Date: 2014-12-16

I have read with dismay the news credited to the Minister of National Planning “promising” to “resign” his ministerial position for Ajibola should he (Ajibola) succumb to the pressure to concede his ticket to Dele Belgore. I wonder why the Minister has quickly and shockingly lost his moral and what is responsible for this confusion. Is this how desperate he is to get out of poverty such that he doesn’t want his “benefactor” to be angry with him in order to have another appointment even if he relinquishes this one?

It is not a secret that I, along with some other Comrades have our preferences for another candidate and not even for a second did we shake in our hope. Nonetheless, nothing happens except with the knowledge of Allah and when He does His things, you either accept it or you are doomed by your resistance. I am not interested, for now, in how Ajibola won, what he did and did not do or what others did and/or did not do, all I know is that, except anyone can prove otherwise; the election that gave him the ticket was transparent. Since the conclusion of the rescheduled primary election which went in Ajibola’s way, I have not heard nor read anyone complaining about the process, what most people have expressed however is the shock of surprise! How did it happen and how did he do it?

The question of how it happened, if not on the observation/occurrence of sharp practices, cannot then automatically translate to the cause of action for the pressure on the validly elected candidate to “abdicate” the throne.

I have sat down to read some of the senseless options proffered by the minister, whose political future has even been tainted with calamitous uncertainty, whether or not he offered to step down for a less than 5 months to end appointment. You cannot but laugh at the “boy boy” errand posture of the minister who has literally turned himself into Muinat’s PA and has lost every honour of a Federal Executive member. He has shown us that he is loyal to the whims and caprices of Muinat than the national assignment he is given. Nothing in this world would have prompted anyone to think a federal minister would stoop this low to take instructions from mama gold. The second phase of their desperate moves has shown that truly, in addition to the billions they spent which didn’t yield; they truly attempted to manipulate the process ab initio.

Another question that should bother any probing mind is why the priority or success of the general election be hinged STRICTLY on a candidate? This candidate is not even the best among others; he cannot even score 1% in terms of achievement and service to the state if that is to be considered. Outside the normal rules of campaign before election, who gave them the assurance that even that candidate can defeat the incumbent? Why who anyone play God and claim Ajibola cannot win this election? Why are they blacklisting their own candidate even in the face of the watchful opposition? How many of them have contested and won elections the number of times Ajibola has done so? What are these people feeling like for God sake? I think you are further damaging the “remaining” credibility of Dele Belgore and creating more political enemies for him with all these desperate moves.

There is no doubt that virtually everyone, including myself, was scared on the likelihood of an Ajibola winning the general election. My fear, like many others, is not in the senseless point of religion argument some bigots have posited, nor in the strict sense of the region the man came from, rather, the personal ability of the man to canvass for votes from across the three senatorial district. This fear is credible as it is natural for anyone who cannot and should not underrate the advantage and sentiment Bukola and his APC can wield to seek “sympathy” votes, from other zones especially Kwara Central. However, my initial research has pointed to the fact that most of the delegates that voted for Ajibola were actually from Kwara North, the “last” place you could ever expect an Ajibola to get a vote.

Now, let us answer and demystify the minister puzzlement. If sincerely he believes it is only his “madam’s candidate” that can win election and as he has just shown us that he is no more competent to win the election for the state as he once boasted that was the primary mandate given to him by Mr. President, the simplest logical thing to do is for him to resign his position, tell Mr. President to appoint Dele Belgore as the minister, advise them to give him minister of Defence so that he can get “more money” that Olarenwaju’s ministry lack, then all of them should come home and play their roles in seeing Ajibola winning the election. If the major “hindrance” to Dele’s lack or poor performance even in humanitarian services is lack of political power, a ministerial appointment should do that magic wand. No be so?

PLEASE BE WARNED that it would be penny wise pound foolish for anyone or all of you working tooth and nail to conduct another primary to favour Dele; that whatever fear of failure of PDP you are nursing with an Ajibola flying the flag would be quick if you manipulate the process and hand over that scepter of authority to Dele. Don’t forget the socio-religious implication of such desperate moves which could anger the Kwara South people, both Muslims and Christians to give protest votes to the incumbent opposition. Afala Taqiluna?

I don’t know who your think-tanks are, if you have any at all, but by now, you should have been looking at the best “rescue strategy” to see to the success of this man. Don’t forget his success goes beyond the achievement of an Ajibola because his failure is a failure to all of us and the entire PDP in Kwara state. As a smart remedy, you should be looking at who his Deputy should be that can bring back the shaking confidence, from which part of the state should the Deputy come from, who are going to be his campaign officers, how do you counter the opposition and sell his candidature, etc. Rather, you are there with your starched blue babariga threatening Ajibola must go. Any wrong move could be counterproductive and could just be a blessing to the already celebrating opposition. If you are still wallowing in complacency to under-play the likely influence of General Buhari in these coming elections and what that may translate to in the state, Mr. Minister, I pity your ignorance.

Let me end this piece by disabusing anyone who might be thinking I “despise” Dele, Walahi I don’t, I have nothing personal against him; for anything, I should have even supported the minister’s latest sinister plan and say after all, Dele is from Ilorin, my kinsman, but any proceeds from the investment of illegality cannot enjoy the pension of justice. There is nothing wrong in pushing for an ambition but we shouldn't do it the crooked and criminal way, not even a supposed Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, decorated with SAN silk for that matter should be seen “groping in darkness”