ADVERTISEMENT
By Dr. AKEREDOLU O
I want to use this avenue to congratulate all Nigerians vis-a-vis Africans for the successful transition of government, marking the longest democratic dispensation in the political history of Nigeria. The new era of Emilokan is here with us. Against all odds, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu fulfilled the dreams of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief MKO Abiola. The duo were stopped by enemies within and without, some of which are still alive. God spared them to this very hour to their shame. As usual, they tried to stop Jagaban of Borgu but were put to dishonour, I couldn’t imagine what was in their minds today when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was taking the oath of office. The lesson here is that no man is God and the Almighty creator doesn’t reason like men, sits in the highest, and controls the affairs of men. He had chosen the son of the former Iyaloja General of Lagos State for this moment, and there is nothing any man can do about that.
Though most APC members in Ondo State are in a joyful mood for the victory of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, for the victory to be made total for us in the state, two things must happen – I will discuss the first in this article and the second in my subsequent articles. Right-thinking individuals in Ondo State APC will agree with me that there is a need for a total restructuring of Ondo State APC, currently under the leadership of Mr Ade Adetimehin who parades himself as an Engineer. I have asked around to know his qualifications but none of his supporters could convince me with a good reply for my disturbing puzzle. Actually, unconfirmed reports say he only had technical education as the highest level of qualification which may explain the ineptitude manner of everything under his watch.
In brief history, nobody knew about him in Ondo State politics before he was appointed as the Special Assistant to Chief Adebayo Adefarati during the days of Alliance for Democracy (AD) at the beginning of this current political dispensation. He went to political oblivion when Baba Peace failed in his second term bid. Mr Ade Adetimehin’s political career was resuscitated with Aketi’s political ambition. After the failed attempt of Aketi’s governorship bid in 2012, the current governor of Ondo State exhibited his divisive tendency in ACN and was no longer in the good book of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu. Finally, when APC was formed, Mr Ade Adetimehin who belonged to Aketi’s camp tried to be the Chairman at the state level but lost to a more cerebral, vibrant, educated and more experienced individual, i.e. Bar Isaac Kekemeke, our popular Lekeleke crooner.
In good wisdom of the party’s National leadership then, this Idanre-born politician was made the Deputy Chairman for the party to have a united house during the precarious time. After the 2015 general elections in which President Muhamadu Buhari won, this new political era was followed by the drama of the Ondo State governorship primary that resulted in Aketi’s victory at the poll. In a nutshell, Arakunrin of Ondo state emerged as the governor at the end of the day. In his vindictive way, those who didn’t support him from the primary, suspected to be Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu’s moles, were forced out of the party’s relevance. Bar. D.I. Kekemeke was a victim of this. This subsequently paved the door for Mr Ade Adetimehin to attain his current position. As professionals and businessmen, the affected individuals had moved to their engagements and the party witnessed the worst administrator that ever existed in human history.
The ruling APC members have been neglected by Aketi and Mr Ade Adetimehin, those who worked and risked their lives for its growth have been relegated to the background while the mediocre currently dictate the tunes of events in the sunshine state because they know how to say “Yes Daddy”. The 2019’s primaries of the ruling party exposed the tendencies of Mr Ade Adetimehin, working on the instructions from Aketi, he ensured the majority of his party’s candidates lost in general elections, openly campaigning against them with video evidence that went viral. Some of those who were affected have been nursing the wounds politically, if you don’t believe me, you can ask Sen. Yele Omogunwa and Hon. Afe Olowokere about their experiences in this regard.
The last primaries of APC were not different, many of the aspirants who lost have been alleging the state party chairman of collecting huge money from them but he failed to deliver by giving them the party tickets as promised. With all evidence and proof, he never supported Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu’s presidency. In the recent article by Eng. Austin Pelemo on what transpired during the hectic presidential primary that produced Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, both Aketi and Mr Ade Adetimehin’s names were conspicuously absent on the side of history for the former Lagos State Governor turned President. I don’t have a problem with him for not supporting a popular agitation that brought the current renewed hope for Nigerians. He had the right to choose which side of the coin he preferred but he should be ready to face the consequences of his actions. Unfortunately, Mr Ade Adetimehin, the most disliked State Chairman of a ruling party in Ondo State’s history has been trying to dodge these consequences. Mr Ade Adetimehin failed to convince his paymaster, Aketi, of the need to take good care of the party faithful through constituting the majority of the board of parastatals neglected in the over six years of their reign in Ondo State but daily has his pockets feathered by the same government we all laboured for.
Now, the governorship election is on the way, the major event we are expecting after the swearing-in ceremony of our new president. Considering the way all factions of the party in Ondo State worked together to give Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu his resounding victory, the best we are expecting from him asides from the various appointments to be made, is for the national leadership to remove Mr Ade Adetimehin because he has ambition to be the Deputy Governor in 2024 and he is ready to go in Mallam Buni’s way if the needful is not done now.
Putting his low level of education and little exposure into consideration, allowing him to continue in this capacity is like giving a loaded machine gun into the hands of an insane individual in a crowd. I am certain that the entire country will witness the influx of journalists all over the world, just to report the ugly incident that will follow, may God forbid.
Peoplesmind
ADVERTISEMENT
