THE seamless disenchantment and alignment amongst political players across divides in preparation for the next general elections in the state are fast taking shapes and pointing at the possible side where the pendulum of victory may swing.
Polity is relatively becoming ruffled as tongues are continually wagging on the breaker of the second term myth, Governor Abiola Ajimobi over his frosty relationship with and the eventual decampment of some renowned grassroots politicians in the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Importantly, how he is intending to sail through the hurdle of having the gubernatorial standard bearer and prospective candidates in the state and national assemblies of the party emerged winners in the coming electioneering.
The ongoing fusion of perceived strange bedfellows majorly from ruling APC and convalescing PDP into the energizing African Democratic Congress (ADC) has visibly sent down the jitter in the spine of the governor on how to contain the concerted efforts of the group of political gladiators in the making of the new party.
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Ajimobi whose election in 2011 was strategically made possible as a result of integration of different political blocks largely dominated by that of late former governor, Lam Adesina of defunct ACN was bolstered by coming of Reformed PDP due to the irreconcilable rift with former governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala.
The likes of former secretary to the state government, Bar. Sarafadeen Alli, Engr. Yunus Akintunde, Alh. Rasaq Akilapa, Sen. Ayo Adeseun, Hon. Kami Akinlabi, Yemi Aderibigbe, Alh. Abass Oloko of the reformed PDP played destructive roles in decimating the expected block votes for the PDP in connection with their associates across the state.
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Ajimobi having sensed what it takes to contest and win on the platform of a coalition of different political groups as a united party is reported to be making spirited efforts in reconciling with those who are seemingly approachable amongst the protégés of late former leader of his party, Alh. Lam Adesina over the attendant crisis occasioned by the imposition of candidates and party executive officers for the local government elections and last congresses of the APC.
It is authoritatively gathered that the governor has been fretfully engaging in brains racking on how to whittle down influence, clout and dominance of some estranged personalities who used to be tink tanks of the APC but now rooting for the ADC in some determinant communities believed to have strategic voting strengths.
Ajimobi who has been clearly caught in the deep blue sea on who to anoint as likely successor with his body language being favourable to the newly entrant into the murky politics and gubernatorial race, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe ahead of a former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Bayo Adelabu.
Basically, the governor is seen to be desperately willing to hold grip to the structure of the party after the next general elections regardless of the wish of who may succeed him in office.
The hanky-pancky of which many grounded political extremists have proved to have failed grandson, late former Ibadan opposition party leader, Adegoke Adelabu Penkelemesi.
Bayo Adelabu is the most felt aspirant who has indentified with the party and executive officers from wards, local government areas and state before the ongoing momentums ensued this crucial stage. Of which his networking is said to be portending a great danger to the prominence of the governor should he have his way electorally.
Impeccably, it is confirmed that Ajimobi has upped his intrigues by extending hands of fellowship to some noted but marginalised political heavyweights across the five geopolitical zones of the state chiefly to curtail the reach of opposition parties having fallen out with appreciable number of former Lam Adesina’s protégés, associates and supporters of the progressives clan.
The overture conveyed on behalf of the governor by his emissaries to Oke – Ogun axis was reportedly rebuffed by the disillusioned party leaders captained by Alh. Abu Gbadamosi who served as the chairman of the Unity Forum it fused into ADC.
Similarly, it was divulged how the governor unsuccessfully lured former Ibadan South East Local Government chairman now representing Ibadan South East state constituency II in the 8th Assembly strategically to demystify the member representing Ibadan South East / North East federal constituency, son of former governor, Lam Adesina, Dapo-Lam who the teeming electorate see to be a phenomenon over his connection with the people of his jurisdiction.
Finding also revealed that governor is uncomfortable with the sheer inability of most aspirants on the platform of the APC to favourably compete with the clout of most who are likely to be fielded as candiates into some posts by the opposition mostly the amalgamated ADC.
Ajimobi who hugely exploited political influence and state resources to claim the party structure despite his camp failure to participate in the party congress in the state is reportedly set to revive political careers of some identified individuals regardless of ideologies across the state.
As the structure of the ruling APC is getting depleted on a daily with the systematic defection of the aggrieved members of the party worst still that of the senator representing Oyo Central, Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu and four other House of Representatives members inspite of the stern coax by national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to reconcile with Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
The historical coming together of the promoters of Unity Forum, Coalition of United Political Party alongside political gladiators like former governor Rashidi Ladoja, former deputy Taofeek Arapaja, former secretary to the state government, Chief Michael Koleoso and a host of other it has been permutated how voting trends in some zones and local government areas would look if not disconfigured ahead of the next general elections.
With former governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala suspecting to cross carpet from the party while former senate leader, Teslim Folarin has been practically felt to be a paperweight political leader and other nominal politicians in the rank and file of the APC, His Excellency as fondly addressed by party members is in political market scouting for aspiring minds with little or no clout or financial wherewithal to face the imminent electoral race in the state.
By Samsudeen Mobolaji Popoola