By-election:Another Acid Test For Alao-Akala

By Olusola Sanni

Alao Akala

The by-election into the Akinyele/ Lagelu Federal Constituency of today is important to politicians in Oyo State in many ways. In one breath, the opposition political parties see the election as a litmus test of how strong their coalition is to upset the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

Even within the ruling party, there is a process of political alchemy taking place. The inability of the chieftains of the party to correctly predict what could be the outcome of the petitions against the election of the state Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, is gradually causing a crack in the PDP, the party in government in the state.

There are people in the party working with the hope that should the tribunal upturn the election of Alao-Akala, the PDP would again re-nominate the governor for a new election. A second group, comprising hardliners who lost to Alao-Akala in the primaries, is of the view that the governor should not be allowed to re-contest for a second time as the party’s candidate.

The thinking of those in this second group is that in the event of a re-run of the election, the PDP would stand little or no chance if it presents Alao-Akala. They argue that the anti-Ibadan sentiment which stood on the way of Alao-Akala was enormous and that if the PDP re-presented him or another candidate from outside Ibadan, the party may pay dearly for it at the poll.

Also, the group believes that the governor has wronged so many people since coming into power that his candidacy would be hard to sell. The caucus is thus working hard to ensure that if the governorship election is upturned, the party will nominate a candidate that will appeal more to the electorate.

Sources said those being considered to lead the party’s forces in the event of another election include Chief Femi Lanlehin (Ibadan), Sen. Teslim Folarin (Ibadan), Sen. Gbenga Babalola (Iseyin) and Chief Bisi Ilaka (Oyo).

This is the problem the party is having to contend with. The zone from which the candidate would emerge has become another source of debate within the party. While some are of the view that the replacement should come from outside Ibadan, others are saying that the replacement must come from Ibadan. That, many believe, is the dialectics of the PDP in Oyo State, which has reduced the cohesiveness of the party.

The election of today is significant because the opposition, for the first time in Oyo State, is also backing a consensus candidate.

Also unlike before, there seems to be a regrouping of prominent opposition personalities in Oyo State. For example, unlike during the last general election, the immediate former Governor of the state, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja, seems brave enough now to identify with the Action Congress (AC), an opposition political party he was alleged to have participated in its formation.

Apart from the fact that Ladoja has been meeting secretly with some AC leaders in Oyo State, including former Governor Lam Adesina and Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, some of Ladoja’s close associates are also reported to be involved in the reconciliation efforts by opposition political parties to upstage the PDP in the state.

Specifically, Alhaji Sharafadeen Alli, the former Chief of Staff under the Ladoja administration, was said to be part of a 10-man reconciliation committee, which is composed of members from some opposition parties in the state.

The 10-man committee, tagged Oyo Progressive Group, is being coordinated by Dr. Gbola Adetunji, a former commissioner for health under the Adesina administration. Other members of the committee are: Gbenga Olayemi; Jide Okegbola; former secretary of the PDP during Ladoja’s administration,

Waheed Adeleke, who also served as commissioner for finance under Ladoja; Alli; Fatai Ibikunle; Dr. Ismaila Adebayo Adewusi; a senatorial candidate of the Action Congress in Oyo State, Hon Babatunde Oduyoye; a former Alliance for Democracy (AD); a member of the House of Representatives; and Prince A. Adeoye, an associate of Ladoja.

The committee’s assignment, Saturday Tribune gathered, is to facilitate the meeting of all opposition political parties in the state. Sources further told Saturday Tribune that the committee is composed of major opposition political parties in the state with the exception of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

The first meeting of the committee was held two weeks ago and another meeting, which is expected to embrace members of other opposition parties, also took place on Tuesday.

The committee, according to sources, has met with Ladoja and Chief Michael Koleosho. It has also met with Adesina. It was this committee that facilitated the meeting between Ladoja and Adesina two Sundays ago.

The meeting, which took place at the Felele residence of Adesina, provided an avenue for the two former governors to bury their political differences. Special Adviser on Media to Ladoja, Prince Ade Adekanmbi, in a telephone interview on Monday, told Saturday Tribune that the meeting between Ladoja and Adesina was a routine meeting.

Adekanmbi said, “It was just a brotherly meeting. Don’t you like that development? Isn’t it good that the two of them are now working together? There is nothing wrong in brothers meeting.”

Ibikunle, Adesina’s Personal Assistant, also confirmed the meeting. He said that the meeting between Adesina and Ladoja took place on Sunday and it was essentially to move the party (AC) forward. He said, “It is true they met. The main object is to forge a common alliance for the Action Congress.” He, however, added that the meeting was not to allocate positions in the party.

Specifically, the main objective of the meeting of opposition forces in Oyo State, Saturday Tribune gathered, is to always present a consensus candidate for future elections.

For today’s election, the consensus candidate is Lanre Basir Latinwo. He is contesting the race with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Tayo Olatunji and ANPP’s Femi Egbedeyi.
If the arrangement by the opposition parties appears to have worked for today’s election, it is yet to be seen how it will work if the tribunal calls for a re-run of the governorship election in Oyo State. This is because already, many have suspected that Ladoja’s subtle declaration for the Action Congress might be with the intention of usurping the governorship ticket of the party from the April 14, 2007 gubernatorial election candidate of the party, Adedoja.

Speaking with Saturday Tribune on Wednesday, Adedoja said that as far the AC is concerned, nothing changes in the party with or without Ladoja’s declaration to join the PDP. He said, “The truth is that the structure of the AC remains unchanged. The issue of whether the governorship ticket of the party is threatened or not does not arise. I have the mandate of the party’s leadership as the governorship candidate to reconcile all members of the party. That is what we have been doing and I am happy with the outcome so far.”