By Sola Abegunde

The confusion within the ranks of the Allied People’s Movement, APM, is difficult to describe at the moment. The Makinde political empire which is built on lies, betrayals, failed promises and greed keeps crumbling by the day. In fact, Makinde and APM’s lickspittles are providing me with unlimited amusement nowadays.

Everyone who left the Makinde Government are suddenly branded as ” paperweights” by the APM e-rats. I used to wonder if those funny fellows are unaware of the wisdom behind the belief by the Yorubas that, even, cottonwool, if gathered in large quantities, could constitute a heavy load which no single human being could lift. ( Eni ni owu o teru, iwonba to fee fi tan ina lo mu). You keep losing prominent politicians and party men and you say they are paperweights. Which heavyweight has the right to cast more than one vote for his preferred candidate?

I am sure, that, even, Adekambi must be wondering how things got this bad for the APM. Before his choice as Governor Makinde’s anointed gubernatorial candidate was made public, I granted an interview on a television station and I declared that Bimbo Adekambi would be anointed by Makinde and that his choice as a successor to Makinde would spell doom for both of them.

To each other, both are political albatross but Governor Makinde’s ego won’t allow him to see beyond his little imagination. I am particularly surprised that Bimbo Adekanmbi didn’t realize that he was actually walking into a trap through his nomination by Seyi Makinde. Greed is indeed a big disease. In Bimbo Adekanmbi’s shoes, no reasonable person should have underrated the number of enemies Governor Makinde has succeeded in making for himself within seven years as Governor of Oyo state.

It follows, therefore, that Bimbo Adekanmbi would inherit those enemies of Seyi Makinde. Sadly, the fellow doesn’t see it that way, or, perhaps, he overlooked the consequences of such possibilities. As at the time, Governor Makinde, or, is it Seye Famojuro, who nominated Adekanmbi as the governorship candidate was having issues with H.E. Amb. Taofik Oladejo Arapaja, Alhaji Bisi Olopoeyan and several first class Obas in Oyo state. As at that time, the Governor had parted ways with the likes of Senator Hosea Agboola, Alhaji Razak Gbadegesin, H.E. Barr. Gbolarunmi Hazeem, Chief Mrs Jumoke Akinjide, Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande, H.E. Engr. Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan, Prince Diran Odeyemi, H.E. former Governor Ayodele Fayose, H.E. former Governor Nyesom Wike and even, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

As at that time, a lot of stakeholders within the Makinde political empire were uncomfortable with the process that threw up Adekanmbi as the gubernatorial candidate of the APM. As at that time, discussions around whether Governor Makinde should be succeeded by a Christian was in the frontline. People were also asking whether it makes sense for Governor Seyi Makinde to present Bimbo Adekanmbi as his anointed gubernatorial candidate, as a result of the fact that both of them are from Ona-Ara Local Government.

As at that time, there were growing agitations against the refusal of Governor Seyi Makinde to comply with the judgment of the Supreme Court which granted financial autonomy for Local Governments. The issue of the Circular Road, sales of government assets and the handing over of Oyo State Farm Settlements to Estate Developers were all issues around which arguments were so hot. The debts profile of Oyo state which has remained a mystery and source of concerns was being debated before Adekanmbi accepted to be Makinde’s anointed gubernatorial candidate.

You now wonder, what could have led Adekanmbi into accepting such a dangerous offer from Makinde? I could only think of one reason. Greed! When Seyi Makinde was saying, oh, I have told Adekanmbi not to inherit my enemies, he was being hypocritical. The enemies are automatically inherited immediately Adekanmbi accepted the offer. Governor Makinde knows he is carrying a baggage which will automatically affect Adekanmbi negatively and he doesn’t want to be a reference point in the discussions around Adekanmbi’s candidature.

Unfortunately for both of them, even the campaign slogan for Adekanmbi says it all: “Omi Tuntun 3.0”. So, how do you extricate Seyi Makinde from “Omi Tuntun” and the disaster it represents? Governor Makinde never hid his disdain for an autonomous Local Government. Adekanmbi adopted his template. A template that has contributed to the complete destruction of the 33 Local Governments. In every areas where citizens of Oyo state have been crying out, under very severe pain, Adekanmbi is promising to continue Makinde’s draconian policies. Adekambi refused to condemn the attempts by Governor Seyi Makinde to hand over the Farm Settlement in Ogbomoso to Estate Developers, despite the protests by the people of the ancient town. He’s been silent over the crisis that followed Governor Makinde’s attempts to do the same thing at Saki. He has no problem with the fact that Governor Makinde had handed over the 4,000 hectares Eruwa Farm Settlement to some investors who are nowhere to be found in two years.

In fact, Adekanmbi didn’t even know that Oyo state is short of six General Hospitals, if we go by a General Hospital per Local Government and when Senator Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli promised in his manifesto, to address the deficit, APM spokespersons began to foam in the mouth, labelling Alli’s Manifesto as “lacking in originality”.

Governor Makinde has been in office for seven years plus. Within this period, he has received Ecological funds several times.You would now wonder, what has happened to those funds? I have been reliably informed that the purveyor of Omi Tuntun can not account for the Ecological funds received by him as Governor of Oyo state for seven years plus. Bimbo Adekanmbi himself was appointed by Governor Seyi Makinde to head a committee on the upgrade of the Alakia Airport. I was reliably informed that the contracts for the upgrade of the Airport was varied upwards to well over 150bn from the original 50bn plus.

I have asked this question before now, but, I have not seen or heard him defend the allegation. Governor Makinde approved sums of money, well over 60bn for the renovations of the Government House against public outcry. As at today, a Hall was constructed. The Government House Mosque and Church were painted and the tiles of both places of worship changed.

I challenge Governor Seyi Makinde to tell the public, how much of the over 60bn for the renovations of the Government House has been released. Not only that, I challenge the Governor to invite the Press to conduct an assessment of the job done already.

Presently, Oyo is languishing at the bottom of the table both on WAEC and NECO examination index while Osun state is celebrating a fifth position. Senator Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli is saying, we have to go back to a system that will make teaching and learning conducive, that is the 30-pupil per classroom policy, but the APM are saying, no, it is not possible.

Adekanmbi, as the gubernatorial candidate of the APM, through his silence, also believes that we must continue with the present arrangements, where classrooms in our public primary and secondary schools are terribly congested and not conducive for learning.

Oyo will not accept that. Now, they have a better choice in Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli. Governor Makinde has eaten sour grapes. Adekanmbi is bound to bear the consequences. His teeth will be set on edge.