As part of our periodic intervention on matters of socioeconomic and political importance, particularly those of interest to the good people of Oyo State, in our capacity as not only members of different registered political parties, but also as private citizens who wholeheartedly participated in the processes leading to, and the 2019 general elections itself, we, of the Pacesetter Democratic Vanguard (PDV), are constrained to make the following salient points in response to the back and forth between former Oyo State governor, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, and a certain support group beholden to the Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, Seyi Makinde Movement For Good Governance (SMMFGG), over the former’s supposedly unfavourable comments regarding the forthcoming Supreme Court judgement over the 9 March, 2019 governorship election.
Recall that Akala had been quoted to have said; “They are getting it wrong, there is a big deal. What I don’t know is this, I am not a lawyer, but as things stand now, I don’t think anybody can claim victory yet. Law is an ass; it can swing to anywhere. I don’t know what the judgement would be, but there is cause for alarm. There is fire on the mountain,” to draw the ire of Makinde’s loyalists.
On our part, we believe that:
1. We do not hold brief for the former governor, knowing fully that he has the resources to do so, only that despite the supposedly inconvenient statement in the eyes and ears of the Makinde Camp, the former governor indeed made sensible points which shouldn’t be discountenanced. The message shouldn’t be thrown away alongside the messenger, we ultimately believe.
2. Even if Akala’s statement reeks of partisanship, especially since he ditched the coalition he idealised, and moved over to the All
Progressives Congress (APC), we strongly feel that events following the election and swearing-in of Governor Seyi Makinde seem to have proved the maverick politician right as we shall espouse forthwith.
3. Having been favoured by God to win the governorship election, despite not being in contention as a strong candidate (a position Akala advertised in his BBC pre-election interview), Engr. Makinde’s victory, midwifed by the coalition which had Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (ADC) and Barrister Sarafadeen Alli (ZLP) as the main proponents, became reality.
4. Since that victory, and 7 months into government, observers have watched with baited breath, the wilful neglect of Lanlehin, Alli, and several prominent members of the coalition, by Engr. Makinde, who benefited immensely from the uncommon magnanimity of the coalition. Even Senator Rasidi Ladoja, former Oyo State governor, who lent his voice and influence to the coalition cannot matter of fact, claim to have benefited from the Makinde government. Why the Governor has elected to fence off those who helped midwife his victory beats all rational assumptions.
5. It is on the strength of that, that we find amusing, and reckless, the vituperations of the Seyi Makinde Movement For Good Governance (SMMFGG), and their call for the people’s prayers for “judicial and political victory over those who have declared themselves opponents of the peaceful and steady progress being recorded in Oyo State.”
What we know for a fact, is that by the deliberate alienation of his coalition partners, Engr. Makinde has thrown daggers to the hitherto formidable platform that brought him in. It is an error of judgement to prosecute a war with a divided batallion.
As if his wilful division of his support base isn’t enough, we find pathetic, his constant referral to his electoral victory as “my mandate”, when what he’s enjoying in all honesty, is a collegiate mandate donated by Senator Olufemi Lanlehin and Barrister Sarafadeen Alli. We seek to remind the governor that, that popular mandate, of which he’s the major beneficiary, belongs to the duo whose support midwifed his victory.
6. As a sociopolitical group committed to good governance and advancement of truth and integrity in politics, we’re terribly saddened that the Governor, upon eating the egg-white and the egg-yolk, has elected to discard the shell, for reasons best known to him, forgetting that very many times, the rains can beat one to the same house. “When a man wilfully overturns gentlemanly agreements, his integrity is seriously missing.”
7. We consequently call on all lovers of Engr. Seyi Makinde, particularly the Seyi Makinde Movement For Good Governance (SMMFGG) to prioritize offering him useful advice; telling him the home truth, especially reminding him on the need to honour agreements, which though not legal, have the force of posterity behind them, instead of rushing hastily to the press to counter supposedly unfavourable narratives.
SIGNED
‘Lasun Lakunle
Publicity Secretary,
Pacesetter Democratic Vanguard (PDV)
