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To Prepare For 2027 Guber Elections
To many politicians in Oyo State, the appointment of Waidi Adabayo Adelabu as the Minister of Power has just brought verve to the pursuit of his governorship ambition, come 2027. A former Deputy Governor of Central Bank, the ministerial appointment is an engagement that would afford him an opportunity to retool his machine for the journey to the Government House at Agodi in Ibadan. They see his appointment as fresh tinder that would stoke the fire of his burning ambition to contest the 2027 governorship election.
As Adelabu, the governorship candidate of the Accord Party (AP) in the 2023 general elections, took oath of office as the minister of power in the federal cabinet led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, political followers in Oyo State have been telling those who care to listen that the ministerial appointment was the Adelabu’s first step on his path to the Government House, Agodi in 2027.
This belief is based on the aphorism that asserts that politicians are wont to look ahead for the next election, immediately they win or lose at the poll. Only statesmen are concerned with maintenance of the polity for the benefit of all and sundry. This does not mean that statesmen are unconcerned about power or winning of elections. No. They are not unaware that sustainability and maintenance of the state is a function of power. Yes, statesmen rate maintenance of state for the good of people above running for and winning elections.
The case of Adelabu is, however, peculiar. Peculiar, in this instance, has nothing to do with a phrase that made Waidi Adebayo’s grandfather, Adegoke Adelabu, the petre of the defunct Western Region politics and hero of Ibadan politics in the 50’s popular. Adebayo’s grandfather, on one occasion, at the defunct Western region secretariat, had remarked that what the regional government was doing was a peculiar mess. His supporters state were on hand to listen to him, quickly bastardised the phrase in Yoruba language: Penkelemesi as they sang in praise of their leader as an accomplished linguist regarded as a guru in the act.
This is not an aberration, but a side remark that Adebayo has a pedigree in politics. His grandfather was a minister in the federal cabinet. He was also an opposition leader in the Western Region and latter the Chairman of Ibadan District Council. The peculiarity about Adebayo’s case is that he met politics and politicking at home and must have learnt a few tricks about the game of power and how to acquire it. Besides, he has a burning ambition to govern and run Oyo State. He has shown interest that was backed with action as he has constested governorship election twice in the recent past. He was, however, beaten twice. This, however, will spur him to restrategise to hit the bull’s eye in his next attempt.
In 2019, Adelabu ran for the governorship on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) but lost.
The interpretation of his loss, by any person, who does not know the determinant issue that dogged the Oyo State governorship election in the 2019 and 2023 is that Adelabu was not popular or lacked the political muscle to win an election, was not correct. Adelabu was made to pay for his political mentor the former Governor, Iziaku Ajimobi’s indiscretion and interference in the Ibadan chieftaincy affairs that roused Ibadan people against him. The immediate past Governor the late Senator, Iziak Ajimobi was Adelabu’s political leader. He lost his popularity to the innovation of introducing cronet kings to Ibadanland. Most Ibadan people were against it and they told Ajimobi and his political party “No” with their votes in the 2019 governorship election.
Another peculiar factor in Adelabu’s political journey was his loss of the APC’s governorship ticket in 2023 to the party’s candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin, whom most members of the APC regarded an outsider. Folarin came from the late Chief Lamidi Adedibu’s camp. Adedibu was a People’s Democratic Party’s stalwart.
Senator Folarin emerged the APC’s governorship standard bearer for Oyo State in the recent election. He rode on the wings of Mala Buni’s acting National Chairmanship of the APC that facilitated the opportunity of Omodewu becoming the APC Chairman in Oyo State. The development shoved aside the former state executive of the party loyal to Ajimobi and staunch supporters of Adelabu.
It was, therefore, not a surprise that Adelabu left the APC with his army of supporters for the Accord Party to realise his governorship ambition. He went to the poll, believing that he would rally enough number of votes that would rail-road him to the Agodi Government House. Alas!
He was beaten again. Yes, he was defeated by the People’s Democratic Party’s candidate, Engineer Seyi Makinde, who pummelled Adelabu at the poll in the 2023 election.
Unlike many people, who give up their aspiration on a platter of what they call fate, Adelabu, from all indications, is not accepting resignation to fate to be the end of his ambition to govern Oyo State. Despite the fact that another round of elections is more than three years away, those who know what it takes to contest election, remarked that any serious aspirant for the 2027 general elections should start now. Besides, Adelabu, however, has many things running for his good.
There is no better or auspicious time for Adelabu than now to gird his loins in preparations to contest the governorship election for the third time. Now, he has become a war-testest candidate, who had passed through the crucible of elections. Those who suspect that he should be weary of poll contest have, perhaps, forgotten that he was picked as a minister, representing Oyo State. Undoubtedly the appointment would in no small way, replenish his war chest. A fresh breath of financial relief and a time to put his act together.
If his appointment as a minister is the first block in the foundation of building a wall that would enable him to climb into the Agodi Government House in 2027, his return to the APC is also a rung on the ladder that would eventually take him to the governor’s seal.
Remember that he left the APC for the Accord Party with a large number of supporters, who accompanied him to his new party. There is no doubt that those foot soldiers he took to the Accord Party would be more than willing to return with him to the APC.
It is no longer a secret that there were a number of APC members who did not vote for the governorship candidate of the party, Senator Folarin, at the recent governorship election. Call them a sell-out or black legs, they don’t care. They were vehement in their resolve not to allow a defector from PDP to ride on the popularity of their party, APC, to the Agodi Government House. They regarded all those, who came to join the party on the back of ringing bell of the Mala Buni-cum-Omodewu leadership, as strange bed fellows. This group of the APC members, who did not defect with Adelabu to the Accord Party are waiting with oper hands to welcome him back to their fold.
Now, that he is a minister in the federal government controlled by the APC, it behoves on Adelabu to think APC, work APC and see the party as his forte to his victory in the governorship election in 2027. No wonder, he eyes the party for a take over.
These do not mean that the APC would prostrate to beg Adelabu to contest on its platform. No. It does not mean that his return-path to the APC would be paved with gold or silver. No. Adelabu would still need to mobilise, demonstrate and convince APC members in Oyo State that they have in him a winning candidate, worthy of being supported as he would open a door of mutual benefit to all and sundry.
– Tajudeen Adigun
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