A sad Drama was enacted in Oyo state between Saturday the 27th of April and Sunday 28th by the Oyo state Independent Electoral Commission, (OYSIEC).
The unfortunate Drama was supervised and delivered by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who is the Chairman of the Oyo Electoral Commission.
I have said a lot about the person of Isiaka Olaguju SAN and I won’t flog issues about how he did what he did here.
Sadly again, another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Niyi Akintola compounded the unfortunate Drama orchestrated by a fellow SAN as him when he appeared on a live Radio program on Yinka Ayefele’s Fresh FM on the evening of Sunday, 28th of April.
Obviously, the anchor of the program, a known accolyte of Governor Seyi Makinde must have deliberately selected Chief Akintola for the interview.
Chief Niyi Akintola, since he lost the ticket for the gubernatorial election of the APC in Oyo state to former Senate Leader, Teslim Kolawole Folarin have been anything but APC in his public opinions and statements.
He publicly confirmed his support for Governor Makinde during the gubernatorial election and have been hobnobbing with the Governor ever since.
For such a person to be invited to speak as a Chieftain of Oyo APC smacks of mischief.
As expected, Chief Niyi Akintola, a supposed Chieftain of Oyo state APC used the occassion to deliver his pent up venom against the APC which he has continued to engage in a proxy battle ever since he lost the gubernatorial ticket.
It is the height of deliberate mischief by anyone to opine that Oyo APC went to the just concluded charade if an election as a divided House.
The general public know better that the APC approached the Local Government Election as one big family and everyone, perhaps, to the exclusion of Chief Niyi Akintola actively participated.
Chief Akintola and his newly found friends in the PDP must have been dazed by the positive response of the people of Oyo state to the campaigns of the APC, ably coordinated and led by Senator Folarin and other stakeholders.
The contributions of the APC Senators, Reps, Leaders and office holders, which was rewarded by the massive reception at all the rallies must have jolted Chief Akintola and his PDP friends.
It is obvious that he was deliberately invited to lay the ground for the excuses and justifications by the beneficiaries of the fraud of Saturday.
Akeem Olatunji, one of the clowns purportedly “elected” on Saturday is currently on the same Fresh FM, on another program anchored by the same accolyte of Governor Makinde, reechoing the same sentiments of APC as a divided House.
I wonder what business the busy bodies have with the unity within Oyo APC.
From all indication, Chief Niyi Akintola is in similarities to what a former Governor of Rivers state is to the PDP.
A thorn in the flesh.
It is unfortunate that he has chosen occassion like this to reopen the wounds of what people like him made the innocent members of the party to lose in 2023.
In the first instance, the Local Government we fought hard to get would have been ours without stress if Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin had been elected Governor.
Oyo APC would have been presented with the opportunity to have a Governor, Deputy Governor, SSG, COS, DCOS, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Special Assistants, PAs, Chairmen and members of Boards and parastatals and many more.
That is what people like Chief Niyi Akintola ensured the party didn’t have.
This present situation is not funny.
How could two supposed great minds and professionals found the present situation glorious?
What exactly is happening to the two Senior Advocates?
I thought integrity is something that ought to be guarded at the risk of attention, grudge and patronage?
What exactly could this supposed great men be expecting or taking from Governor Makinde?
What is happening to our societal norms?
We are greatly in soup!
Where will the role models come from?
If a Senior Advocate of Nigeria is awarding scores to candidates where no election held and the other one is gleefully thumbing him up, are we doomed?
I wonder what the friends and families of people who have chosen to sell their conscience like this have to tell them in private.
We are Yorubas who believe in the concept of a good name as one more cherished than silver and gold.
This days, you don’t even require gold or silver, all you need is some delicious pot of porridge and even, the high and mighty will fall upon themselves to dance to the drum beater.
SOLA ABEGUNDE
