Bisi Ilaka, chief of staff to Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State, has reacted to outburst by Teslim Folarin that his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has set two traps for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ahead of the Supreme Court judgement in a case brought before it by Adebayo Adelabu, governorship candidate of the APC, against the victory of the governor.
Ilaka, who lost the 2019 Oyo central senatorial election to Folarin, spoke in an interview with Nigerian Tribune.
Saying that he takes whatever Folarin said with a pinch of salt, Ilaka explained that “We had an election and the PDP won the better part of 28 local government areas. Not only did we produce the governor, we also produced 26 members of the state House of Assembly. So, in terms of governance in this state, the PDP is firmly in control. Engineer Seyi Makinde won with a margin of 157,000 votes. The Court of Appeal, in its wisdom, said it had reevaluated the evidence and found no grounds to nullify the election. So, whatever relief, whether a rerun or declaration, will not happen.
“Let’s say our nightmare comes true, we have got 26 young and articulate boys in the State House of Assembly and our Speaker, at worst, will become the governor. So, they are on a ride to nothing; they are on a frolic of their own; they are on a journey to nowhere; it’s a dead end; it’s a cul-de-sac.
“This is Oyo state, not Kogi State. I am sure everybody knows about the Wild West but that will be a nightmare scenario. God sits on His throne; He loves every one of us and will not let the unthinkable happen. The judges of the Supreme Court, who I am sure have the love of this nation at heart, know our democracy is on the brink and would not want to push it over the brink. The judgment can only be based on what is in front of them. Can they overturn the majority of 157,000? I don’t think so. But, if they do, are those 157,000 people going to disappear? Are they going to allow their will to be subverted? Are the teeming people who are getting paid regularly, benefitting from expanded economy in Oyo State going to stand by and fold their arms?
“We will not fold our arms and allow anything that will be injurious to our interest happen to us. Nonetheless, we are prepared for any eventuality,” he added.
