This obviously are interesting times in the political cycle. Elections have been concluded. Inauguration of Government at the National and States levels done with.
The next phase is the fierce battles to share the spoils of election victories and the battle has been raging.
I will concern myself with the struggles by tendencies within the Oyo State APC to corner the President’s patronage.
The battle to get the attention of the President in Oyo State is complicated because, no thanks to some subversive elements within the Party, the APC in Oyo lost the Governorship election and thereby, Oyo APC is seen and perceived as one with no clear cut Leader.
It seems the subversive elements from the onset had planned for the scenario we have now so as to allow them benefit from the chaos, relying on their “close affinities and long standing relationships” with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu prior to his election as President.
At this point, it is important to set the records straight so as to and with due respect to the President, allow him see outside the ring of deceits made around him by those who bedeviled the Party with seeds of discords, disunity and chaos for their own selfish pursuits.
First, those who now parade Abuja discrediting committed and loyal Party men contributed practically nothing to the success recorded during the Presidential campaigns and elections as they might wish the President to believe.
The Governorship candidate of the Party, Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin galvanized our loyal, resilient and committed Party Leaders, Executives, Stakeholders and Party men and women in an aggressive campaign and enlightenment of voters across the length and width of the state.
The efforts of the gubernatorial candidate was effectively complemented by H.Es Iyiola Oladokun, Pa. Alake, Eng. Rauf Olaniyan, all of them, former Deputy Governors, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, Chief Isaac Omodewu, leading the state executives of the Party, the three Senatorial candidates, Eng. Hakeem Alao and others to traverse the length and breadth of the state for Presidential and National Assembly elections.
These great men sacrificed their time, sweat, resources, they sacrificed their sleep and risked their health during the campaign.
It baffles and pains me that those individuals who during the campaign chose to engage in Anti-party and subversive activities are now parading themselves as the heroes of the election which they contributed nothing to its success.
The only contribution that could be ascribed to them is the ignoble roles they played in the loss of the governorship election by APC to Seyi Makinde of PDP through their Campaign of calumny against the candidate of their own Party, the spreading and sponsoring of wicked rumours, half truths, outright lies and reckless dropping of names.
Indeed one of the names dropped was that of the President elect as he then was! What a desperation!
There is no doubt that this individuals enjoy close affinities with the President. There is nothing wrong with that.
However, it is pertinent to humbly request at this point that the President have to look beyond the lies, rumours and half truths that have become the habit of the individuals concerned.
I have to and humbly so tell the President that he could not continue to listen to this persons alone moving forward to the detriment of the Party, the platform they vehemently dismantled in Oyo and upon which they intend to stand to curry favours in furtherance of their selfish pursuits.
For the continuous survival of the Party in Oyo, the President must look at the general picture and resist the antics of these individuals.
I know it may be uncomfortable but for the greater good, it is necessary.
I humbly invite the conscience of Mr. President to what Sherrilyn Kenyon had to say in her book titled son of no one. I quote: ” that is the way evil worked. Never from enemies you saw coming. Only those closest to you could destroy you. The ones you mistakenly trusted. The ones you allowed to mislead you because the pain of living without them was greater than the pain of tolerating their lies”.
I will like to say that the above, in many cases represent the reality of those we see as being “close” to us.
I humbly and sincerely urge the President to look at the Party, the general picture and the what is necessary when making political appointments in Oyo State.
Not everyone will have the luxury of being close to the President.
SOLA ABEGUNDE.
