By Timi Bola
FORMER Oyo State Governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala would be remembered as the Oyo State Governor who failed to stand up to political godfatherism as he allowed the late strong man of Ibadan politics who ruled from the rustic Molete, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu hijack his administration when he held sway in the Agodi Government House.
Under normal circumstances he ought not to have a voice at all as he betrayed a fundamental tenet of democracy by allowing an unelected thug dictate to him.
Alas we are in Nigeria where anything goes and so he found his way to the ruling All Progressives Congress where he is the current Chairman of the Elders Advisory Council in Oyo State.
He stirred the hornets’ nest when he said that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will not be given the presidential ticket should he join the APC.
The former governor of Oyo state who stated this while featuring on Agidigbo 88.5 FM in Ibadan declared that in APC presently, some people are on the queue for the 2023 Presidential ticket. Otunba Alao-Akala stressed that Jonathan like many other Nigerians is free to join the APC but not to become the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections as being insinuated by some people.
“I am not saying Jonathan can’t join APC but he can’t be president under APC in 2023. I’m not saying Jonathan can’t be president but it can never be under APC in 2023 because some people are on the queue already,” he said.
The former governor of Oyo state pointed out that the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, is capable of being the president as well as Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and others but that he didn’t have a choice yet.
“The wish of the party is my command and the party has not decided yet, I’m not recommending or supporting anybody for now, until the party decides,” he said.
Alao-Akala who was a former policeman has still not shaken off his dictatorial tendencies. Who gave him the right to speak for the APC?
To start with, the two Presidential hopefuls he mentioned, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and current Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are from the same South West geopolitical zone as himself. He has forgotten that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo did 8-year from the same region and that at the end of 2023 when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would be completing 8-year, South West would have had 16-year, cumulatively. Where does that leave South South or South East that never had it at all since the beginning Fourth Republic? Where is the equity, fairness and just to justify the unity of Nigeria?
The APC’s popularity is currently at its lowest ebb and it will take painstaking efforts for it to retain power in 2023. There are occurances of separatist agitations in different parts of the country.
Jonathan will be a big fish in the pond and will be a key candidate and factor for APC to still be in power in 2023. The Otuoke born politician has a high international rating as he is being courted by the West where he delivers high profile speeches. He is currently involved with various peace keeping missions in the African Union. His handing over power to Buhari without a bedlam pulled back the Country from the brink of war and disintegration. APC needs Jonathan and not the other way round to attract public confidence and victory.
Jonathan Presidency in 2023 will be a unifying factor and a catalyst that will firm up the missing links in our nationhood, having been tested and trusted for giving greater attention to the education sector.
The nation is seething with anger and frustration as many workers have lost jobs. some employers of labour have been forced to relocate abroad because of the skyrocketing cost of doing business in the country, many politicians especially in the north and south east can no longer visit their constituencies because they are scared of being assassinated by disgruntled elements who are ready to vent their anger on them.
Jonathan will be a sturdy bridge builder as we can never forget his efforts in curbing terrorism by building numerous Almajiri schools in the north because he foresaw the current crisis when the region has the ugly reality of over ten million children out of school. He wanted to equip them with relevant skills to compete in the 21st century knowledge driven economy.
Jonathan knew how to assemble a star studded team to achieve his goals. His cabinet was reminiscent of what obtained in the United States during the golden years of the John Fitzgerald Kennedy led Presidency which was nicknamed ‘The Camelot’. He brought back Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy and she has gone on to become the first female and black Director-General of the World Trade Organization; Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, his revolutionary Agriculture Minister whose ideas made many rural farmers smile is now the African Development Bank Chairman.
Some of his advisers included the erudite Dr. Reuben Abati whose bi weekly articles in the Guardian where he held sway as its Editorial Board Chairman for a decade were a must read by many Nigerians who held him in awe. He has gone on to be the star analyst of Arise News which has been described as the CNN of Africa. Late Oronto Douglas was a renowned globally acclaimed human rights lawyer and he served Jonathan as his aide on research, strategy and documentation before his untimely demise.
He had Ken Wiwa Jnr, the first son of the legendary Ken Saro-Wiwa who was extremely cerebral. Nigerians yearn in earnest for leadership with radical ideas to ensure public confidence and transform the country for economic growth and prosperity.
Jonathan has the magic wand to lift the country out of the doldrums as he didn’t lose in 2015 due to incompetence. It was a sinister conspiracy orchestrated by the West and aided by local enablers. What can you make up of Barack Obama’s refusal to sell arms to his administration to effectively fight against Boko Haram? Popular Nigerians most notably Professor Pat Utomi, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Popular On Air Personality, Jimi Disu, Debola Williams, Japheth Joshua Omojuwa, Tolu Ogunlesi, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dele Momodu, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu etc waged a dirty media war against him and turned the minds of his masses against the gains of his administration .
Now Nigerians know better.. Jonathan is indeed the beautiful bride and is the only hope for APC to remain in power beyond 2023 if he can be wooed and courted like a starry eyed teenager on her first date.
Alao-Akala shouldn’t be taken seriously by Nigerians as he is totally bereft of ideas with absolutely nothing to offer the APC.
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