Bolaji Akinyemi
Writes from Osogbo
18/09/22
Most part of last week the social media space was buzzing with the news of the return of Dr Akin Ogunbiyi to the Peoples Democratic Party and more importantly his nomination into the elite class of Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation.
However, the buzz was not about the return or appointment but the voracious reaction of the PDP children of anger.
I felt the visible pang of the anger on Thursday when I went to Reflex Lounge to take my regular pepper soup and Heineken. For those who are not living in Osun, Osogbo precisely, Reflex Lounge is the circuit of relaxation and political hotbed especially among the PDP goons. It is the place where political enthusiasts real out their arguments for and against , It is also a place where PDP children of anger and Halleluyah boys come to vent over bottles of chilled alcohol.
On that faithful day I was seated majestically waiting to be served when I noticed sudden influx of people, I knew from their dressing that they were politicians. They soon took a table near me and before the arrival of the green bottles the conversation begun. One said ” how can they put Ogunbiyi on the campaign Committee? Another interjected ” Has he even returned to the party? There were obviously many questions with few answers. They were visibly angry and within few minutes, anger and vatupurations began to pour in. I immediately knew that the PDP Children of Anger were next to me.
Osun PDP has two class of boys, the ” Halleluyah Boys ” and ” Children of Anger”. The Halleluyah boys are always on the social media and ready to make comments on any issue even when they are not making sense. They can support you today and oppose you tomorrow depending on where the money for data is coming from. They are like proverbial talking drum that only speaks the voice of its drummer. The Children of Anger on the other hand are always angered by the actions or inactions of those they are opposed to. They are not afraid to attack you even physically if required. They are very quick to write petitions and don’t mind travelling to Abuja to stage protest on any matter.
So I knew that thursday was not a good day to interject or lecture the children of anger because I would be doing that at the risk of assault or even death. It was that serious. As I sat down I could not but wonder what the fuss about the return of Dr Akin Ogunbiyi to the PDP or his appointment into the PCC?
Dr Akin Ogunbiyi as described by Baba Odekunmi of Gbongan, is ” Omoluabi” to the core. He is no doubt loved by Osun people and respected across the nation. He wields great influence in the Nigerian business circles and as the Chairman of one of largest Insurance Company , he is not a small fry. Any smart Presidential aspirant will court such a man of influence even if it requires sending emissaries to him to join the Presidential Campaign and mobilise human and financial support across his sphere of influence.
Dr Akin Ogunbiyi had left the PDP few months to the Governorship election stating mainly that a level playing grounds have been provided for him to realise his goal to contest in the primaries. He was not the only aspirant who was unhappy with the primaries arrangements, while he left to contest in Accord, four others including the nephew of the Governor Elect expressed their dissatisfaction by conducting a parallel primaries which has remained a legal matter till date.
Politics is about interests and it is wrong to judge any man for pursuing an Honourable path to realise his ambition. How that is now been used by the children of anger as a basis to antagonise Ogunbiyi return to the party puts wisdom upside down. Dr Akin Ogunbiyi is an accomplished man by any standards and not one that can be cowed by anybody or group. One of the setbacks of political space in Nigeria is that once you join politics even people who can not qualify to work in your organisation will assume they now equals with you. I looked at the seven (7) children of anger sitting besides me, I doubt if any of them could qualify as an executive among the over 5000 employees in the company of the man they plan to crucify.
Right before my ears , they began to draw up action plans to stop Dr Akin Ogunbiyi and what’s was the main conclusion of their identified threat? 2026!. The leader told them, ” gentlemen you people don’t know that this is about 2026″. That was the most hilarious conclusion I have ever heard Planning for 2026 when the Governor Elect has not commenced his tenure. How they did not understand that the Governorship contest was over and all hands must be on the deck for HE Atiku Abubakar win, amused me more than anything. How did they not understand that the Governor Elect will get automatic ticket to recontest in 2026 also shocked me. I concluded that these politicians are just incurable haters and they surely have personal animosity against Dr Akin Ogunbiyi.
I have followed comments across different forums and I am pleased that several leaders across political divides are excited with the return of Dr Akin Ogunbiyi to the PDP. Some have argued that the decision to include him on the campaign team is very strategic and good decision by the National leadership of the party.
Politics is very dynamic and any enlightened political strategist will know that a man’s popularity and influence cannot be gauge by his electoral results in a party that lacks structures. In Nigeria, structures win elections. Many politicians have contested and lost before winning. Decamping to your original party is not uncommon. While some politicians in the past leaves and return many years after, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi did not even spend 4 months outside the party showing clearly that if there was effective reconciliation he probably wouldn’t have left the party.
The 2023 Presidential elections is going to be very competitive and rallying people across the divide is a must for any party that wants to win. Even the incumbent despite their poor performance in government are doing everything possible to woo people into their folds. That’s politics and that’s how the game is played so PDP children of anger must hold their peace in the interest of their Presidential candidate.
Bolaji Akinyemi
Writes from Osogbo
18/09/22
Leave a Reply