2027 presidential election comments : Makinde as Tinubu’s “Olongbo”

By Sola Abegunde

There was a dust in the Fuji Music Industry recently.

A popular Ibadan based Fuji Musician went against his mentor, Wasiu Alabi popularly known as Pasuma.

The guy from Ibadan, Taiwo Adebisi aka Currency, for whatever reasons known to him, stoked a controversy when he said Pasuma is not old enough to be his father and that he was never an apprentice under him.

He went further to say that even though, he had at one point copied Pasuma’s style of Fuji genre, there is nothing special about it as Pasuma himself had at one time copied another Ibadan born Fuji Musician, Abass Akande popularly known as Obesere.

This statements were considered unprovoked attacks by the fans of Pasuma who went all out to attack Currency, describing him as an ingrate, who, having benefitted from the goodwill of Pasuma, ought not to bite the fingers that once fed him.

I do not want to go into the nitty gritty of the controversies that was generated by this episode but a particular incident is apt to the issue I want to discuss here.

As the controversies continued, Pasuma came for a performance in Ibadan and during the performance, he made an analytical statement about the issues between him and his estranged godson.

He likened Currency to an ” Olongbo”, ( cat) which he took up as a kitten and took care of but haven grown up to a cat, has decided to be attacking him.

He said he won’t throw the cat out but would only be careful of how he deals with the cat moving forward.

I have reflected so much about Pasuma’s analogy and how if fits perfectly well with the relationship between president Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state.

A couple of days ago, Governor Seyi Makinde made another of his now common scathing remarks against president Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Governor Makinde, while speaking at the opening of the PDP South West Secretariat highlighted president Tinubu’s policies and declared that those policies are hurting Nigerians.

He called for unity within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and declared that the 2027 presidential election would be contested between Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress, APC and Nigerians.

He talked briefly about his rumored presidential ambition and declared that he would be the one to make the decision for himself, whether to contest for the presidency or not.

I have carefully perused Governor Makinde’s comments.

I must say that on the surface, you could hardly fault his positions.

Even though, Governor Makinde has been flying some kites about his 2027 presidential ambition through surrogates, ultimately, the decision to participate in the election is solely that of Governor Makinde.

His call for unity within the PDP is equally valid but the question is, who are the ones responsible for the self destruction of the PDP?

Can anyone reasonably extricate Seyi Makinde from the crippled state the PDP has found Itself at present?

Governor Seyi Makinde, his mentor, Nyesom Wike and those who joined them to form the G-5 are the albatross of the main opposition Party.

In other words, the call for unity within the PDP by Governor Makinde is misdirected. ” Ajala ta lo na e…”? ( Makinde and the G-5 are the problems of the PDP).

I will come back to this issue.

If you take a critical look at the postulations by Makinde that the 2027 presidential election would be a contest between the APC and Nigerians, you will see that Governor Makinde is a dangerously clever individual.

If I were in his shoes, I would also attempt to play such a fast one.

There is a Governorship election coming up in Ondo state and Governor Makinde is the godfather of the PDP candidate in the state.

There is also a by election to fill the vacuum created by the demise of the member, representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.

What a good time to demonize the APC?

Do not get me wrong, president Tinubu, like Governor Makinde and others would have Nigerians to contend with in 2027.

It has also been so and nothing would change the fact.

Now, let us take a critical look at the messenger of the message in discussion.

Governor Seyi Makinde, a first term Governor under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2023 joined four other Governors of the PDP to form the G-5 as I have said earlier.

The G-5 was and is still led by the former Governor of Rivers state and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.

Other members of the Group are former Governors of Benue, Abia and Enugu states.

These five Governors of the PDP opened discussions with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, seeking alternative presidential candidate different from their Party’s candidate.

They claimed they were trying to entrench justice, fairness and equity which, according to them, their party, the PDP didn’t give to Nigerians by presenting the former Vice president Atiku Abubakar a Northerner as its presidential candidate at a time former president Mohammadu Buhari, also, a Northerner just completed an eighth years tenure as president of Nigeria.

At some point, their seemed to be a crack within the ranks of the G-5.

The outgoing Governor of Benue state at the time, Ortom declared his support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, former Governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi and the positions of both of the outgoing Governors of Abia and Enugu were shrouded in mysteries.

However, Nyesom Wike and Seyi Makinde were loud and clear about their supports for Tinubu.

The gamble paid off. Tinubu became president and Makinde was compensated with a second term in office.

Immediately after Tinubu was sworn in, Makinde became a regular visitor to Aso Rock.

He became so obsessed with the Villa to the extent that when he was accused of neglecting his primary duties of Governing Oyo state by the opposition, he defiantly declared that he would continue to visit the Villa until he gets all that is due for Oyo state.

I have kept wondering what the ” dues” are and whether the Governor has collected them fully as promised.

I know that Governor Makinde, like some of his ilks also presented nominations for Ministerial and other Federal appointments to Tinubu.

I won’t be surprised if the failures or refusal to ” receive the dues” in this regard are part of the reasons Governor Makinde is drawing the claws at Tinubu.

