Former Governor of Rivers state and Minister of the Federal Capital territory, Nyesom Wike said yesterday that he was withdrawing from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s reconciliation processes.
He cited the alleged mischievous characters of his former ally and Governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde as the reason behind his decision to withdraw from the reconciliation processes.
I have my personal opinion about the current Leadership crisis within the PDP.
I think the PDP perfectly fit into the description of what Yorubas call ” o ni rakatia”. ( An unserious person).
However, that is not the focus of this piece.
Former Governor Wike’s allegations against Makinde reawakens certain memories.
I will reference Yoruba proverbs a lot in this write up.
When I read Wike’s allegations, I asked myself, if, truly, Wike ever expected true loyalty from Makinde?
If he did, then, he is not the smart politician people say he is or, perhaps, he just decided to overlook Seyi Makinde’s history of betrayals and thought his case would be different.
Some of us who have come to know Seyi Makinde for who he is are not surprised at all that he is acting true to his original characters.
He is not one who is known for possessing the ability to keep a friend from morning till night time.
He makes use of people when he needs them and throw them away when he no longer needs them.
Interestingly, he will do everything possible to get whatever he wants from people, even if it involves him bowing and trembling before them.
His affection is timed. His loyalty ephemeral. Trust him at your own peril.
The Yorubas used to say that character is like a smoke, you can not trap it. ( Eefin ni iwa, ko see bo mole).
I can not take away my eyes from the facts that whatever is it that united both Makinde and Wike was rooted in rebellion ( rikisi) and when rebellion unites a people, the friendship is bound to hit the rocks at some point but is not also often said that, even amongst thieves, there is honor?
I am happy that former Governor Nyesom Wike came clear that he had at one point or the other helped those who chose to betray him now, Seyi Makinde inclusive.
Some of us know the extent to which Wike went to help Makinde to be awarded a second term in office as Governor of Oyo state.
Seyi Makinde’s second term was negotiated and awarded and Wike was central to the negotiation.
Unfortunately, Wike failed to take notes or perhaps was deceived about the the fact that Makinde is only loyal to himself alone.
The records are there and I will endeavor to refresh our minds.
Prior to 2019, Seyi Makinde was a serial loser who had contested and lost as a Senatorial and gubernatorial candidate.
His first political breakthrough was recorded in 2019 on the wings of a coalition put together by prominent opposition figures and coordinated by the former Governor of Oyo state, Oba Senator Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja.
Apart from the former Governor, the contributions and sacrifice of the likes of Chief Femi Lanlehin, a former Leader of the House of Representatives, Mulikat Adeola, the current Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Sarafadeen Alli, Makinde’s erstwhile Deputy, Rauf Olaniyan, former member of the House of Representatives Ajibola Muraina, Alhaji Bisi Olopoenia, Eng. Femi Jogor, Baba Iba Oluyole and many others were key.
Makinde also leveraged on two important events to campaign against the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC at the time.
First, he condemned late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s reforms of the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration Laws and was personally present at the premises of a popular Radio station which the Government of Ajimobi demolished partially to show solidarity.
Those who saw him said he was at the Radio station in short knickers.
Governor Makinde, during the campaign for the 2019 general election said within his first year as Governor of Oyo state, he would stop waiting for the monthly Allocations from Abuja to run his Government.
He said he would stop what he called ” the capital flight” of Oyo state resources to Lagos because, according to him, all major contracts awarded by the Ajimobi’s Government were awarded to contractors from Lagos and when he said “Lagos,” I think you know what he was trying to emphasize.
Let me also not forget the fact that the former Chairman of the Parks Management System, Mukaila Auxiliary also claimed to have been sourced ” to provide security” for Makinde in 2019.
Immediately Seyi Makinde became Governor in 2019, he went after the coalition partners.
He was acussed of failing to comply with the gentleman agreements reached with the coalition partners and up till today, he is not in good terms with many of them for no concrete reasons.
At a point, Governor Makinde said he was having issues with the coalition partners because they wanted him to be sharing the resources of Oyo state with them.
He even mocked Mrs. Adeola Akande about the fact that she lost her Senatorial election and was claiming to have assisted him to win the Governorship election.( Eni to ba maa da aso fun ni, torun e la ko nwo), he told a Radio presenter.
He engineered the removal of his Deputy Rauf Olaniyan.
After securing his second term as Governor of Oyo state, he made far reaching reforms of the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration Laws in a way that the former Governor Ladoja looked clearly like a target.
The same action he condemned in 2019.
He has also demolished more houses and offices than Ajimobi.
Mukaila Auxiliary is today at the Agodi Prison.
He is being tried for offences which Governor Makinde spent his first term shielding and defending him from.
Ask Governor Makinde to make public the names and addresses of the major contractors with the Oyo state Government today and you will see that what he referred to as ” capital flight to Lagos” was child’s play.
Most of the contractors are not even from the South West.
Governor Makinde also made heavy weather about the debt profile of Oyo state in 2019 and acussed Ajimobi of reckless borrowings.
Today, Governor Makinde himself is ashamed to disclose the debts profile of Oyo state under him.
Immediately he became Governor in 2019, he began to sing a new song.
” I don’t have a godfather” became his new song.
For the nitwits or perhaps those whose minds have been captured by the diabolism of ” Omi”, Governor Makinde doesn’t have a godfather.
However, a right thinking person will ask, “what of the godmother, what of IyalAduke” and the small god or, is it his god brother now?
The one who holds no official position, yet, all those in official positions bow and tremble before him?
As if all of us are idiots.
I am surprised that former Governor Wike overlooked Makinde’s penchant for breaking promises and took his momentary loyalty seriously.
Now, he has been served with a dose of the Makinde’s meal of betrayal.
I think President Tinubu himself ought to be very careful.
Since when had Makinde started to bite the fingers that fed him a second term that Wike is now just realizing that Makinde is a betrayer?
Has Makinde not been busy taunting Tinubu all this while?
If I were President Tinubu, I will be asking Wike, have you not misled me into assisting a serial betrayer?
SOLA ABEGUNDE
