Obasanjo As Beautiful Bride Of South West Politics

 In politics, it is said that the only permanent thing is the interest of players. So former political adversaries for one reason or the other, will suddenly become friends while former friends would suddenly become enemies, owing mainly to clash of interests. This aptly describes the scenario playing out in the South West where former President Olusegun Obasanjo seems to have become the toast of the two dominant political parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). OLAOLU OLADIPO in this piece, captures the emerging trend.

The occasion was the commissioning of a bust erected in honour of a former Governor of Old Oyo State, Chief Bola Ige and the venue was the inner recess of the Okefia Governor’s Office in Osogbo where the state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, did what some political pundits thought was impossible some few months earlier.

On that bright sunny day, Aregbesola personally received in audience, a former President of the country, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, whom he had not only invited to perform the unveiling but whom he showered some lavish praises on. Ige was the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice who was brutally murdered in office during the tenure of Obasanjo.

Only a few months earlier, Aregbesola in his usual jibes had heaped the blame on the downward slide of the fortunes of the South West region on Obasanjo but on that day, to the surprise of many, he described him as a man whom every Yoruba man must be proud of.

To clarify his visit, the wily Egba born soldier turned politician who stated that he was in the state under the auspices of the Owu Foundation to settle some lingering chieftaincy issue, was himself amused by the lavish praises on him by his host.

According to the governor at the venue of the unveiling which took the political class and a cross section of the people in the state by surprise, “It is not for nothing that Chief Obasanjo is a Yoruba person. As a Yorubaman, we must be proud of his achievements.”

Donning a light green guinea brocade with a cap to match, Obasanjo told his host that, “You have successfully ambushed me. You have flabbergasted me and if I may use the military term, you have successfully ambushed me because I never expected to meet this large number of people. I was only billed to brief you on the developments in Owu.”

The symbolism of the occasion was not lost on observers who have been harbouring the thought that a new form of alliance was in the offing between two political tendencies that hitherto were at logger heads over the battle for the political soul of the region.

Apart from the Osogbo show that raised some eyebrows and generated some comments, the Governor of Ogun, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Obasanjo’s home state has been having more than chummy relationship with the former president as he not only deffers to him in terms of the policy direction of the state, he also ensures that proper invitations are extended to the former leader to attend state functions, a situation that later prompted a faction of the PDP in the state to suggest that Obasanjo might actually be engaging in anti-party activities by such actions.

The faction accused Obasanjo of working underground for the re-election of Amosun in the 2015 election. According to the party, the game-plan is to weaken the PDP for Amosun to have a smooth sail by making it look as if he is performing especially when such praises are coming from the supposed leader of the opposition.

A statement issued by a chieftain, Chief Kashamu Buruji, said Obasanjo, who pretends to be a leader of the PDP in the daytime but in the night is neck-deep in the re-election strategy of Amosun of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), who is his kinsman from Owu kingdom.

Sensing the hold on their leader by the ACN, the recently dissolved zonal executive of the PDP under the leadership of Engr. Segun Oni, hurriedly organized a two-day event to celebrate the numerous achievements of their leader.

The event orchestrated to give some life to the PDP in the South West, kicked off with a lecture  at the Obasanjo Presidential Library and was rounded off with a civic reception on the sprawling grounds of the Ake Palace in Abeokuta. Guest lecturer was former President John Kuffor of Ghana, while President Goodluck Jonathan was represented by Vice-president Namadi Sambo.

Present also were notable members of his cabinet such erstwhile vice-president of the World Bank, Oby Ezekwesili.

National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, governors of Adamawa, Imo, Akwa Ibom and Delta states were present. Sensing political undertones, the host governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun was represented by his deputy, Segun Adesegun. Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State was represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Yahya Kuta, Sule Lamido of Jigawa was represented by his deputy, Ahmed Mahmud and Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang, was also represented.

With the goal now shifting with the flushing out of those perceived to be loyal to former President Obasanjo from the government, the ACN has moved to ensure that they win the support and loyalty of the chicken farmer. Loyalists of the former leader have suddenly become the toast of the two dominant political parties jostling for the control of the soul of the region. It is no longer news that the schism between the former leader and the incumbent is assuming some dimension capable of impacting negatively on the fortunes of the ruling PDP, a situation which chieftains of the rival ACN are batching on to.

Smarting from the recent convention of the party where delegates whole heartedly endorsed the merger arrangement with other political parties to form the yet-to-be registered All Progressive Congress (APC), its (ACN’s) chieftains have made overtures to prominent figures in the camp of Obasanjo to woo them into the envisaged party ahead of the polls.

Though those detailed to carry out the assignment have been stringent in their approach, sources in the know told LEADERSHIP that some level of success have been recorded with some notable members of the Obasanjo circle expressing their willingness to join the train.

Already, two prominent members of the group, a former minister in charge of the aviation portfolio from Osun State and a former head of government establishment in the Federal Ministry of Information may have crossed over, only waiting for the consummation of the merger arraignment to take place before making a formal declaration.

Sources said the two may have succumbed to the pressure after having been assured that their ambition would be taken care of when they finally defect to the party when it is formally launched later in the year as a founding member.

According to the source who was a member of the recently dissolved zonal executive committee of the PDP, those canvassing his crossover were principally members of the ACN in his native Ekiti State.

“I have been approached on many occasions by members of the ACN to join their party. They have used several methods and personalities to get to me but I am yet to make up my mind on the issue,” the source who pleaded not to be mentioned told our correspondent.

It is yet unclear if they (the people making the contact) have approached the main principal, former President Obasanjo, but the source stated that, “with the zeal and sense of urgency they have displayed, it won’t be out of place to think they might have approached those close to him.”

Those close to the former leader stated that nothing of such has occurred and that though he remains in the PDP, it would be difficult to prevent anybody in his camp who decides to leave for the ACN or APC as the case may be.

“I don’t think anybody has contacted Baba with the possibility of contemplating such move, knowing his strong personality and his passion for the PDP as a founding member. Moreover, his philosophical outlook seems at variance with those in the ACN.”

Sensing danger, the ruling PDP has intensified moves to help forge reconciliation within the party, especially within the south west zone with series of visits and reconciliatory meetings with members in the region who have one grievance or the other to ventilate with a view to keep the caucus intact ahead of the polls.

One of such was the one led by some governors elected on the platform of the party, who had been mandated to liaise with them. “They (members of the Godwill Akpabio led committee) have met with us to see how we can fit into the system but we told them that the action removing us from office was illegal and they have promised to get back to us,” another source who was a member of the dissolved zonal exco said.

With the resolve of the ruling ACN not to lose grounds and the determination of the PDP to wrest power and control of the all-important Southwest, Obasanjo for some reasons of political expediency, remains a key factor. How the two tendencies hope to secure his support will be determined by time.