For me, I think Governor Makinde ought to have been contented with the award of an undeserved second term as Governor but it is apparent that he wants more.

Each time I read about Governor Makinde’s attacks against president Tinubu, I always have mixed feelings.

Sometimes, I felt it shouldn’t be mine or anyone’s problems.

Our Elders have said and wisely so that the one who goes about gathering the eggs of the partridge must contend with whatever evils he encounters on such a perilous adventure. ( A fi ago ko eyin aparo, ohun oju wa loju ri).

Governor Seyi Makinde’s penchant for breaching gentleman’s agreements is notoriously known.

By the time Tinubu and others were entering into the marriage of convenience with Makinde, one would have thought they would have a side of their eye on how he treated those who combined to make him Governor in 2019.

How did he treat Ladoja? How did he pay back the former Governor, whose goodwill midwife his first ever victory in an election contest?

How did he treat Olaniyan, his erstwhile Deputy, who, he practically begged to join his ticket as Deputy Governor so as to appeal to Oke Ogun voters?

How did he treat Sarafa Alli, Mulikat Adeola Akande and many others?

Yes. I saw a video of him seeking forgiveness from Baba Ladoja.

When will he seek forgiveness from Olaniyan and others that he dug holes for?

My point is, should Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and those who sat with him to fly with Seyi Makinde in 2023 have overlooked Makinde’s tendencies for breaching agreements?

At other times, I read Makinde’s criticisms of Tinubu and just laughed.

I laughed when I remember Yorubas reference to “Saago” and ” Igo”. ( Saago nbu Igo, they would say).

Let us break down his latest comments.

He said the 2027 presidential election would be between APC and Nigerians.

In the same vein, he called on members of the PDP to unite towards 2027 so that the party could take over from the APC.

When I read this comment, I said which PDP is Makinde talking about?

Is it the same PDP that he and his colleagues in the G-5 have been gradually killing since 2023 or another PDP has been registered?

Today, the PDP is an empty shell and that is all thanks to Governor Makinde and others.

Now, let us ask ourselves. You claimed that Nigerians would reject the APC in 2027. Yet, you and a few others are busy decimating your party, the main opposition Party every day towards 2027 and you think everyone would be gullible to even look towards a party that some of you have rendered incapacitated to a point that it could not resolve a simple issue of who should lead as National Chairman?

I know very well that Governor Makinde is pure bad market for president Tinubu and I have no pity for the president, with due respect.

The kitten the president saved from the wolves and the cold has grown to become ” ehanna Olongbo”. ( Wild cat).

However, it will be too tall a dream for Governor Makinde to really be serious about the presidential or is it Vice presidential ambition he is secretly nursing.

In the first instance, he can’t eat his cake and have it.

Himself and other greedy individuals have successfully destroyed their party.

I do not doubt that the PDP could survive the present ordeal but if it does, I am certain that Makinde and other dissidents won’t have a vintage place therein to be able to dictate the choice of presidential candidate.

Secondly, even if the carcass of the PDP is left for Makinde and others, what would they do with it?

It is not unlikely for the butterfly to think itself a bird but the truth is both are not the same.

In the scheme of things, that is, when you discuss contemporary Nigerian Politics, Makinde fits into the description of just a butterfly regardless of whether he sees himself as a bird.

History doesn’t lie. Prior to 2019, Makinde has lost all elections he contested on his own.

He became Governor in 2019 and was successful in an election contest for the first time in his life when former Governor Ladoja submitted his goodwill to midwife a powerful alliance that won Makinde the election.

Governor Seyi Makinde himself knows and he attested to the fact that his second term as Governor was awarded to him as ” compensation”.

If you’re in doubt, check Senator Fatai Buhari’s reply to the Governor at the Bodija residence of former Governor Ladoja during Baba’s birthday, some weeks ago.

In reply to Makinde’s statements that he made the victories of Senators Fatai Buhari and Sarafa Alli possible in 2023, Buhari replied with equal venom by telling the Governor that he didn’t finish the story.

He reminded the Governor that the favor was mutual as the Governor also got saved from defeat through the mutual arrangements.

” O ti lo tefetefe” were the exact words of Senator Fatai Buhari, confirming that the second term dream of Makinde was dead if not for the favor he received from the ruling Party.

I have been waiting for Governor Makinde to declare his ambition to be president and when he does, he would have questions to answer.

Until then, I have no issues with his dreams. Everyone dreams. Except that I can not say whether Governor Makinde is dreaming with his eyes wide open.

For the first time, the National Publicity secretary of the APC has reacted to the statements of Governor Makinde.

I have my opinions about that which I will keep to myself for now.

However, I am watching with keen interests, how president Tinubu will deal with his ” Olongbo”.

Will he keep him at arms length, just like Pasuma or will he throw him to the wolves?

No matter what, the ” Olongbo” has got itself noticed.

Interestingly, the other ” Olongbo”, the musician, is Governor Makinde’s ally. In fact, he is not only a father to a serving state Honourable, Governor Makinde also gave him an appointment in his cabinet.

What a coincidence?

Abegunde writes from Eruwa