Makinde’s “Daddy Forgive Me” Isn’t Enough, Lanlehin And Alli Also Deserve Apologies | Ademola ‘Bablow’ Babalola

Since it’s not possible to play politics alone— like a game of soccer, which requires team work – one definitely needs people to support his ambition if one really wants to go far in politics. No one person can succeed alone in politics irrespective of huge war-chest to finance his political aspiration. No political sagacity, without having others’ supports, can amount to anything.

Until Gov. Makinde came out recently to apologize to Sen. Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja and declared that the latter, Ladoja, midwived his victory in the 2019 Oyo gubernatorial election, some believed that the election was singlehandedly won by Makinde and his supporters. Of course I didn’t blame them because that was exactly what Mr governor made them to believe. But can history be rewritten?

Why did it take Makinde so long to come in the open to declare and appreciate the contribution of Ladoja in his electoral victory in 2019 election? Why did the governor now chose to recognize only Ladoja as a lone gladiator that helped him, Makinde, to come out triumphantly in the election? Why does the governor still incline to neglect some key personalities who also contributed to his electoral victory? Or does the governor think that the candidate or candidates who dropped their ambitions for him to have a smooth ride to the governor’s office deserve no apologies for being cast aside for over five years?

I can recall vividly when Makinde, in 2015, contested for Oyo state gubernatorial seat on the platform of Social Democratic Party, SDP. This was the period when he had few or no political heavyweight in the state backing his gubernatorial ambition. Everyone, even a novice in politics, quite understood that Makinde’s aspiration that very year could not hold water. And true to people’s assumption, Makinde eventually came fifth behind Sen Teslim Kolawole Folarin, a PDP candidate, who took forth position. The election of that year was won by the APC candidate, Late Abiola Ajimobi, who beat Sen Ladoja of Accord Party to a second position while late Alao Akala of Labour Party came third in the same election.

In 2019, Makinde— notwithstanding the two parallel congresses which were conducted simultaneously at both Watershed Event Center and Baptist School Oke Ado, which produced two state executives – got hold of the Peoples Democratic Party structure. Many in the PDP believed that they were fraudulently outsmarted by Makinde, and this eventually forced some eminent members of the party, Sen. Ladoja, Sen. Lanlehin, Nureni Adeniran and some party’s members out of the PDP to pitch their tent with the newly founded party, African Democratic Congress, ADC.

Sen Ayo Adeseun, though was also not satisfied with the outcome of the congress, chose to remain in the party. He contested the primary election against Makinde but the latter, Makinde, won the primary election landslide with total votes of 2,772 against Adeseun’s 21 votes.

Exactly during the period that the PDP was battling internal crises, the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Oyo was also enmeshed and entangled in political skirmishes. Many groups in the APC were complaining that the incumbent governor, Ajimobi, had totally relegated them to the background. The formidable members, Soji Akanbi, Monsurat Sunmonu, Lam Adesina loyalists (Lamists) and others had no option but to opt out of the APC.

Nobody forsaw or envisaged emergency of third force in Oyo state in 2019 election like people witnessed in 2011 and 2015 when Accord Party gave both the ACN and PDP a run for their money. No one believed there would be a third formidable party which would slug it out with the APC and PDP in 2019. But owing to the crises in both parties, APC and PDP, a third force, African Democratic Congress, ADC, was adopted.

The disgruntled elements in both APC and PDP – Sen. Ladoja, Sen Lanlehin, Sen. Soji Akanbi, Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu, Amb. Taofeek Arapaja and Lam Adesina loyalists – came together to make the ADC a party to reckon with in the 2019 election in Oyo state.

The exit of Sen Ladoja and his supporters from the PDP undoubtedly rendered the party weak. Even those who were contesting for senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly seats on the platform of the PDP weren’t sure and certain of their success in the elections. They were believed to be dark horses, whose political inexperience was a disadvantage to Makinde’s not-widely-spread popularity. Reciprocally, keen observers in Oyo politics believed that Makinde’s not-well-established fame could do little to help the ambitions of the legislative candidates contesting on the platform of the PDP

Few months to that year’s election, no one gave Makinde a chance. Though he was at that time contesting on the platform of a formidable party, PDP, he still remained a dark horse among other candidates who were jostling for the highest post in Oyo state. Chief Adelabu was banking on Gov Ajimobi’s power of incumbency. Sen Lanlehin, who was the gubernatorial candidate of the ADC, enjoyed the backing of some eminent politicians like Sen. Ladoja and Amb. Arapaja.

Apart from Bayo Adelabu of the APC, Lanlehin of the ADC was also presumed to be the candidate, whose popularity was overwhelming and whose chance of winning the 2019 election was bright until a skirmish in the ADC that led again to the exit of Ladoja from the party to Zenith Labour Parry, ZLP, where Sen. Ladoja eventually pitched his tent to support his age-long political son, Barr Sharafadeen Alli, who was the governorship candidate of the ZLP. Sen. Ladoja’s defection undoubtedly split up the ADC, and this threw a big blow to Lanlehin’s already projected victory. Sen. Ladoja persuaded Lanlehin to defect alongside him to the ZLP. This put  Lanlehin in a dilemma. He was at the crossroads. It was too late for him, as a gubernatorial candidate of the ADC, to leave the party.

