Estimated reading time: 31 minute(s)
…AA, NNPP next Option
Sodiq Mojibola
To say things have fallen apart for three big political parties in Ogun state is to say the least obvious .
In Ogun politics, centre is becoming slippery for the All Progressives Congress, the People’s Democratic Party and African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2023 election .
As at this moment, the public opinion has rated the three parties ahead of others while new development might change the tide of things. However, about two political parties might spring a surprise, if the deep-rooted crises bedeviling the parties fail to go away
PLATFORM TIMES reliably gathered that in all the three parties ,things are not rosy for them as some thick crises ranging from litigations to disloyalty are crippling the chances of the parties .
Findings showed that despite the window dressing gestures being put up by the APC in the state as being peaceful , there are abundant crises which make the ruling party a beleaguered party in the state.
The public declaration of ‘war’ by the former governor of the state ,Senator Ibikunle Amosun against his party’s governorship candidate, Dapo Abiodun
; the threats by some party aspirants who were aggrieved ; the gang up by some powerful people in the state and the civil servants’ secret ‘pay back time ‘ treatment against the governor might consume his second term ambition.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that in the annal of the 45 years old Gateway state , only an erstwhile governor, Segun Osoba failed to have his second term as governor while other past governors ; Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Amosun got their second term chances successfully, tough though .
… Abiodun, Daniel Secret Feud Affecting Party
There has been a serious feud between Abiodun and former governor Gbenga Daniel which was being managed by the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Dr. Kayode Adetona .
The feud started since Daniel showed his interest to gun for Senatorial seat of Ogun East where two of them hail from.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that several attempts were made to halt Daniel’s ambition, but, the former governor seemed to have envisaged it and moved ahead of the plot .
However, Daniel was almost crushed by the power of the governor who is also the party leader in the state ,but, was saved by some national leaders of the party .
In fact, it was reliably hinted that the party national secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore had to travel down to the state and convey the message of the party to the governor on the ticket .
The governor who had saved Daniel’s economy by returning and allowing him operate his business in Abeokuta, was said to have been warned against allowing Daniel to regain his political power .
The governor was said to have been advised against handing over the ticket to Daniel who was described as master of political game .
After Abiodun’s anointed candidate failed to match Daniel in the race to get the ticket, the governor’s camp reportedly wooed the incumbent senator, Lekan Mustapha to defend his mandate .
Mustapha who was a die-hard political associate and friend of Amosun left his camp and pitched his tent with Abiodun with a view to fighting for the ticket against Daniel.
The race for the ticket became so intense that Awujale had to be dragged to the political matter who eventually got it resolved in favour of Daniel.
But, not yet uhuru between the two political leaders (Daniel and Abiodun), the fight was renewed when the Independent National Electoral Commission lifted the embargo on the campaign ahead of February first election .
Daniel had to begin his rally contrary to the state party’s directive which asked him to halt the planned campaign which had been set on motion . He went on with his campaign.
It was gathered that, the presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was very much disposed to Daniel’s ambition and had thrown his support behid him .
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that many party leaders in the state were worried over the feud between Abiodun and Daniel and dragged Awujale into it who seems to have resolved it .
Abiodun was said to have accused Daniel of instigating people against him, the allegation which was vehemently denied by the former governor .
.. Gboyega Isiaka, Abiodun Akinlade, Others’ Fates Unknown
The recent development which threatened the ambitions of some politicians who have pitched their tents with the governor has thrown the camp into confusion .
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the manner some politicians such as Gboyega Nasiru Isiaka, Abiodun Akinlade and Biyi Adeleye were given the party tickets has made them to be proned to losing the tickets .
Both Akinalde and Isiaka were given the party tickets to run for House of Representatives in Yewa-South and Yewa-North/Imeko-Afon respectively while Adeleye was given house of assembly seat ticket .
It was gathered that apart from Isiaka who was not taken to court ,others include Akinlade and Adeleye lost their tickets as the court sacked them as party candidates .
.. Yayi’s 2027 ambition As Abiodun’s Albatross
The Lagos West Senator who is now a senatorial candidate from Ogun West, Solomon Adeola popularly called Yayi was in the news following his public knowledge of his interest to take a shot in 2027 as governor of the state .
Yayi is positioning himself to succeed Abiodun after his eight years second term .
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Yayi’s ambition which seems to be getting support of the governor has thrown Yewaland into confusion .
It was further gathered that Abiodun’s support for Yayi’s ambition has made Isiaka and Akinlade feel slighted and might work at parallel with the governor.
Some aides of the governor who were not comfortable with Yayi’s ambition were said to have begun working against the interest of the governor .
While the Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of Yewaland ,Oba Kehinde Olugbenle had declared his support for Yayi ,many other people from the place we’re routing for the ADC candidate ,Biyi Otegbeye.
…Political Revolution Looms In Ogun West Against Abiodun, Yayi’s Ambitions
Several visits to Yewaland and interactions with many residents showed that, Yayi has become a household name due to his heavy empowerment programmes .
