Akintola, who allayed fear of possible crisis, noted  that there is nothing to worry about on the rumbling surrounding who becomes the next Olubadan of Ibadanland.

He informed that the next person in line is known and that has been confirmed by the High Chiefs.

Responding to questions from journalists on Saturday at the traditional burial rites for the late Olubadan, the APC chieftain said, “Our respected fathers are working assiduously to perfect issues regarding the crowning of the next OLUBADAN which is not shrouded in secrecy.”

He also visited the Olubadan-designate, Chief Lekan Balogun and former Governor Rashidi Ladoja.

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A governorship aspirant in Oyo state on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Adeniyi Akintola SAN has expressed shock and grief over the death of the Soun of Ogbomosoland , Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungbade III.

The 95-year-old Oba Oyewumi, the 20th Soun of Ogbomoso, who joined his ancestors in the early hours of Sunday, was also interred on Sunday’s evening in the palace, according to Islamic rites.

The legal icon in a statement by his media aide, Mobolaji Oladepo described the late Soun as a forward looking monarch whose contributions and impacts cannot be forgotten for years to come.

“It came as a rude shock to me that his majesty the Soun of Ogbomosho has joined his ancestors.

“As an Ibadan man whose ancient origins is traceable to Ogbomoso through Balogun Ibikunle and as a politician whose political base and friendships spread across the land I feel highly saddened by the transition at this point of a forward looking monarch like Oba Jimoh Ajagungbade III”, the statement read.

It continued, “I pray that almighty God accept his return and Grant him Aljhanna Firdaus. “Eyin eniyan mi e ku idele, a ku Ara fera ku.”

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Akintola, who featured on a private television station in Ibadan recently, explained that after the Supreme Court’s judgement the Seyi Makinde-led Oyo state government was dilly dallying on the inclusion of the chairmen of the Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the payment.

“But, we let them realise that the legal action was insistuted by both the main Council and the LCDA chairmen”, he added.

The legal luminary, who handled the matter, also noted that the attempt to garnishee the government properties and account was stopped because Governor Makinde was busy with the party and other matters, adding that “we have discussed it and they would be paid soon”.

” I think another factor that delayed the payment was the attitudes of some of the governor’s aides who believed paying the money tantamount to empowering their opponents but the governor has agreed and I believe they will get their money soon”, the APC chieftain reassured.

The frontline legal icon said his aspiration to rule Oyo state in 2023 is still intact.

Akintola, however, informed that he has offered himself to liberate the people of Oyo state and take the state to the next level.

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The groups are the Unity Forum, the Zenith Labour Party(ZLP), the Bayo Adelabu Group,Joseph Tegbe Group forming the bulk of the Ajimobi Legacy Forum and the Niyi Akintola Group.

The five groups rose from a four hour meeting in Ibadan to deliberate on the purported constitution of a zoning committee by former Governor Akala and his alleged controversial Elders Advisory Committee.

Contained in a communique signed by representatives of the groups and released by Alhaji Abu Gbadamosi who presided over the meeting, it was resolved that the constitution of the committee on zoning by the ‘Advisory committee’ is alien to the constitution and practice of the APC.

Also, the APC groups described the Elders Advisory Committee as illegal, adding that it is unknown to the Constitution of the party. “Moreso, the attempt by stakeholders of the party to establish one on September 20,2020 ended in a stalemate”.

They further alleged that the constitution of the zoning committee was undertaken without due consultation with critical stakeholders in the party.

Signatories to the communique included : Senator Ayoade Adeseun, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin,Senator Adesoji Akanbi, Alhaji Abdulraman Adebayo Shittu, former Minister for Communications, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, APC Gubernatorial Candidate, 2019 election, RT HON Gunju Ojo, former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, RT HON Adeniyi Akintola SAN, former Deputy Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Chief Sharafadeen Alli, former Secretary to the Government of Oyo State, Alhaji Waheed Olajide, former Secretary to the Government of Oyo State, Barrister Michael Lana, former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Oyo State, Chief Abubakar Gbadamosi Adejare, Chairman of Elders Council of APC in Oke Ogun Zone, Dr. Joseph Tegbe, Gubernatorial Aspirant, Chief Akinade Fijabi, Chieftain of the APC, Alhaji Basiru Ajibade, Chairman, Ibadan Municipal Elders’ Council and Secretary, Oyo State.

Others are, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Chairman, Nigerian Lotteries Commission, Dr Ismail Adewusi, Post Master General of the Federation. Professor Adeolu Akande, Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Hon. Bimbo Adepoju, former Chairman, Oyo State Hospital Management Board, Hon.Gbenga Olayemi, former Chairman, Oyo State Youth Development Agency, Hon Yekini Popoola, former Chairman, Association of Local Government Chairmen of Oyo State. Chief Bosun Ajuwon, former Chairman, Association of Local Government Chairmen (ALGON), Hon Abass Aleshinloye, forner Chairman, Association of Local Government Chairmen, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi,Deputy State Chairmen,APC, Chief Goke Oyetunji,former State Vice Chairman, APC,Oyo State 

“The path to a rancour-free state congress in the state is the truthful, honest and sincere engagement of critical stakeholders without a clandestine design to foist any group or candidate on the party.

