Just waking up from a conspicuously bad dream in one morning of 2013, already, the battle for the taking over of office in Abeere, Government House was on. Ogbeni Aregbesola was then to run for the second term in office and the political gladiators of that time, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, Chief Iyiola Omisore and others were battle-ready to slug it out with him.
Within the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), there was also another protracted battle for the control of the soul of the party. On that morning, a distance acquaintance of mine ringed me to confirm if all is well with PDP because he wants to come around. I said I wouldn’t know as I honestly don’t have details about the party at that moment, he replied with such a dark baritone tone; NO! all must not be well with PDP, the reply strikes me like a rumble of thunder, “but you are a member of PD..” he cut me short with popular Yoruba banter ‘omode nse e’ which could best be translated into ‘you are very naive’.
Five years later, the locusts of yesteryears who destroyed the chances of PDP to retain power have reincarnated in ruling party APC, the journey of no return have just been activated, in the past few months, the media have been abashed with different issues in the presidency, news of cabals who seems to have formed a movement for the total destruction of what APC claims to glorify. First, it is was an attempt at the disparagement of Pastor, Prof, and Vice President Osinbajo but he was saved by grace.
Second, being the tussle of leadership and ‘godfatherism’ between APC National Chairman, Adam Oshiomhole and his supposed godson, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State. Although, many thoughts Obaseki cannot kill a fly but alas! they are just been naive, who would have thought a Philip Shaibu, a believed Oshiomole cadre and former NANS leader will join in a face to face battle with his erstwhile mentor.
The truth is that Political locusts of the party are behind these woes. They cook up stories for their subjects. They particularly gather to inform Oshiomole on how Obaseki has abused his mother, and thereafter tell the tale of how Obaseki abused his daddy, and the fight begins in earnest. This is how APC lost Zamfara State to a clearly defeated PDP candidate in court, the impact of these political locusts can never be underrated.
The same is the embroiled audio battle between Ogbeni Aregbesola and his successor Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
The said battle was initially a figment of the imagination of some people, and the cankerworms in both camps saw it as an opportunity to fill pockets and benefits, they started escalating the matter. One thing that is not unknown is that Governor Oyetola has vocalized and built on successes of Aregbesola which every reasonable leader prays for; a successor.
It is no gainsaying that Aregbesola is one of the few lucky or blessed politicians in Nigeria, from 1999 till the inception of this new civilian democratic experience, he has remained in the corridor of power, from being a campaign manager of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to becoming a commissioner for eight years, and Osun Governor for another eight years before transcending to become the Hon. Minister of Interior in the present cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.
In the other hand, Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s footprint in Nigeria Private sector cannot be overlooked, his name is one of the first to reckon with in the Insurance industry where he carved a niche, with an MBA in finance, he had nursed business ideas from infant stage to becoming one of the richest Nigerians alive, this acumen is a conspicuous success for somebody of his caliber.
History will have something to say about Oyetola and Aregbesola respectively. It will document the fact that both of them have publicly denied anything like feud or misunderstanding as it has been purported by enemies of the two. In Aregbesola’s word, Oyetola had earlier told him of his travel plan to Mecca as a vow that he made to God on his Victory at the Supreme Court, not just that he said Oyetola gave him money, he has been calling every minute to ensure the program is in order. It is just abysmal to say that the two are in feud except for the destructive desire of some followers who are banking on it so that they can ‘chop something’.
We should let them alone, we should allow them to focus on what people are expecting them to deliver. The locusts beating drums of war from both sides should get busy with something productive. The person you claim to be fighting for today may become your arch-enemy tomorrow, the one you fight today may support you tomorrow.
The popular belief in Osun right now is that Governor Gboyega Oyetola is doing so well, reaching to every nooks and crannies of the state with development touch despite meager resources and neck-deep depth, yet he has been performing above expectations. By “above expectations,” I mean what you will literally not expect of him to do because of the obvious paucity of funds and massive repayment of debt. For example, the construction, rehabilitation and equipping of over three hundred and thirty two (332) public health centers are still on after a year in office, existing state hospital is been upgraded into specialist hospitals, roads construction and rehabilitation is a daily activity now in Osun, equipping of schools with state of the art facilities while renovating and building news blocks of the classroom where needed has received commendations in and out of the state.
I personally don’t see the payment of workers’ salaries as an achievement but it becomes one if workers have not been receiving it before in full and as at when due, he is doing this without noise again and the achievement are clear for all to see. It’s about jobless, irresponsible, parasitic politicians who are too daft to come up with business ideas or even legitimate jobs for themselves but continue to serenades around power destroying relationships that made them in the first place.
I pray that the political locusts, cankerworms, and palmerworms leave this part and find their own calling and most importantly, live a meaningful life.
Charles Adeyemi is a Sustainable Development enthusiast, Political Scientist, Mediapreneur, Edupreneur and Senior Special Assistant to Governor Oyetola on Strategic Communication.
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