The recently concluded Ondo state governorship election and its outcome has raised a critical question about who is the political leader of the south west geo-political zone. AGBOOLA BAYO examines the emerging leadership structure, power play and puzzles
If there is any evidence that the political structure of the south west has been altered it is the result of the just concluded Ondo state governorship election held on November26. For reasons best known to the electorate they voted against the sitting Governor Olusegun Mimiko and chairman, PDP Governors Forum. Although an outgoing governor, he could not produce a successor on the platform of his party-PDP. Too, the outcome is a vote against the hitherto, political leader of the south west and national leader of the APC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This emerging scenario raises a great concern as to who is the new political leader of the south west people.
The intrigues and build up to the election generated much anxiety when the relevance or political influence of Tinubu in the scheme of things as far as the APC candidate was concerned. It was clear that Akeredolu emerged against Tinubu’s expectation for which he questioned the process and demanded for the resignation of the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odegie Oyegun. Blueprint recalls that both Tinubu and Oyegun went into the election with irreconcilable differences.
The recent statement by the Governor-elect of Ondo state, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, that it was not an oversight that he did not acknowledge Tinubu in his acceptance speech, is also cogent evidence that political unity of the zone is threatened. Akeredolu had reportedly said acknowledging Tinubu was not necessary. He stated that “On the manes that were mentioned in my speech when expressing gratitude and that I did not specifically thanked Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I thanked the President and the leader of our party profusely for the leadership which he showed leading to this election”.
However, there are speculations that the Ogun state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun is fast becoming the political leader of the zone as politicians are rallying round him to point the new direction to follow politically.
The victory of Akeredolu (SAN) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a major setback to the “strong political hold” of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Asiwaju of Lagos, on the South west region and even beyond as it was perceived to be before in after the 2015 general elections.
Until on Sunday, November 27 (this year) when the results of the Ondo governorship election results were officially announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaring Akeredolu winner and the Ondo state governor elect, the fear of Asiwaju Tinubu is the beginning of wisdom for all aspiring politicians in all Yoruba speaking states and the fear often transcend his APC in most cases.
In the 2015 general polls, nearly all the APC candidates in the South west states were solely endorsed under the Asiwaju banner with all of them except in Ekiti state won the elections comfortably.
However, the tide seems to have changed towards the APC governorship primary poll in Ondo state when the perceived anointed candidate of Asiwaju Tinubu for the election, Dr Segun Abraham was defeated by Barrister Akeredolu at the primary election in Akure which resulted into allegation of malpractices and misconduct in the primary which produced Barrister Akeredolu as the APC governorship candidate.
On the cold war that erupted in the Ondo APC over the governorship candidate, some of the aspirants including Dr Abraham and his supporters in and outside Ondo state demanding total cancellation of the primary election that produced Barrister Akeredolu.
Amidst the scenario, the APC National Executive Council (NEC), at its meeting endorsed the candidature of Akeredolu forcing Asiwaju Tinubu to publicly kicked against the decision of APC NEC .
Asiwaju Tinubu in a letter to condemn the decision of APC to overrule the report of the appeal panel on the Ondo governorship election which alleged recommended cancellation of the primary election with Asiwaju Tinubu asking the APC National Chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun to resign from office for flouting APC constitution.
Chief Oyegun who ignored all the protest against the cancellation of the primary poll declared that Asiwaju Tinubu cannot force him out of office ‘for standing by the APC constitution’ against any “selfish interest” as some people were trying to play out in. Ondo.
Few days later, one of the embattled APC governorship aspirants in Ondo state,Chief Olusola Oke announced his defection from the APC to the Alliance for Democracy (AD) to contest the election with some APC members said to be followers of Asiwaju Tinubu quiting with him while another aspirant,Dr Abraham headed for court to challenge the candidature of Barrister Akeredolu.
