How Tinubu’s ministerial List humbled ondo big Politicians

How Kekemeke, Oke, Iji, Adegoroye, Rt. Olabimtan, Dr Segun Abraham, Wunmi Edet, and others were bypassed for a young, vibrant, and popular BTO.

 The Rt Hon. Gbajabiamila is the new godfather in Aso-rock as chairman house committee on Health (Dr Tanko Sununu) and his counterpart in NDDC (Hon. Bunmi Tunji Ojo) for the 9th assembly emerged as ministers of the next Asiwaju’s federal cabinet.

Political marauders like Hon. Femi Adekambi and the fake activism of Aketi may explain why the state was denied two ministerial slots.

The more you look, the less you see – a common adage that is befitting the current happenings in the Sunshine State. It’s an open secret that our governor, Mr Akeredolu Oluwarotimi SAN, is battling for his life. The last video of his birthday, which brought joy to his supporters, showed the pathetic condition of the Owo-born legal luminary. I earnestly pray to God to heal him, as I don’t wish Arakunrin to die now because that will cover a lot about him. My foremost heartbeat for him is to witness his upcoming political irrelevance after leaving the governorship seat in the state. No doubt, he contributed immensely to the current backwardness of our politics. 

The nine House of Representatives members from Ondo state are just there in this 10th assembly; some of them were made the vice-chairmen of some irrelevant committees, except the only PDP among them, Fessywest, and others like BTO and Makinde (Oshaprapra). Some of them like Hon. Donald Ojogo and Hon. Timehin Adelegbe were made ordinary members of standing committees on the floor of the house. I personally saw this coming and warned them, but they never listened, following their recalcitrant leader turned governor. Thank God for the vindication.

It’s no longer news that Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu GCFR announced the ministerial list in batches for his next cabinet. The first one comprises twenty-eight names, while the second batch, likely the last list, has nineteen names. Besides, names of political heavyweights like Dr Kayode Fayemi, Mr Raji Fashola SAN, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, Sen. Teslim Folarin, Sen. Sola Adeyeye, Sen. Iyiola Omisore, and others from the southwest are conspicuously missing. The earlier predictions that Tinubu’s cabinet would be filled with the usual political juggernauts from the region fell short of political analysts’ expectations. One thing is certain, the age-long, loyal political associates of the Bourdillon’s lion-like Mr Wale Edun, Mr Dele Alake, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and others are duly rewarded and recognized.

Let’s come to our darling state, Ondo. People haven’t enjoyed the benefits of the federal party. As much as I won’t blame Tinubu’s administration for picking only one minister from the state despite the huge votes for him in the last presidential election, I still believe the Sunshine State hasn’t been fairly treated by the number one man in the country. Since the inception of democracy in Nigeria, it’s on record that our people always align with the regional aspiration of Yoruba descent. It’s a general opinion among the people who have Oduduwa as an ancestor that Ondo people are stubborn but not treacherous; we are known to be people of our word though we take no nonsense. The historic Egbe Omo Oduduwa that later metamorphosed into Action Group, Pa. Adekunle Ajasin, our political patriarch, was part and parcel of the entire struggle. The first political party for Yoruba people, Action Group, was formed at Sir Olateru Olagbegi’s Palace in Owo, then Olowo of Owo.

Our people also suffered with Chief Awolowo during his dark and pathetic years in prison at Calabar, now the headquarters of Cross River. In the second Republic, the regional party of UPN was our emblem; we worked, voted, and supported Awo’s party with everything, including our stubbornness. When the NPN rigged out Awo’s loyalists in 1983, most of the UPN states like Oyo, Ondo, and Bendel were affected, we retrieved our mandate back for Awo’s party. The violence that preceded the tribunal left the judges and the federal government-backed NPN with no option but to allow the wish of the voters to prevail; that is, Pa. Adekunle Ajasin of UPN was declared the winner against the Bar. Akin Omoboriowo of NPN, who was earlier given the mandate by the electoral body. During Chief MKO Abiola’s struggle in NRC and SDP’s era, we preferred Ogun State-born business guru to Alhaji Bashir Torfa. When this free and fairest election was nullified, Sunshine people were on the ground to give the necessary support through agitations, except people like Aketi who preferred to dine with the oppressors of the people then, the military.

The Alliance for Democracy became our party in 1999; also, we contributed our quota to the recent Emilokan phenomenon. Giving us two ministerial slots won’t be a bad idea, just to compensate for our unflinching support so far for Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu from the historic presidential primary election. Though, Arakunrin, the number one political person in sunshine state never supported Jagaban of Borgu but Prof. Osinbajo, Aketi’s professional colleague while APC state chairman, Ade Adetimehin, supported former Gov. Fayemi of Ekiti state.

The latest nomination of a minister from the state caught many political watchers unaware. Besides, this has humbled many politicians and brought them down from a lofty height to the current reality of the moment. I recently stumbled on a quote from Mr Femi Adekambi, erroneously citing the problem of leadership tussle of some political bigwigs with Aketi as the cause of not getting two ministerial slots. Let me correct this renowned political marauder. People like Hon. Femi Adekambi and the governor of the state, Aketi, are the reason why Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu GCFR will always have a problem with the state and her citizens. From the political pedigree of Tinubu, he cherishes loyalty and consistent politicians, attributes that are conspicuously lacking in Hon. Femi Adekambi. Has this man forgotten he just returned to APC after he was wooed by Dr Olusegun Mimiko’s administration with a commissionership position to Labour Party/PDP? In the same vein, Aketi had been a thorn in Tinubu’s flesh like Dr Fayemi of Ekiti state, and you expect Asiwaju of Lagos state, a thoroughbred politician with the 2027’s presidential election in view, to joke with the region?

Without any iota of doubt, many Ondo politicians, i.e., the Asiwaju’s fake and fair-weather supporters have been disappointed. These so-called political bigwigs in Ondo state are just opportunists, as some of them can’t win their units in a free and fair contest because they are very stingy and they won’t be honourable. It’s now clear that Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the recently worn-out 9th assembly, is the new godfather in the villa, as evidenced by two committee chairmen of his era who are now ministers of their various states, courtesy of Hon. Bunmi Tunji Ojo, the chairman NDDC Committee, from Ondo state and Hon. Dr Tanko Sununu, a medical doctor, chairman house committee on Health,from Kebbi state. These bigwigs in the Sunshine State should prepare for the biggest surprise on their way regarding the next governorship and deputy governorship candidates of APC; definitely, they will disappointed again as it will be Baba Sope, i.e., nominated by Tinubu. Kindly mark my words.

Dr Akeredolu O.N, Leader Aketi Medical Team, 2016, Vice-Chairman, Aketi-Aiyedatiwa Medical Committee, 2020.

Peoplesmind