A few days ago, a video purportedly made by Dr. Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, wife of the former Oyo State, two-term Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi went viral. In the video, she was said to have claimed that 2027 Oyo State governorship would be ‘war’ as the People’s Democratic Party administration in the State must be defeated in that election. Although, the video has been described as fake and AI produced. That is really not my concern here.
My concern is the noise that has followed that video. It is obvious that the battle for 2027 has already begun with thisdeliberate smear campaign. Credence was further lent to this when an image of the ambassadorial-designate was also released in the same vein with guns in her hands, it is then clear that apart from the purported AI generated video, some people are really out on a campaign against the woman who has been described as a major factor in Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC)?
Who then could be behind the campaign?
There is no denying that Florence Ajimobi has become a major factor in Oyo Politics. She has earned this through her different philanthropic gestures which she started when her husband was governor and which never stopped even after the death of the former Governor. This has continued to sustain her relevance and stature in the State including among the voting populace. The Annual Senator Abiola AjimobiRoundtable has also been an added fillip to her growing popularity as the Roundtable brings together political decision makers from within and outside the State including those in the seat of power who have never failed to send representation even if they could not attend.
Her ambassadorial nomination has further boosted her stature. Not only that, she is seen as a rallying point in the State’s APC with all the political gladiators deferring to her. Most importantly, Oyo APC has found a hitherto elusive peace and her, behind-the- scene moves that ensured this has continued to send jitters down the spines of friends and foes alike.
Let us just assume Florence Ajimobi said those words in the video, what did she say that others have not said before. I recall the State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde saying at an event, recently, ‘we will cure madness with madness’ (were la fi n wo were), a phrase popularized by the Oyo State government’s unofficial musician, Taye Currency. Heavensdid not fall. Many political gladiators at the State and Federal levels have said the same thing in different ways. So what makes Florence Ajimobi’s own different? What makes this ‘curiouser’ and ‘curioser’ is the picture of the ambassadorial-designate with a pistol in hand and another cradling an AK-47. So are we saying that after she made the video, she also posed for pictures with guns to emphasize what she said in the now viral video? Obviously, there are other factors at play here.
So who could be behind this campaign? One thing comes clearly to mind, could it be within the APC itself where so many actors are jostling for the party governorship tickets. This is highly unlikely. The statement attributed to her in the video is like a clarion wake up call for the APC family in the State that everyone must close ranks and gird their loins for the coming battle to take Oyo State back from the PDP administration. And a battle, it is going to be. If any one has a contrary view, especially in the APC, that person is clearly delusional.
The State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde will not relinquish his hold willingly, he has the wherewithal especially now with so much money going to the States fromthe Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). Therecent Ibadan North bye-election, a seat that was occupied by the late APC stalwart, Hon Laide Akinremi (Jagaban) is a clear example of this. The PDP won that election, though some would still argue that APC lost due to internal division, but everyone in the State knew the effort of the State in ensuring its candidate won.
Another fact that points to the opposition at work here is that the video and pictures came at a time that the Governor and the State needed to diffuse and redirect the criticisms that have trailed the NN3b meant for the victims of the Ibadan bombs explosion which the State Governor did not disclose but kept in a non-interest yielding account for more than one year. Many believed the money was kept to prosecute the 2027 election.
Most importantly, the success of the Renewed Hope Unity Rally which the APC embarked upon across all the 14 Federal Constituencies in the State has got the opposition in the State worried. This is the first time in a long while that the APC would come together as one. All the critical stakeholders decided to sheathe the swords of battle and come together in order to ensure APC goes into 2027 as one united family, this may clearly be giving the opposition sleepless nights.
In all the above, one thing clearly stands out, the battle or should it be the war for 2027 has already begun and more of such campaigns to discredit, cause disaffection would still come out.
Adeoye writes from Okeho in Oyo State
