One of the challenges of modern democracy is the space and interval between elections. In the case of Nigeria, real governance takes only two years while politics takes the remaining two years, undermining any long-term efforts in building a stable, sustainable and predictable system that can weather the storms and deliver on promises. Much of the crisis rocking Europe, particularly the UK is fueled largely by this quixotic danger of ‘TOKENISM’ and SHORT-TERMINISM’.
Perhaps, this explains why most politicians frequently struggle to balance the thrills of politics with the tasks of governance once an election is over.
While this is a global phenomenon, its effect on undermining developmental efforts in countries like Nigeria has been palpable. For most Nigerians, the repeated calls for the protection of democracy by those who profit and benefit from it are nothing more than platitudes, an attempt to protect the hen that laid the golden eggs — who democracy epp?
‘Election as the opium of the masses’
In Nigeria, we live for elections. Indeed, nothing thrills us more than the recurring ritual of politics.
Sadly, the growing impatience with democratic governance in addressing underlying issues of hunger, poverty, unemployment, insecurity, etc. has been at the heart of calls for anarchy and regime change in recent times. In essence, the feeling that democracy has little answer to people’s problems has not only gained traction among the young but has consistently fuelled resentment among the old.
‘Omituntun, to what?’
In Oyo State, as the 2027 general elections gather momentum, the underground politics of who succeeds Governor Seyi Makinde has also begun in earnest. Five years ago, GSM succeeded the late Abiola Ajimobi in an election that returned power to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Makinde’s victory against the All-Progressive Congress (APC) laid the foundation for his own political experiment and evolution. In the space of five years, he has consolidated his power base, but he hasn’t carefully outwitted and weakened the opposition, particularly with his standoff with President Bola Tinubu.
‘OyoDotun’
Jibril Dotun Sanusi, the billionaire oil magnate, is one of Oyo’s most influential politicians and power brokers. Sanusi’s risky and bullish adventure in the last elections gave him away as some sort of shrewd political strategist who does not only look before he leaps but carefully takes his time to calculate his next move. By throwing his support behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC and Governor Seyi Makinde of the PDP, analysts say the foremost philanthropist’s political sagacity stunned not just his adversaries but his supporters.
Indeed, that strategic plot of supporting candidates from two different parties has helped lay the groundwork for his future political aspirations. By rooting for the president and the governor, he has quickly carved a niche for himself in the political space, ensuring his presence in the grand scheme of things. But Sanusi’s footprints extend beyond politics and oil and gas. He is an industry leader in hospitality, tourism, agriculture, and other sectors of the economy.
While Engr. Sanusi’s recent WhatsApp status update suggested his interest in the 2027 gubernatorial ambition, but he has advised supporters to suspend it. However, it remains unclear how his ambition will progress. “I am not doing what I do for political gain,” he once declared in a media chat with OYOINSIGHT. “I am committed to the greater good of our people.” Giving is part of my life.”
‘IgbaOtun’
Amofin Beulah Adeoye, often referred to as the friend of governors due to his strong relationships with most Nigerian governors and legal luminaries, is considered a likely successor to Governor Seyi Makinde. While he hasn’t declared his interest, the news of his resignation as Deloitte financial advisor in West Africa seems to reflect people’s growing suspicion of his gubernatorial ambition.
Amofin Beulah, the corporate legal juggernaut, is a lawyer and chartered accountant with several years of experience in conducting dispute advisory, forensic investigations into allegations of fraud and misconduct, kickbacks, financial crime reviews, contract compliance reviews, procurement supply chain due diligence, vendor due diligence, and contract life-cycle reviews, according to his profile published on Oyo State International Business Summit, 2023, an important event he helped put together that helped present Oyo State to the world.
As one of the globally renowned and most sought-after finance experts with a deep understanding of business operations, structures, and financial practices across industries, he has cut his teeth in high-profile forensic engagements across Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, Algeria, and South Africa. Like Engr. Sanusi has no footprint on political terrain, but he understands what goes into power—politics behind the scenes.
‘Odidiomo’
Hon. Adedeji Stanley Olajide, aka Odidiomo, is the honourable representative of the Ibadan South-West/North-West federal constituency. For one, the various groundwork and clandestine steps he has taken since winning re-election in 2023 suggest an aspiration for higher office. He was part of the governor’s delegation to the graduation ceremony of one of the governor’s daughters in the US. GSM reportedly holds him in high regard.
As a PDP MHR, Honourable Olajide’s impressive and outstanding portfolio in Oil and Gas, bioinformatics, and human genomics shows his expertise outside of politics. He was the CEO of Bentley Energy Nigeria Limited and has worked professionally with Fortune 50 companies in the United States for almost 25 years! People describe him as a leader in applying advanced computing architectures to deploy high-performance, scalable, highly available, and cyber security solutions. He also specialises in cloud computing architecture (public, private, and hybrid), cyber security, cloud migration strategy, data protection virtualisation, cloud management, etc.
‘Religionization of politics’
Make no mistake, the 2027 governor election in Oyo State will reflect the same hot-button agitation for power shift that defined the 2019 contest. Recall one of Governor Makinde’s silent campaign strategies in the distant past: the need to counter any attempt to water down diversity, equity, and inclusion.
He was smart enough to close the religious divides by picking Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, a devoted and committed Muslim from Igboho, Oke-Ogun, is his running mate. Consequently, once the coast becomes clearer, the hibernated religious conflagration in the state will roar back to life. Oyo State has a history of electing governors based on their competence and character, as demonstrated in 1979 under the democratic leadership of the late Chief Bola Ige, Chief Victor Omololu Olunloyo, and the late Kolapo Ishola. Similar circumstances led to the selection of Senator Rashidi Ladoja, a Muslim, as the successor to the late Alhaji LAM Adesina.
Regrettably, the current conditions in the state suggest that the religious tolerance that characterized Oyo as a truly pioneering entity has been shattered, especially under Governor Makinde, whose positions as SGF, Speaker, CoS, and other significantly prominent positions have become fragmented. In anyway, it is still difficult to predict and project who take the baton once Makinde is out of office.
OYO101 is Muftau Gbadegesin’s opinion about issues affecting the Oyo state and is published every Saturday. He can be reached via @GbadeTheGreat on X, muftaugbadegesin@gmail.com, and 09065176850.