Immediately Sen. Ladoja and his supporters left the ADC, it was clearly seen that the ADC of Sen Lanlehin would have to struggle to be among the parties which could compete favourably in the 2019 Oyo gubernatorial election. The weakness of the ADC, without a doubt, was a booster to Makinde’s chance. Ladoja’s exit undoubtedly heightened and revitalized Makinde’s chance of becoming the major opponent against Adelabu, whose influence with the federal and state power positioned him to be the surest heir apparent to the throne.

At the same time, the APC were facing serious challenges. They were battling with the exit of thier key gladiators, Lam Adesina’s group, Monsurat Sunmonu’s supporters, Sen Soji Akanbi’s allies and others. And also the APC were nursing Sen Ajimobi’s unending fight with majority of the electorate, who were already waiting patiently to pay him, Ajimobi, back for his unguarded utterances.

THE PDP— due to some party’s gladiators’ exits and Makinde’s political nescience and inexperience – were still feeling uneasy and unsettled. The weaknesses in the parties, APC and PDP, created a slim opportunity for the ADC to still remain a force to reckon with in the 2019 election.

The contest between the APC’s candidate, Adelabu, and the PDP’s flag-bearer, Makinde, in 2019 was to me in favour of the ruling party, PDP. Like I said, the PDP was a formidable party, but Makinde’s and the other PDP candidates’ not-well-instituted popularity reduced the PDP chance in the election, perhaps the reason the late former governor, Otunba Alao Akala, the gubernatorial candidate of Action Democratic Party, ADP, who later made alliance with APC at the eleventh hour in the same election, unequivocally said that there was no way Makinde would win the election. In Akala’s words: “Ti won ba nka eni ti yio di gomina, ko ti kan Makinde”. This means that Makinde was not among the candidates who had the chance of winning the 2019 Oyo gubernatorial election.

Like Oyo state gubernatorial elections, since 2011, normally turned around few days or hours to elections, a coalition, which was coordinated and spearheaded by Sen Ladoja was formed against the candidate of the APC, Adelabu, and his political boss, Sen Ajimobi, in favour of Makinde. Sen Ladoja persuaded Lanlehin, Sharafadeen Alli and the candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Bolaji Ayorinde, and others to  pledge their supports for Makinde in the 2019 election. The reason this was done was not far fetched: Ajimobi stepped on many toes during his two-term tenure, therefore his candidate, Adelabu must pay dearly for his boss’ errors. Then an agreement was made between Makinde and other gubernatorial candidates in Ladoja’s house at Bodija, Ibadan. The agreement was read thus:

“Those of us gather here – respectable governorship candidates of our various political parties, that is, Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin, Akogun Sarafadeen Ali, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde respectively – do hereby officially agree wholeheartedly to the coalition arrangement and consequently decline to contesting Saturday’s governorship poll. In equal measure, we endorse Engr. Seyi Makinde, the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, as sole candidate.”

After the presentation of the agreement, Engr. Makinde, who sat between Sen. Ladoja and Sarafadeen Ali, read his own agreement. Makinde said: “We’re all gather here to rescue our people with a common purpose. I stand before you all to promise that the spirit on the intent of our coming together by God’s grace will be fully implemented,…. I thank you, especially my father, Osi Olubadan, Sen. Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja. Mo gbà á l’ádura, e ó kó wa dé ilè ìlérí.”

And after Makinde’s presentation, Sen. Ladoja raised his, Makinde’s, hand to show to people that they were committed to support Makinde to win the election.

This accord undoubtedly strengthened Makinde’s prospect of winning the Oyo state governorship election of 2019. Even days after the final results of the election was announced, Late Akala, who was still in shock over Makinde’s victory, confirmed that the coalition that was facilitated by Ladoja changed the tide of the ocean. This is the reason many people wonder why  Makinde normally boast all the time that no coalition made him the governor of Oyo state.

Why did Makinde decide to go back on or pull out of the agreement he reached with those who helped him to make his ambition a reality was a mystery to many? Why he decided to neglect the candidates, most especially Lanlehin and Sarafa Ali, who after being persuaded by Ladoja to drop their ambitions to pave the way for Makinde’s victory against Bayo Adelabu, still remains a surprise to majority of people.

As it’s always expected in politics, since one cannot work alone to make oneself a governor, notably in Oyo state, one must be ready to let go of some political posts to those who enhanced one’s victory in an election. Only God knew why Makinde obstinately decided to abandon his benefactors to their fates.

After the election, during the time that Makinde had worn the garment and regalia of power, the radar started to point to another direction. First, it was Sarafadeen Ali, who rejected what he considered to be a ridiculous appointment from Makinde. This was followed by Sen Lanlehin, whose complaints about the way he was being treated by Makinde was left unattended to. Both eventually decided to part ways with Makinde.

