End of the road for Makinde and his candidates, by Kola Amzat 

Suddenly, there is a deafening silence in the camp of Oyo state governor-Seyi Makinde. The political bloc is completely stuck in the middle of the road. The governor and his faithful across the state are enveloped in despair, frustration and despondence.

 The political bloc is isolated. They’re not talking to anyone; no one is interacting and conversing with them either. They’re ensnared in their cocoon, desperately looking for a way out.

 Of course, the political camp is completely being abandoned by other fringe parties.

The APM they’re romancing and cultivating for the purpose of deploying its platform to contest at polls in the forthcoming general elections seems a dead horse.

Even, the fringe party’s hijacker-in-chief, Bala Mohammed-the incumbent Bauchi state governor is unsure of the direction the party is headed. Seamlessly, he has picked the senatorial ticket; but he’s absolutely not sure of victory at polls. This is the travail of Seyi Makinde and his group.

APM has no base. No logistical influence; no structure and no identified leadership hierarchy.

 It’s instructive to note that the party has no single elected officer, be it at local government, state government and federal government level.

This is the party Seyi Makinde and his group are pitiably cultivating to deploy its platform to contest at polls.

This is how much Oyo state governor has deteriorated and descended politically.

A hitherto soaring governor who has been cultivated by all and sundry-political groups, political blocs, varying interest groups, including the ruling party. How are the mighty fallen!  

Makinde’s travail is consequence of sheer arrogance, lack of wisdom and discerning heart, and more importantly, inordinate ambition.

Through the sheer grace and favour of God, he ascended to governor office, after crushing defeats in his earlier two attempts for the same office.    

He berthed in that office without a political bloc, political dynasty, as well as requisite political logistical resources. He simply rode on the wings of the established and key political benefactors that handed him the PDP political structure after he had woefully failed in the previous two elections.

Nigerians should ask the governor: where are the political benefactors now-Wike Nyesom, Hosea Halleluyah, Alhaji Olopoeniyan, and even, Oba Rasheed Ladoja? Completely, he has dumped them!

As if this is enough, in his inordinate quest, he didn’t only shunned all the political entreaties of the president, he shamelessly availed the entire world the details of classified and very confidential personal discussions he had with Commander-in-Chief.

The above set the tone for the present gulf in relationship between him, Oyo state, federal authority, and of course, our dear president.

Technically, his travail is self-inflicted and this is obviously the major reason behind his present situation, as well as his faithful all over Oyo state.

From the on-set, it is crystal clear that the engine of APM vehicle that the governor and his group are cultivating to deploy to contest the general elections is knocked.

The crux of this piece remains: the overwhelming success that attended the recently concluded APC primaries at all levels in the state has further nailed and sealed the fate of Seyi Makinde and his group across the state.

With unrivalled precision, deadly accuracy, tactical efficiency and robust organizational depth and ingenuity, the recently concluded APC primaries in the state that turned out gubernatorial, national and state assemblies candidates, as well as presidential candidate in atmosphere devoid of rancor, brigandage, violence and mistrust has further signaled the readiness and preparedness of APC to record total victory in the state during the forthcoming polls.

The seamless emergence of Senator Sarafadeen Alli as the APC gubernatorial candidate, as well as other candidates at the different levels, is a testament that the governor and PDP government MUST start preparing to pack their bags and baggage out of Agodi government office.

There is no gainsaid the fact that Senator Alli has the requisite political clout, pedigree, electoral appeal across the state, tact, humility and winning mentality to spearhead APC battle and record resounding victory in all the elections-presidential, governorship, national and state assemblies.

In the same vein, it’s an auspicious time for the governor to start the process of assembling a team of Lawyers that would defend him in several financial infractions expected to be presented against him and his government by EFCC and ICPC teams, at the expiration of his tenure in 2027.

This includes humongous funds in several hundreds of billions expended on Ibadan Circular road.

Second is the modality he adopted in disbursing the $30 billion relief fund granted the state by the federal government to provide succor for many of Bodija bomb blast victims in 2024.

Thirdly, he must be prepared to give account and stewardship of several billions of LGCs monthly allocation that he continues to misappropriate.

Of course, the governor must be ready to give comprehensive details of the account of funds expended on Millennium parks in Iwo road, challenge, Ojoo, all in Ibadan.

The state hard earned resources wasted on PDP botched convention already declared null and void by the court would demand explanation; likewise the state billion squandered on Coalition parties summit.

On a related note was also the billions of state treasury completely wasted on the botched government attempt to install three unwilling and literally uninterested kings, the event ostensibly arranged to scuttle the gubernatorial quest of Senator Sarafadeen Alli.

The die is cast!      

It’s crystal clear that EFCC and ICPC would demand explanations from Governor Makinde of his stewardship for eight years that he’s at the helms of affairs in the state.                      

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB, ACS, MBA)

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348.