The power tussle plaguing the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state took a new twist recently when gladiators went their separate ways, KEHINDE OSASONA writes.
Shortly after the 2019 governorship election in Oyo state, some leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state accused the state Governor Seyi Makinde of abandoning those who laboured for his victory.
The aggrieved party leaders and other members alleged that Governor Makinde had abandoned them for people outside the party and groups in term of appointments and patronages.
Although the governor has denied these allegations at different fora, the group has insisted that they have been ‘used and dumped’.
While explaining the situation, in a recent interview, a former Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, Alhaja Mulikat Adeola-Akande, said: “I feel used, l feel dumped. I think this was the situation from day one but l didn’t see it, l was just like PDP must win, PDP must win. That was what l was saying.”
Akande, who apologised to those she led to work and vote for Governor Makinde, told journalists that she stepped on toes for supporting the governor.
“I was blinded by the success l wanted for PDP and nothing more. It was nothing personal,’’ she lamented further.
But as claims and counter-claims persists, the crisis penultimate months assumed another dimension when a faction opposed to the governor unveiled a party secretariat office around the Bodija Area in Ibadan.
This medium scooped that the emergence of the parallel state secretariat may not be unconnected with plans for the much anticipated congresses billed to hold across the state.
Not comfortable with the developments, masked hoodlums allegedly sponsored by factions loyal to the governor reportedly attacked and vandalized the building.
According to sources that are in the know, the hoodlums carried out the dastardly act around evening, throwing residents and passers-by into panic and pandemonium.
One of the aggrieved leaders who opened the parallel secretariat, Alhaji Bisi Olopoeyan, has accused another chieftain of the party as being behind the attack on the building.
Also, reacting from the governor’s camp a former Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Hosea Agboola, who is also the Chairman of the governor’s advisory council in Oyo state, accused those fighting the governor of insincerity, describing the governor as a huge asset to the PDP in the state and in the South-west.
“Many of them address the governor, who is also the PDP leader in the South-West, in most uncharitable manner and this is in bad taste. Governor Makinde before venturing into the public service had made tremendous success as a businessman.
“He rose from there to win a landslide victory as the PDP governorship candidate in the 2019 election. And the 2019 electoral victory came at a time both the state and federal government were being controlled by the ‘almighty’ All Progressives Congress (APC), yet Makinde triumphed and won to prove the bookmakers wrong,” Agboola said.
According to him, “Governor Makinde is achieving so much as Oyo state is witnessing turnaround in education, health, infrastructure and the economy,” just as he urged chieftains and leaders of the party to refrain from taking sides in the crisis.
Can Makinde swim against the tide?
Governor Makinde has proven his leadership of the party in the zone with opposition members from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and All Progressive Congress (APC), led by former Deputy Governor, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, joining the PDP.
This is as former Governor Ayo Fayose and his group had allegedly placed hurdles in the way of smooth running of the party in the state.
Feelers in the Oyo political sphere are of the views that far from the support the governor is getting from loyal party elders and leaders-alike, he has fresh hurdles to scale in the party.
Apart from the factionalisation of the party by aggrieved persons that is already tearing the party apart ahead of the 2023 general elections some of the governor’s loyalists have also cried out that they have been marginalised in the scheme of things.
The recent accusation which came from the unexpected quarters this medium learnt was as a result of recent dissolution of Makinde cabinet which was allegedly targeted at individuals and group within the party.
In what could be likened to ‘salt upon injury’, amidst the confusion created by rumours of moves to factionalize the party, the governor had announced the dissolution of his cabinet, sacking all members of the state executive council except three.
As APC romances Ladoja, ZLP
In what could be described as a ‘Political Masterstroke’, last week, indication emerged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in Oyo State may have begun merger talks ahead of the 2023 general elections.
By that move, Senator Rashidi Ladoja-led ZLP who hitherto gave Gov Makinde support in 2019 may have fell for APC bait, a development which has now sent jittery down the spine of the ruling PDP.
The ZLP under the leadership of ex-Governor Rashidi Ladoja spearheaded the coalition of ZLP, PDP, Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and a faction of Alliance for Democracy (AD) that snatched the state from the APC government, producing Makinde as the governor in 2019.
This medium learnt that the meeting with the APC, which held at Premier Hotel, Ibadan, was at Ladoja’s instance and was attended by notable leaders of both APC and ZLP. While the 2019 governorship candidate of ZLP, Sharafadeen Alli, led a team of Ladoja’s loyalists to the meeting, APC was led by the party chairman, Chief Akin Oke.
While speaking to journalists on the issue, Wale Ohu, said there was nothing new about the meeting. He said it was merely party consultations with the possibility of working together as politicians that have been in Oyo state.
“The faces are not new. We know ourselves. We look at the possibility of making Oyo state better if we can now work together. That is the paramount thing in our mind and that is the essence of the sitting,” he said.
Also speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the former Speaker of the House of Assembly and a chieftain of ZLP, Adeolu Adeleke, disclosed that the parties was consulting in order to have a better and more secure political future in the overall interest of the state.
Answering reporters’ questions on whether Ladoja sanctioned the meeting Adeleke said: “It will be extremely difficult for me to answer that question. But one thing that I can tell you authoritatively is that I can never engage myself in such a meeting without the consent of Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.
“We have not taken the final decision. We are going to meet other political party, and that is PDP. But one thing I can tell you on a good note is that, at least, for now, from a human perspective, it is either we belong to the PDP or we belong to APC at the end of the day,” he added.
Can Saraki’s c’tee salvage party?
Despite the fact that the National Reconciliation Strategy Committee (NRSC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has waded into the matter, the Oyo scenario appears a hard nut to crack for it.
While confirming the committee’s effort at quelling the crisis, the NRSC Chairman, Senator Bukola Saraki, confirmed to journalists that some aggrieved people have given certain conditions for their return and continuous work with the party in the state.
Topmost on the demand of the aggrieved members it was learnt was the recognition of those who worked hard to secure the victory of the party at the last election.
He said: “We are here as part of the National Reconciliation Strategy Committee assignment and we are very happy with what has transpired this afternoon within the PDP family.
“All the parties have resolved to work together under the leadership of our performing Governor Seyi Makinde. We have decided to put aside our differences and work towards ensuring that PDP is victorious not only in the state, but also at the national level.”
With Saraki and members recent visit to Ibadan it remains to be seen if Governor Makinde would hold a peace meeting with the aggrieved members as directed by the Saraki-led NRSC committee.
As it were, the question on the lips of stakeholders remains whether Saraki-led committee in bringing lasting peace.
