Long before his death, former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala had a preferred gubernatorial candidate for the last election in the state. As the undisputed leader of APC after the death of the late Abiola Ajimobi, his preference within the party was an open secret. Together with the widely-known politician, they built the party structure ground up to accomplish their respective missions.
Perhaps, when the duo of late Otunba Alao-Akala and Senator Teslim Folarin joined the fold of APC before the 2019 gubernatorial poll, their defection infuriated and rankled many within the APC given that both were welcomed with fanfare and handed chieftain titles of the party on a silver platter. In fact, the late Ajimobi declared to the chagrin of his many adversaries his uncanny ability to attract the who is who in Oyo politics to the APC. The rest as they say is now history. In a way, one could conjecture with remarkable certainty that those who think they had an axe to grind with Akala and Folarin started their clandestine plot immediately after their defection from the PDP to APC became public knowledge.
And when the late Alao-Akala took over the reign of the party after Senator Abiola Ajimobi, he must have gathered enough saboteurs within the party. Plus, when it was glaring that the former Governor had a soft landing for one of his old bitterest political rivals, it further united and accentuated the camp of their enemies. For example, after the controversial state congress where the so-called majority lost out, the fallout within the party festered beyond repair.
To stem the tide from spiraling further, the national caretaker committee of the party under Yobe state Governor, Mai Mala Buni had to sanction former Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola, to wade into the lingering intra-party conflict to resolve the dispute. Unfortunately, the crisis had run deeper than what could be settled on a round table discussion. Quite mischievously, this is the only story being circulated— that the genesis of Oyo APC was right after the state congress which gave birth to the Isaac Omodewu state executive council. For one, this narrative misses the point of where shoes started to pinch Oyo APC in part because, with Alhaji Abu Gbadamosi as the state chairman of the party, similar brickbats would still have ensued. In Oyo APC, it is always a tit-for-tat.
Interestingly, it was far easier to point an accusing finger at the likes of Senator Teslim Folarin and his political group for the excruciating defeat the party suffered in the last gubernatorial election. First, they were the beneficiaries of the state congress that didn’t reflect the voices of the ‘majority’. In addition to that was the way party tickets especially those of the national assembly were handed out to loyalists of Senator Folarin at the expense of the survival and overall unity of the party. Honestly, there are genuine concerns here. Those who risk having their ways all the time in politics make losing their ways far easier – for they will have more enemies within than imagined. Obviously, there were enemies within Oyo APC, but the winners take all arrangements made peace and reconciliation unachievable. But in such situation, it’s always pretty difficult to pleased all parties without losing steam.
But conversely, it is equally incorrect to also state that the death of the late Ajimobi dealt a huge blow to the unity of Oyo APC – that’s just being economical with the truth. As Governor, Ajimobi watched over the disintegration and internal implosion of the party. This is a matter of fact and not a mere assumption. You would have thought that a curse was placed on Oyo APC right after late Ajimobi broke the second term jinx in 2015. And for the next four years, APC tumbled from one internal crisis to another until the party was humbled by Governor Seyi Makinde’s PDP in 2019.
Late Abiola Ajimobi recognized that division when he set up a peace and reconciliation committee of the party. Until his death, the committee could not find lasting solutions nor bring warring factions together. So, it is more politically correct to assume that the crisis that started under Ajimobi had a clear hand in the crisis that eventually consumed the chances of APC in the last governorship election. When you have a party, whose leaders are more interested in their bellies and pockets, what you have over and over is a house that will continue to fall regardless of the occupants. Today, it is Senator Teslim Folarin, yesterday, it was Oloye Adebayo Adebayo. In the two Instances, both former flagbearers were sabotaged by their respective party leaders for crumbs and peanuts. Folarin’s sin was the way he managed the party but Adelabu’s was the way he snatched the ticket at the last minute.
As Governor, the late Ajimobi was in a position of strength. He could have used his office to douse the tension within his party and calm fraying nerves. Conceding and compromising where necessary for unity and stability would have helped keep APC stronger and better together. But he couldn’t because issues of personal ambitions are more complicated than it is mostly assumed. The Unity Forum that fought against the late Ajimobi thought they were fighting the good and winnable course. Yes, they sabotaged the party and paved the way for the opposition to coast home to victory. But what becomes of the Unity forum today? The event of the last election was a mere repeat of the 2019 scenario excepts this time, Senator Teslim Folarin and not Abiola Ajimobi was the scapegoat.
Another point that needed to be stretched is the performance of Senator Teslim Folarin’s national assembly candidate in the last poll. Despite obstacles, all his three senatorial candidates won in their respective districts w the House of Representative candidates clinching nine out of fourteen seats. Had the reverse been the case, blaming Senator Folarin for the party woes would have been easier. And his losing at the poll by an unprecedented margin would not have raised any dust or been seen as a conspiracy against his ambition. In politics, as we’ve learned repeatedly, there will always be a time to pay good for good and evil for evil. Those who worked against Oloye Adelabu didn’t know there will be a repeat four years later. Will similar scenario of dog eat dog and political backstabbing repeat itself come 2027 in Oyo APC?
OYO101 is Muftau Gbadegesin’s opinion about Issues affecting Oyo state, published on Saturdays. He can be reached via @TheGMAKing on Twitter, muftaugbadegesin@gmail.com and 09065176850
