benefit by ensuring that they use the machines for the purpose it was meant for.
He added that all the machines have been configured with the documents of individual beneficiaries which will make it very difficult to transfer to another person.
In his goodwill message, the Oyo Central Senatorial chairman of APC, Hon. Joshua Oyebamiji said comparing what the lawmaker has been doing in the area of dishing out empowerment and palliatives to his constituents, it is difficult to tag him a first-timer at the national assembly.
While appreciating Akinmoyede for his gesture at the event, former APC Deputy State Chairman, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, and Hon. Akinbode Emmanuel said they were yet to discover the magic wand being used by the lawmaker for his constant and habitual empowerment programmes.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the end of the training, Afolabi Kuburat, Akinropo Akindotun, Ajala Abisade Iyabo, and Grace Anuoluwapo Ayinde lauded the lawmaker for giving them the opportunity to be self-reliant at this time when Nigerians are facing economic hardship.
The House of Representatives member representing Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency Oyo State, Hon. Prince Akinmoyede Olafisoye Wasiu has initiated another skill acquisition and capacity-building training for no fewer than 300 members of his constituency.
The initiative which is being organized in partnership with Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan is part of a strategic effort by the lawmaker to foster rural development of cooperative for their economic emancipation and break the shackles of poverty so as to alleviate the impact of the high cost of living among the people in Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency he represents.
The training programme is coming up on Monday 18th November, 2024 at Faith Joe Event Centre hall. Alegongo, Ibadan by 8.00am.
A statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the lawmaker, Alimi Abdullahi stated that the capacity-building is designed to equip participants with essential entrepreneurial skills with a view to building sustainable livelihoods and improve the quality of lives of the people of Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency.
All the participants for the training are expected to be at the venue by 8am so as not to miss any part of the training.
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