Legal luminary and gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2019 election, Chief Niyi Akintola has revealed that the party lost the election because of the inability of its leadership to settle their differences.
According to Akintola, who is the Aare Bamofin of Ibadan, the party has been badly divided in the state that it will need a true reconciliation for peace to return.
Akintola spoke while contributing to a Whatsapp chat. He has also confirmed to OYO INSIGHT that he authored the piece.
This newspaper recalls that Akintola and others were asked to step down for Oloye Bayo Adelabu as the APC governorship candidate in the 2019 election.
He accused some party leaders who he said were of timorous souls became Lily livered because of temporary advantages and crumbs.
Akintola narrated how he together with others were waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign train at Mapo and nine of the 33 party chairmen in the state filed themselves in and went straight to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and told him that “Ogawa Asiwaju, tieko basenkankan kiakia lori awon ti atise, ati awon aspirants kato dibo, aoni wole ninu idibo tonboyio. Otito oro dele, ejekaso funrawao. Onkan tanri tasingbo ko funny rarao”.
He added that a shocked Asiwaju called him and others that included Chief Tajudeen Olusi and Alhaji Mutiu Are and asked the chairmen to repeat that they had said.
Akintola quoted the chairmen as asking Asiwaju to lead the reconciliatory move but without Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, who was then governor.
He said the peace efforts was thwarted “by those who felt they were in control of the “body and souls” of Oyo state people.”, adding that it was common to hear ‘the power that be’ boasting that “Enitimba nawoe soke loma wole.”
He disclosed how “many hapless aspirants were cajoled into the wild goose chase even when it was obvious that someone else was being groomed. Two of us were cajoled to make fund available for the party convention of June, 2018. A very top state government official was sent to collect the finds that runs into millions from me. Another co aspirant was similarly 419nied. He too, was similarly conned and he parted with millions.
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Most party leaders were of the Timorous souls. They lost their balls and became Lily livered because of temporary advantages and crumbs. They lacked the guts to say in public what they were saying in their closets.
I was present at the Presidential rally of PMB right in the state box at Mapo in Ibadan. Asiwaju was already seated waiting for PMB and his entourage. Many of us failed but offended aspirants were there inside the state box waiting for the President and his host Governor.
I was seated in between the state Deputy Chairman of our party Hon Chief Adeyemo and Dr Moronkola Thomas. Each of us was doing a post mortem on our rancorous primaries for which no aspirant was appeased by the power that be. Then sauntered into the state box one of the most despicable characters single handedly anointed State party Vice Chairman for one of the Zones. A very dubious but crafty fellow that would make mockery of the Character called “Benja Benja” in the classical novel titled “One man, One Machete “green with envy. Trust yours truly, I ignored the despicable folk and gave him cold shoulder but the Deputy Chair would not let me be. He said “Niyi Oki lagbaja tonkie ni”? to which I responded in English language with acidic innuendo that “I don’t dignify unscrupulous fellows with my presence and precious greetings”. I moved two seats away from them and sat two rows away to the front. Some other tolerable folks came along and sat with me. Then, the unexpected happened.
Nine (9) party party chairmen from the local governments in the state filed themselves in and went straight to our national leader. After exchanging pleasantries with him, their leader blotted out in the following words “Ogawa Asiwaju, tieko basenkankan kiakia Lori awon ti atise, ati awon aspirants kato dibo, aoni Wole ninu idibo tomboyio. Otito oro dele, ejekaso funrawao. Onkan tanri tasingbo ko funny rarao”. Meaning, “Our boss and leader, if nothing is done to appease frayed nerves by you, bring all the aggrieved aspirants on board , assure them of their relevance, make concessions here and there and bring them on board of our campaigns with their structures, we would lose the forthcoming elections and it would be disastrous to all and sundry.
Asiwaju was aghast, shocked and bewildered. He becon on me, called Prince Tunde Olusi from Lagos, Uncle Mutiu Are and one other fellow I can’t picture now and asked these chairmen to repeat what they had said to him. Of course the Chairmen repeated themselves and added further that Asiwaju himself should lead the appeasement efforts with the party chairmen in tow but without the incumbent Governor. Asiwaju promised to do just that and appointed ALHAJI Mutiu Aare and Prince Olusi to co-ordinate the efforts. Alas, the efforts were aborted by those who felt they were in control of the “body and souls” of Oyo state people. It was common then to hear the power that be boast thus “Enitimba nawoe soke loma wole” meaning whosoever I raise his hands would win the elections. Neither God nor the people of Oyo state were factored in. We were playing God, taking the electorates for granted and forgetting that those of us in party politics are less than 2% of the electorates. We assumed too much. We defer to no one. The party executive peopled with the likes of “Benja Benja ” was busy ratifying anything from the bad, the ugly and the worst with the refrain “Nkan ti ebatiwi nani sa.” Meaning Whatever you say or wants is our command sir. No consultations, no concessions and no consideration for the feelings of others.
Aspirants were encouraged to spend their resources, time, goodwill in building the party and solidify same across the 351 wards in the state.
Many hapless aspirants were cajoled into the wild goose chase even when it was obvious that someone else was being groomed. Two of us were cajoled to make fund available for the party convention of June, 2018. A very top state government official was sent to collect the finds that runs into millions from me. Another co aspirant was similarly 419nied. He too, was similarly conned and he parted with millions. The game of divide and rule was craftly played to conned the aspirants. Egos were bruised and wounds inflicted.
Even, Hitler couldn’t have done anything better. The aforementioned party Chairmen and party leaders mentioned herein are still alive and kicking except one of the Local governments in Ibadanland chairmen who joined the Saint Triumphants a couple of months ago.
Let the truth be told, it was the APC that defeated APC in the last elections. We became intolerant, powerdrunk, ungodly, arrogant, and were clothed with overbloated ego. We rely so much on the power of money, sold our souls to Lucifer and consigned the fate of party members to the whims and caprices of inner family members. Things have fallen apart and the centre no longer holds. Only genuine repentance, Omoluabi ethos, discipline and progressive principles can set us back on the track of recovery and neither roadshows, social media and print media driven propaganda would help our recovery agenda.
I had deliberately left out some vital, sensitive and valuable information and facts at my disposal in this write up as to why? How? When? Where we failed in the interest of our party. Time which is the healer of all wounds would take care of the future God willing. So long to all in the house.
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