Six Oyo aspirants rejection of Alli’s gubernatorial candidature stands abhorred, by Kola Amzat

Few days ago at a reconciliation meeting in Ibadan, six (6) Oyo gubernatorial aspirants firmly declared to Senator Femi Lanlehin’s led reconciliation committee that as far they are concerned, the party was yet to have a recognised governorship candidate for the forthcoming polls.     

To the discerning heart and the logically-minded, the implication of the aspirants’ declaration is that they probably have another plan in the pipeline aimed at organising a fresh primary session where they expect that a new candidate of their choice would emerge and ultimately fly the flag of the party during the forthcoming polls.

How deluded they are! Their position is simply balderdash, out of order and inconsequential. It’s clearly an indication of a group of people completely living in their world and overwhelmed with illusion.

Their position is also borne out of envy, jealousy, strife and hatred for Senator Alli who has duly emerged. 

With all intents and purposes, their stance negates the spirit of political sportsmanship and therefore, it’s condemnable, reprehensible, self-serving, disruptive, frustrating and most annoying.

Their declaration is also an affront and direct confrontational to the exalted office of the President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, who in his unique wisdom has not only favourably disposed to the candidature of Senator Sarafadeen Alli, but, has also endorsed him for the forthcoming polls. 

Their stance is clearly act of disrespect, disregard and contempt for the APC’S NWC and party’s leadership hierarchy who in their wisdom religiously followed the party constitution by constituting reconciliation committee and mandated the members to move with the speed of jet for the purpose of interacting and interfacing with all key aspirants of the party, as well as the party’s gubernatorial candidate to reconcile the parties ahead of the forthcoming general elections.    

The concerned six aspirants should be oblivious of the fact that the party’s internal resolution committee is set up for this purpose and it’s incumbent on all loyal registered members to abide and support the party in its bid to nip in the bud any animosity and grievance in whatever form that could constitute hindrances to the party in its bid to ensure cohesion and unity ahead of the elections.

The aspirants should be well aware that their position has taken the party backward, as they’ve not assisted and supported her both at national and state levels in her bid to achieve resounding victory at all levels during the next polls.

It’s also instructive to remind the aspirants that it was the same selfish and myopic attitude that was on display by some disgruntled elements within the party in the state about eight years ago and even during 2023 elections, a development that didn’t only deprived the party electoral victory, but largely ensuring the resounding victory of PDP led by Seyi Makinde at all levels of the elections.  

As things stand, it’s apparent that the six aspirants have jointly resolved on what to do, a decision obviously counter-productive to the plan, aspiration and overall agenda of the party.

Meanwhile, while applauding the spirited efforts of NWC for mandating the party’s leadership hierarchy in the state to set up Senator Femi Lanlehin’s committee to interface and interact with the aggrieved party’s aspirants for the purpose of reconciling them with the party and the governorship candidate, we must all be conscious of the fact that not everyone is opened to reconciliation, as well as prepare to toe the path of peaceful resolution.

At this juncture, it’s germane to stress that Senator Sarafadeen Alli has DIVINELY emerged as the candidate of the party and, on this MANDATE the president, NWC, Oyo state leadership and teeming supporters of the party across the state, stand.

Furthermore, the party is constitutionally compelled to present ONLY ONE CANDIDATE to the electoral authority, the responsibility that the NWC has performed.

The onus is therefore on the citizenry of the state, especially those who desire transformational development and prosperity to rally round him to ultimately emerge as the governor of the state at the next polls.    

Moving forward, if the six aspirants-Engineers Hakeem Alao and Rauf Olaniyan, Dr. Ayobami Lam-Adesina, Barrister Akeem Agbaje, Mr. Ololade Bakare, as well as Barrister Musibau Asanike refused the entreaties of the party particularly, the need to bury their grievances and support the party in her bid to reclaim the state from the conservative group, APC must take a compelling resolve to move ahead without them.

The party leadership in the state must display equanimity, courage, determination and wit and move ahead with the conviction that nobody in the political sphere is INDISPENSABLE.

In-fact, this writer is of deep conviction that APC would remarkably do well at the polls without these aspirants, some of them who are simply POLITICALLY ANONYMOUS.

Indeed, I made bold to submit that none of the aspirants has the necessary electoral value across the state capable of negatively impacting on the fortunes of the party during the forthcoming polls.

We must be mindful of the fact that it’s not the combination of the six aspirants that would determine the electoral fortunes of the party, as well as swaying the votes on the path of Senator Alli, rather it’s the votes of teeming population of APC faithful across the state.

Fortunately, the APC gubernatorial candidate is more than capable of spearheading a resounding victory for the party at all levels.

The candidate is an astute and accomplished legal practitioner, as well as longtime public servant with career spanning local government administration, state executive service and presently, federal with legislative responsibility, more-so in the Upper Chamber.

For emphasis, he dutifully served as Chairman, Ibadan North Local Government where he built a robust and very credible reputation for grassroots administration. He was later appointed as Secretary to the state government, and thereafter served as Chief of Staff to former governor, Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, now HRM, Olubadan of Ibadanland, all roles and responsibilities that firmly placed him in the epicenter of policy coordination and political negotiation in the state, as well as federal level.

For the avoidance of doubt, the state is presently in dire need of a widely acceptable candidate, who is politically savvy and informed, as well as humility personified who would restore the lost glory, pride and honour, as well as re-integrate her into the national mainstream politics, where she rightly belongs.

If Senator Sarafadeen Alli has ticked all the afore-mentioned boxes, why do we need to be dissipating energy on those who are hell-bent in dragging the party backward?

Why do state reconcilliation team need to continue to waste valuable time on those who have resolved to choose a different path other than that of the party?   

It’s an auspicious time to call their bluff and allow the political train that is already cruising to berth safely, gloriously and victoriously at the desired Terminal, by discontinuing reconciliation exercise with the six aspirants forthwith, the EFFORT that would obviously be fruitless ultimately.                                            

Kola Amzat (FCA, FCIB),

09077509348, [email protected]