Ladoja/Ajimobi’s romance collapses?

By Jackson Udom - 03.02.2008

THE Political romance between former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja and the all Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) governorship candidate, Senator Abiola Ajimobi is heading for the rocks if feelers from the two political camps are anything to go by.

Sunday Tribune reliably gathered recently that with the thinking within the Ladoja camp of the Action Congress (AC) that the election of Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) could be nullified, there are strong indications that Senator Ladoja would contest the governorship on the AC platform.

The thinking in the Ladoja’s camp, according to party sources, is however not going down well with the Ajimobi camp which sees the moves as that of betrayal, having been encouraged by the former governor to challenge the election result at the tribunal.

The Ajimobi camp is equally said to have strategised towards what a source described as” our option B plan.” “The moves within the Ladoja camp is well decoded in our camp and we are looking at the development with every seriousness. If the election of Governor Akala is nullified and Ladoja decides to contest against our candidate, it will not in anyway disturb or affect us negatively because we have all its takes to win,” a member of Ajimobi camp, who pleaded anonymity, stressed.

Sunday Tribune reliably gathered that the once blossoming relationship within the two camps has since gone sore with the plan by the Ladoja camp to withdraw its support for the ANPP candidat.

The decision by the Ladoja group to drag him into the governorship race was because of its conviction that even if Akala was removed from office, there was no way the ANPP candidate would be ordered to take over from Governor Akala. The best that could happen in their estimation is an, order for a fresh election and Ladoja, it reasoned, was the best replacement for Ajimobi , in view of what it believed as his popularity, having succeeded in ensuring that Ajimobi and his ANPP, through his support, were able to come second in the governorship contest.

Already, Ladoja and his group,it was learnt, have completely taken over the AC, while those who nurtured the party from its formation have been made to occupy the backseat. Ladoja’s control of the party was said to have been recently demonstrated during the bye- election to fill the vacant seat of Lagelu/Akinyele Federal Constituency. Ladoja’s former media aide, Alhaji Bashiru Latinwo, through Ladoja’s support ,was fielded for the election against the wish of former governor of the state and leader of the party, Alhaji Lam Adesina.

The ability of Ladoja to have his candidate fielded in the National Assembly contest, it was also gathered, was a sign of what is currently prevailing in the party and a proof that given the same oppurtunity, the former governor would be fielded for the envisaged governorship bye-election on the platform of the party.

As far as happenings in the party is concerned, particularly plans towards any bye-election, the party’s candidate in the April 14 polls, Professor Taoheed Adedeoja, would not want to make a comment. His situation is even made worse by the fact that the Electoral Act allows any of the parties the freedom to replace their candidates at any bye-election.

So even if opportunity arises for the conduct of bye-election, the university don, it was learnt, might not be the preferred candidate, as the party, as it were, is now under the absolute control of Ladoja and his group.

When contacted for his comment on the emerging scenario within his party, Adedoja, whose governorship ambition was almost truncated by the Ladoja-led administration through a panel report which indicted him on alleged financial misconduct, said “I am not the right person to answer that question. Go and ask them. I am not the right person to comment on matters like that”.

In his reaction, former governor of the state and chieftain of the AC, Alhaji Lamidi Adesina, said “I would want to be spared of all that now. I don’t want to be dragged into this for now. Please spare me for God’s sake.”

However, the camp of Ladoja believes that what would be delivered at the tribunal would be the declaration of Ajimobi as the real governor and not any bye-election because Ajimobi pleaded for his declaration as the governor.

According to Ladoja’s Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Bashiru Latinwo, “the relationship between Senator Ajimobi and Ladoja is very cordial. Don’t forget that they are both from Ibadan and that support which Ladoja gave Ajimobi during the election is still very much intact. Those peddling the rumour that they no longer see eye to eye are mischievous”.

He stated further that the issue of Senator Ladoja contesting any bye election does not even arise because Ajimobi would be declared the governor.

But let us not start thinking of how to jump the bridge when we are still very far from the bridge. When we get to the bridge we will cross it.”,he said