The cold war in the APC over the Ondo governorship ticket became more pronounced during the electioneering campaign when Asiwaju Tinubu and some of the APC leaders and governors in the SW said to be loyalists of Asiwaju completely stay away from Barrister Akeredolu campaign with serving Ministers led by Mr Raji Babatunde Fasola, Kayode Fayemi, Adebayo Shittu putting up total support for Akeredolu telling those that cared to listen that without Asiwaju Tinubu’s support, nothing will stop APC from winning the Ondo governorship election. President Muhammadu Buhari while speaking at the APC grand rally in Akure where Asiwaju Tinubu was absent said APC will win the Ondo state governorship election.
Alas, on Sunday November 27, Akeredolu was declared winner of Ondo governorship election to the surprise of many particularly the die hard supporters of Tinubu in the South west most of who never considered Akeredolu as the likely winner of the poll.
National Chairman and former Presidential Candidate of the National Action Council, (NAC),Dr Olapade Agoro while commenting on the victory of Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) as the Ondo state governor elect said it signified “a rather thinning down of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s boastful power grip on his former political home base of power and glory”.
Agoro added that the fact that the duo of Godwin Obaseki who was declared by INEC the winner of Edo State and now Rotimi Akeredolu at Ondo State both of who were physically supported and encouraged by President Muhammadu Buhari and Chief John Oyegun, the actual APC National Leader and National Chairman respectively, this obviously signifying a rather thinning down of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s boastful power grip on his former political home base of power and glory”.
According to Agoro, the Ondo governorship election “has proved that President Muhammadu Buhari is now in full control of the structural power play in the ruling APC”.
Agoro said, “prior to the 2015 Presidential election that brought Buhari into power tied to the power backing of Ahmed Tinubu, the then political baby Muhammed Buhari is now capable of flexing the muscles telling the whole world that he has learnt enough of Nigerian political tricks and lessons and now on his own wings ready to fly across the strongest of winds and torrents and possibly why his associates flew the unexpected kite of PMB early declaration of interest in the 2019 race” .
Also,the Ondo governor elect, Akeredolu while speaking in Abuja on Wednesday declared that he did not acknowledge Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in his victory speech on Sunday because it was not expedient to do so, adding that having acknowledged President Muhammadu Buhari “who is the recognised national leader of the party and the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, it was safe to infer that he had acknowledged all party leaders”.
Akeredolu noted that the relationship between him and Asiwaju Tinubu was cordial and that mentioning the name of the former Lagos State Governor specifically would have amounted to him mentioning names of about 37 other leaders of the party.
“I also thanked our indefatigable chairman for standing by the truth and for his position on this matter that led to this election. I have no reason to do otherwise. Party structure to the best of my knowledge is very clear. You have the leadership of the party and that is represented by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun,” Akeredolu explained.
The governor- elect explained further, “after the election, a chief executive emerges, becomes a leader of the party, you don’t have to personalise and be looking for leaders all over the place. If we have to do that, then I will have to mention 36 or 37 leaders. So I believe the leadership as represented by the President covers all leaders and that tells me it would include Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it would include even Baba Akande, Onu, and so many leaders. But President Buhari is the leader of the party. So, that is my position there.”
“For me as a person, I believe he is one of the leaders of the party and I don’t see any strain relationship between us. And you would observe that he has sent in his congratulatory message after the election, so what else do you expect? I mean all of us see this as victory for the APC, not for Akeredolu, not for us an individual but for the party as a whole. I believe he is a member of the party. Mr. Femi Adesina had issued a release but you journalists just want to put words into our mouths”.
Political observers in the South west are with the outcome of the Ondo governorship election result of the view that a possible end seems to have come to the political dominance of Asiwaju Tinubu on how takes what in the next political scenario in the zone unlike what was witnessed during the 2015 general elections with the emerging powers of Raji Fasola (Lagos), Bayo Shittu (Oyo)Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti)Rotimi Akeredolu(Ondo) Governor Ibikunle Amosun(Ogun) all said to be in tune with the Presidency.