In the same manner, those who were with Gov Makinde right from the beginning, Bisi Olopoeeyan, Femi Babalola (Jogor), Mulikat Adeola Akande and others in the PDP were abandoned and neglected. Makinde believed it was better to work with new-bred politicians than having anything to do with the experienced ones.

Whenever Makinde was asked to mention his godfather in politics. the governor would confidently affirm that he had no godfather. He always went further to mention that his emergence as the governor of Oyo state had nothing to do with any coalition. Power does intoxicate.

Even Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo could not joke with or take the power of coalition in politics for granted. Awolowo knew the benefit and gain an alliance with other politicians could produce. He quite knew that coalition could enhance the chance of winning any election, the reason the late sage did not hesitate to woo, in the 50s, some lesser political parties in the western region to stop Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe from becoming the premier of the western region during the time that the Northern People’s congress (NPC) of Ahmadu Bello controlled Northern region. And Nnamdi Azikwe’s NCNC had Eastern region under his armpit.

In the 1951 regional elections in Nigeria, both parties, NCNC and Action Group (AG), could not form a government in the western region because none of them could produce two-thirds of the House in the Western House of Assembly. Awolowo was not satisfied with this. He said, “If the Action Group could not compete with NCNC in the East, why should we continue to allow Azikwe to dictate how we govern in the West?” Awolowo was worried. And this prompted him to approach lesser parties in the the West.

Among the parties, which Awolowo and his Action Group approached for possible coalition was Ibadan People’s Party (IPP). He persuaded them to see the reason Azikwe should not be allowed to become a premier in Western region. To win them to his side, Awolowo promised to reimburse their election expenses from two hundred pounds to five hundred pounds. And this, of course, encouraged Pa Adisa Akinloye, Chief Busari Adelakun (Eruobodo) and some powerful Ibadan politicians to join forces with Awolowo to sack Azikwe from Western region politics. Only Chief Adegoke Adelabu (Penkelemess) was adamant. He refused to have an alliance with Awolowo’s Action Group. Awolowo, of course, fulfilled his promise to those he made alliance/coalition with.

It was through coalition of 1979 with Bursari Adelakun that helped Chef Bola Ige to win the UPN gubernatorial primary election against his former school principal, Pa Emmanuel Alayande. And Bola Ige did not refuse to fulfill the promise of the coalition. He appointed Adelakun as the Commissioner for Local Government.

The former governor, Late Ajimobi, appreciated what the eleventh-hour coalition with Sen Ladoja did to his victory in 2011 election, the reason he allowed Ladoja’s Accord party to have few local government councils to themselves. Ajimobi did this even when Late Lam Adesina was in disagreement with the move. Who says coalition does not work in politics?

Making alliances and coalitions to have one’s way isn’t new in Nigerian politics. It has been here for decades, and I don’t think it’s going to fizzle out very soon. I still do not understand the reason Makinde utterly downplayed, after he had benefitted from political alliance, the power of coalition in Oyo politics. Perhaps he thought that his popularity has gone outside of the realm of imagination.

Makinde, with the help of Oyo House of Assembly members, removed his deputy, Engr Rauf Olaniyan, on the allegation of misconduct. Prior to the time that Olaniyan became Makinde’s running mate, he was a governorship aspirant in the ADC before he, Olaniyan, entered into an alliance with the PDP ahead of the 2019 election. And by virtue of the alliance, it was agreed that Olaniyan would drop his governorship ambition and become the running mate to Makinde.who was a gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in 2019.

Makinde also denied Sen Kola Balogun – who stood by the governor during the time that he, Mr governor, had no big wig in his camp – of the PDP ticket to return to the Senate. Balogun was dropped for Joseph Tegbe? Makinde, in his usual manner, wielded the power confer on him injudiciously, and did the unprecedented by denying his immediate predecessor, Late Ajimobi, a state burial.

Like I said at the opening of this essay, politics can never be played in isolation. One needs people to play politics with. It’s a game of number, and in politics, the more the merrier. If you’re adamant to always have your way in politics, you can never go far in the game. You may have the power to lord it over others today; just have it at the back of your mind that those who helped you to the throne are still very much around to bring you down from the pedestal. It’s dangerous and perilous to destroy the ladder you climbed to the top, for you may need it the other time. If you play politics with open heart, you’ll surely enjoy politics for the rest of your life. But if you play emperor, you’ll regret you ever played politics.

Perhaps it’s on this note – after five years of being in office and when the end of his eight-year tenure stares him in the face – that Makinde realized that he might still need the supports of some big-wigs in Oyo politics after his exit from government house. But did Makinde’s apologies to only Sen Ladoja enough? In my own view, Makinde’s expression of regret proves nothing and still open to question until he humbly apologizes to Lanlehin and Sarafadeen Ali who jettisoned their governorship ambitions to open the way for Makinde to win the 2019 Oyo state gubernatorial election.

Ademola ‘Bablow’ Babalola