A Special Assistant to former governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo state, Barrister Koyejo Oyetunde has described the serving Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Alhaji Bayo Lawal as a disgrace to humanity with short memory.
He said he wouldn’t have reacted to the derogatory statement of the commissioner to some political heavyweights in the state but Bayo Lawal is a known sycophants since his days at Ahamadiya Grammar School, Agege Lagos where he managed to complete his secondary school education, adding that there is need to put record straight for the benefit of those who might not be conversant with the truth of Oyo politics.
Bayo Lawal had on Saturday on a live programme on fresh FM “political circuit” said those who criticize governor Makinde for not fulfilling alliance agreement were political chickens, but Oyetunde said; “Bayo Lawal is an ingrate to the people who brought his principal to power.”
The SA to Ladoja said unlike Makinde, his boss, Ladoja fulfilled gentleman agreement despite it was not written before the election, Ladoja accommodated all the three nominees from Adeojo who was his leader then.
“Ladoja did not appoint him for three years because he was not relevant. He belonged to Adeojo’s group at that time. Meanwhile, Alhaji Adeojo nominated three people which are; Dr. Jelili Amoloye of blessed memory from Igboho, Oorelope local government, Dr. Muritala Tola Adejumo from Atiba local government and Hon. Ojoawo from Ibarapa East local government and they were all given appointment. “If he was of good political value to him, Chief Adeojo could have nominated him for Ladoja,” he said.
He further said Ladoja later made him a commissioner when it was time for cabinet reshuffle following recommendation by his leader, chief Adeojo.
Oyetunde further said Bayo Lawal should not compare himself with the likes of Oloye Sharafadeen Alli, Senator Femi Lanlehin and Femi Babalola who have made history with their names before they clocked 40 years. Senator Lanlehin had been elected to the House of Representatives, appointed as Special Adviser to Asiwaju Tinubu (when he was Lagos State Governor) before he defeated Bayo Lawal to the Senate. Barrister Sharafadeen Alli was elected as local government chairman, appointed as SSG, Chief of Staff and later as Chairman, Board of Directors of the Odua Conglomerate while Engr. Femi Babalola is an accomplished professionals and businessman apart from being a politician. “None of them is a political jobber like Bayo Lawal “.
The SA said it would be unreasonable for Bayo Lawal, an accidental commissioner to think the likes of Alhaji Adebisi Olopoeniyan are on the payroll of his boss before the 2019 election as he was one of Makinde’s paid staff, adding that he knew how Bayo Lawal was running from pillar to post before Makinde made him a commissioner.
On saying Oloye Sharafadeen Alli was full of himself, Oyetunde said; “the commissioner goofed for saying Oloye Sharafadeen Alli is full of himself. I am still wondering how it is possible for someone to be politically matured and as the same time full of himself. He need to approach the likes of Sharafadeen Alli for political tutelage.”
Oyetunde further said Bayo Lawal was only economical with the fact of the commissionership slot given to the ZLP, saying “he had succeeded in exposing his fraudulent tendencies for advising the ZLP to change the local government of Alhaji Waheed Akanbi from Ibadan Northwest to Akinyele local government where he has no root. We decided not to be fraudulent because we wanted to produce a commissioner under Makinde’s government.”
Speaking further, he said the reason the deputy governor of ZLP was not picked as Deputy Governor to Makinde was known to the governor and some leaders of the coalition in 2019 governorship election, adding that the candidate of the ZLP did not collect a kobo from Makinde for the election.
He noted that people should discard what he described as fallacious statements credited to Alhaji Bayo Lawal who never won any election before now, asking him to tell people his political relevance in the past. ” Bayo Lawal doesn’t have any electoral value as he has never won any election, as he has contested twice and lost both times. It’s also on record that he lost his ward when Accord party under which he contested the Senatorial election in 2011 won in all other wards of Ibadan North East.”
