The Book of Mark, chapter 8 verse 36 says, ” what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but forfeits his soul”?
That is the question Governor Makinde, the Chairman of the Oyo state Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC and perhaps the Election Tribunal ought to be asking themselves at present.
The 2024 Local Government Election in Oyo state, just like that of 2021 was characterized by ugly events that are better forgotten.
Both elections brought out the beasts in the main characters saddled with crucial responsibilities and also exposed the genuine characters of certain individuals who were otherwise held in high esteem by the public but who later proved to be unworthy of such honor.
In 2021, four innocent lives were sacrificed just because Governor Makinde and the OYSIEC wanted to take Ibarapa East Local Government Council by force.
Despite the bloodshed, Aare Isiaka Olaguju SAN, Chairman of OYSIEC called the election that never held, in favour of the Makinde’s PDP and the Election Tribunal agreed!
Ido Local Government was also taken over by PDP thugs, led by the erstwhile Chairman of the PMS, Mukaila Auxiliary.
Those were the two Local Governments where there were serious opposition against the PDP in 2021.
In 2024, the main opposition political party, the APC participated in the Local Government Election and the participaton of APC did help to expose Governor Makinde and the OYSIEC.
The charade put together by Olagunju and the OYSIEC was a disaster, to say the least.
Some drama were staged in some polling stations across the state to make a semblance of an election.
Large scale violence and non compliance were captured and reported live.
Sensitive materials and OYSIEC officials were not deployed to many Local Governments and all this were captured live and corroborated by both the regular and online Media.
Yet and miraculously, Olagunju, in his characteristics manner produced surprise election results in all the 33 Local Governments that showed that the PDP recorded ” a landslide”, winning all the 33 Chairmanship seats and the 351 Councilorship seats!
All manner of encumbrances were placed in the paths of aggrieved opposition candidates and majority could not file petitions to challenge the daylight robbery.
The few of them who were able to file petitions have suffered expected fates at the Tribunal.
It is either the petitions were dismissed for ” lacking in merits” or that they were filled out of time.
One would wonder why Governor Makinde appears to be more desperate in keeping hold of the Local Governments.
The answer is simple and straightforward. It is all about the resources of the 33 Local Governments which the Governor has allegedly mortgaged as security for Loans from different Banks.
The Governor has been able to deceive the world, posing as someone who is savvy and better in the art of governance.
Whereas, there is nothing special in all he has been doing so far.
Allegedly, he has collected about 128 billion Naira as Local Governments Allocation within the short period Tinubu became president.
He must have collected close to a Trillion Naira in respect of the Local Governments since he became Governor in 2019.
Where are the traces and evidence of such amount of money in our Local Governments and who has accounted for such?
Governor Makinde loves to pose like someone who is bold, fearless and courageous.
In his courage and boldness, I challenge him to bring out the books and tell the world how much he has collected as Local Government monthly Allocations and what he has done with them in the past five years.
He won’t dare.
Let me now go back to Olagunju and others who have been helping the Governor to defraud Oyo state.
I hope they now realize that they have just smear their images for nothing in view of the actions of the Federal Government and the pronouncements of the Supreme court.
They have labored in vain.
Like Paul and Apollo, they planted and watered and yet, it has pleased God, the Almighty to ensure that their labor went to vain.
What a beautiful time this is?
The enemies of the public and the people of Oyo state have been made to look like Ahitofel whose counsel was turned to foolishness.
I can’t wait to see the scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commissions by the National Assembly.
When that happens, it will be a good time to say good riddance to bad rubbish.
SOLA ABEGUNDE.
