In politics, loyalty is everything; in fact the currency for political transaction remains loyalty that any politician who prides himself to be one but is deficient in that very strategic turf cannot last except equipped with the hard currency spendable only by the initiates.
In Oyo State, whatever the grudges against Senator Abiola Ajimobi, a man whose sagacity as the proverbial poster boy of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state earned unprecedented jinx-breaking second term for the party. Ajimobi still deserves the respect proportional to his loyalty and dedication to the party, not just in the state but also beyond.
While other exiting governors like Ibikunle Amosun and Rochas Okorocha in Ogun and Imo states were legging in and out in utter disregard for the sacred dedication to their party, Ajimobi stood his ground, even bending to conceal his favoured choice of Engr. Joseph Tegbe to embrace Chief Adebayo Adelabu in deference to the interest of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to whom the candidature of Adelabu had become a sacred rule.
But elections and the electorate could be complicated! Who would have thought that Ajimobi, regardless of his attainments could go to the field and lose the senatorial seat! The same Ajimobi that serves the Oyo people and still serving; the Ajimobi that ‘Iku Baba Yeye, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III recommended to President Muhammadu Buhari as suitable to replace Dr. Bukola Saraki as the president of the Nigerian Senate; but that is politics for you; it is purely local but could be greasy.
Even at that, the Oyo state governor bears no grudge, he has rather moved on and reconnected with the people, flaunting the exploit of strengthening the party by producing more federal lawmakers for his party more than he met it.
My worry is how the strongman of the South west politics, Asiwaju Tinubu is reported to have driven the structure of the APC away from Ajimobi, issuing direct instruction to Adelabu, urging his to directly report to him in relation to his campaign and proceedings, just moment after Ajimobi got trounced at the senatorial polls.
The slim defeat of the ruling party by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the just concluded presidential elections of course surprised the APC as pointer at the strength of the opposition PDP in the state which posed a serious threat to the bid of the APC to retain that state; as such, as frantic efforts are being made to build alliances for its victory, the APC is shopping for erstwhile foes it could convert as friends as it did in Osun for the emergence of Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola leading to his victory at the September 27, 2018 polls when it harvested Otunba Iyiola Omisore to ravage the opposition camps.
Trust, there are already talks and negotiations which could end either way. Although Tinubu is said to be deploying whatever he could to preserve his political investment in Oyo state, but then, could an Ajimobi just be retired into political refuse bin and oblivion just for losing an election? No.
Prior to the national assembly elections where Ajimobi lost, reliable source said the APC governorship candidate sent emissary to a powerful traditional ruler in the state, apologising for his inability to teach out directly to the monarchs; he however promised to scale that hurdle once the coast gets clear, which is translated to mean the defeat of his principal.
The beautiful bride now seems to be another Otunba; this time, the Ogbomoso-born political tactician who dumped the APC after some misunderstanding with Ajimobi, he is Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, a former governor who is similarly interested in taking over from the incumbent using the Action Democratic Party, ADP.
Observers in the ongoing negotiation between Akala and the wooing party said the Secretary to the State Government, SSG together with two commissioner slots are positions bargained to get Akala to swing camps. How could the engine room of government be ceded to Akala; will that not automatically end the governor’s influence and his place in the scheme of things? What is Ajimobi’s offense if one may ask.
Why disrupting the landscape for an Adelabu in connivance with Asiwaju Tinubu; how could such an arrogant man who prior to becoming governor sees everyone as conquered subjects now enjoys the sweats and toils of others without a fight?
Towards this end, mere losing the senatorial seat should not be a yardstick for scarring Ajimobi away from the huge investment already made and should not be a benchmark for unsettling the hierarchy of loyalty between him and Adelabu especially as the September 9 governorship polls is just some hours racing past.
Let all right-thinking members of the APC in Oyo State rise in support of Governor Abiola Ajimobi; his over eight years sacrifice and loyalty to the APC should not be rewarded in ingratitude so that whatever the facade of solidarity hidden behind deep hurt would not gladly bury the APC and sink it into the opposition in Oyo State from May 29.
Salami, a political analyst, writes from Somolu, Lagos State.