“We implore leaders in the party to live up to the expectations of the exalted positions they are holding in the party and government.

“We restate our loyalty and commitment to the party under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari”, the communique reads.

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A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Oyo state, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN,  on Tuesday, condemned the unabated security challenges in the state, wastage of lives and properties of helpless citizens in Igangan and Ibarapa zone, in general.

The attacks, according to the legal Icon, are becoming once too many, urging the state government to take decisive steps to end the incessant killings to avert resort to self help and total breakdown of law and order.

He commiserates with the people and the leadership of Igangan  community and Ibarapa North local government for the loss of irreplaceable lives and valuables. 

The APC chieftain prays for God’s guidance for the leadership in taking the right measures to checkmate the activities of the blood thirsty vampires and their sponsors.

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According to a statement issued by the group’s Chairman, Mr Olayinka Agboola and  the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Remi Oladoye, the media chat which is scheduled to hold at the exclusive Capital Inn, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State will start by 10:00 a.m.

The event promises to witness the presence of representatives of online media organisations who will be involved in interacting with the Senior Advocate of Nigeria under a very informal atmosphere.

Chief Akintola who is also an All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain is expected to answer questions on national issues and politics among others.

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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

megaiconmagazine@gmail.com,

megaicon@ymail.com,

megaiconmedia@ gmail.com

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Stakeholders in Ido Local Government have declared absolute support for the legal colossus and an illustrious son of the council, Akintola from ward nine (9), Omi-Adio, who recently joined the contest under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as their candidate.

While receiving him yesterday at the Olomi’s palace, Omi-Adio, Ibadan, the traditional institution under the aegis of Olomi in Council led by its Balogun, Chief Mukaila Olasunmade noted that the endorsement was necessary at this critical period due to Akintola’s antecedents and track record,   saying that he has contributed constructively, effectively and positively to the well-being, growth and development of the council and by extension Oyo State.

Akintola addressing the Olomi in Council.

Speaking further, the Balogun, Chief Olasunmade emphasized that the legal luminary on several occasions had endowed many of the indigenes with free scholarships to further their education, given employment opportunities and financial empowerment, community support, financial support to churches and mosques within the council and beyond, declaring that the council, irrespective of political parties is proud to identify with him and his ambition.

Oyo state commissioner for education, science and technology, Prof. Olowofela, Akintola SAN (middle),and APC leader in Ido Lg, Alhaji AJISAFE, at the Olomi’s palace on Sunday.

“During the conflict between Oyo and Ogun at Bakatari over boundary issue which led to crises in the area, Akintola , a true ‘golden son’ of the council came to our rescue by reclaiming the boundary after several legal battles”

“Our council can never forsake Akintola, we are proud of him and happy to identify with his ambition”.

(R-L) Hon. Oladejo, Caretaker Chairman of Ido Lg, Mr. Yusuf, Mrs Adeagbo, Alhaji AJISAFE, APC leader in Ido Lg, Adeniyi Akintola SAN, Prof.Adeniyi Olowofela, Oyo state commissioner for Education, Science & Technology and Barrister Oyekunle, pioneer Chairman, Omi Apata LCDA at the Olomi’s palace on Sunday.

Kinsfolk welcoming Akintola to the palace.

“This is the time for us to show appreciation to Akintola for a life full of service and support to his people. The fact that he has accepted to contest the governorship election in 2019, we feel that God Almighty has given us an opportunity to pay him back for all he has done to us by massively supporting his election bid”.

” He ameliorated the plights of the people and put smiles on the faces of the distressed”, he added.

They jointly advised him to hold on to the trademark, while reiterating their unblinking support.

Akintola participating in Sunday’s ward nine (9) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Earlier in his address, Mr Akintola lauded the state governor, Abiola Ajimobi for his superlative performance, just as he promised selfless service to the the people

The ex-lawmaker, however sued for peace within the party calling on groups to resolve conflicting interests. “We need to sheath the sword and embrace peace. We must let our actions and utterances have a common goal”.

The governorship aspirant was accompanied by APC chieftains in the council comprising Alhaji Kamorudeen Ajisafe, Pa Olayiwola Lakundoro, Alhaji Basiru Babalola, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology.

Others are Hon. Wahab Oladejo, Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ido Local Government, Barrister Niyi Oyekunle, Caretaker Committee Chairman, Omi -Apata LCDA and a younger brother to Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Mr. Teslim Ajimobi, Caretaker Committee Chairman, Ibadan South East Local Government amongst others.

Akintola, who held a closed door meeting with the APC Elders Council in Ido Local Government, also participated in Sunday’s ward nine (9) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Islamic Primary School, Abidogun, Omi-Adio.
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