Yayi has empowered thousands of people and the traditional rulers of the senatorial district with millions of naira which seem unprecedented .
Expressing their views on the political development , many residents said ‘we will support Yayi’s ambition ,but, we cannot sell our governorship seat’
Many of them who preferred to speak anonymous said they would support Yayi as Senator during the election ,but, would go for ADC governorship candidate ,Otegbeye.
Faulting the position of the traditional ruler who said the region was not in a hurry to produce governor in 2023, they said , since the region had been making moves to govern the state ,this moment seem to be the best chance for them to get the seat.
PLATFORM TIMES observed that Otegbeye was the only formidable candidate from the region for the coming election unlike in the past where two or three candidates from the same region struggled for the seat .
…Failed attempts At Reconciling Amosun, Abiodun
A close associate of a former governor hinted PLATFORM TIMES that there were efforts to reconcile both Amosun and Abiodun ,but, failed due to the hardline stance of the duo.
It was gathered that a meeting had been reportedly scheduled for the Alake palace but, one of them preferred Awujale as the venue which scuttled the move .
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo and some prominent personalities were reportedly drafted into the matter but, could not reconcile them .
At the party level, PLATFORM TIMES gathered that more moves were made but also failed .
The fight between the two of them was hinged on the party structure in the state.
The duo who were best of friends before 2019 have become avowed political enemies .
….Why APC Silent on Amosun’s Public Declaration
Contrary to the expectation that the party would sanction the former governor for publicly declaring support for ADC, the party kept mum while Amosun was seen playing active roles in the party activities at the national level.
Amosun had declared support for Tinubu and asked supporters to work for the APC flag bearer .
An unconfirmed report states that Tinubu might not involve himself in the process of who becomes next governor of the state after his emergence .
It was also gathered that Amosun might have struck a deal with Tinubu on politics in the state .
Findings have shown that ADC has opted for low key approach in it’s campaign so as not to jeopardize the chances of the APC presidential candidate in February election .
Abiodun ,APC fingered In PDP,ADC Crises
While PLATFORM TIMES’s investigation could not directly link Abiodun and APC to the predicaments of the PDP and ADC which has put them in disarray , many of the oppositions pointed accusing fingers at APC and Abiodun of penetrating the parties through proxies.
The crises rocking the PDP and ADC have been traced to Abiodun and APC .
Both ADC and PDP have been thrown into disarray following several court cases which had cancelled their primaries .
Courts have stopped both PDP candidate Oladipupo Adebutu and Biyi Otegbeye from parading themselves as governorship candidates .
Both of them were hopeful to be restored by Appeal court before the December INEC deadline .
… Why About 200 Monarchs Drafted On Rescue Mission
irked by the reality of the hurdles before him, Abiodun has enlisted the help of about 200 traditional rulers in the state on a rescue mission .
The traditional rulers were said to have been brought into politics ahead of 2023 election .
Awujale, the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland and Olu of Ilaro who led the endorsement of Abiodun urged other Obas to join hands and ensure Abiodun gets his second term in the coming election.
…. Gang Up Likely As PDP, ADC Set to float ABNDA Association
Following the development in the PDP and ADC which is capable of denying them of participating in the coming election , there seems to be a fresh arrangement to form a coalition against Abiodun’s Second term ambition.
Adebutu was said to have vowed to ensure that he contest and win Abiodun in the 2023 election ,but, in case the reality does not allow that , the alternative is to float a coalition tagged Anyone But Not Dapo Abiodun .
The ambition of Adebutu who hails from Remo axis in Ogun East, the same senatorial district of the governor is seen as a big threat to Abiodun’s emergence .
Recall that Abiodun got block votes in all the nine local governments from the senatorial district due to failure of Adebutu to contest that election .
Adebutu who had emerged the governorship candidate of the party was later asked to stop parading himself as the candidate by the court .
Jimi Lawal, a governorship aspirant of the PDP had dragged the party and PDP to court over the primaries.
An unconfirmed report indicates that Adebutu had held series of meetings with some aides of Abiodun both in London and Nigeria on the strategy to stop Abiodun’s reelection .
ADC which was very positive that it would reverse the high court judgement sacking it’s governorship candidate and 26 members of house of assembly .
The party which vowed to reclaim it’s mandate at Appeal court before the INEC December deadline however hinted that , a coalition might be considered against Abiodun.
AA , NNPP may Catch From ADC,PDP Crises
Fresh development revealed that as part of the game plan to form a coalition against Abiodun’s ambition , two other viable parties likely to be considered for the game if the two parties failed to produce candidates were the Action Alliance and New Nigeria People’s Party .
PLATFORM TIMES however could not get in touch with the AA an NNPP leaders to confirm the new development.
But, the two big parties ; PDP and ADC were said to be doing everything not to leave any stone unturned in ensuring they participate in the 2023 election as 2.6million Ogun people set to decide their fates .
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
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