The Power Play Between Makinde and his Deputy—-Oyo Insight
Contrary to Governor Seyi Makinde’s claim that there was no rift between between him and his deputy, Engr. Raufu Olaniyan, OYOINSIGHT.COM can report that it was untrue.
However, if Makinde truly accepted what Chief Yekini Adeojo, frontline Ibadan politician told him last Monday, those who want the fight between him and his deputy to continue may have been put to shame.
To OYOINSIGHT.COM, the rift may have been settled as the duo were seen together when the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi visited to present modular fumigators to the state. Also, they both travelled to Igbo-Ora, headquarters of Ibarapa Central local government where they had gone to flag off distribution of COVID-19 stimulus to people.
Before Makinde’s Monday visit to Adeojo’s Iyaganku residence, it was gathered that the division between the duo was as thick as a fog, though both expertly played the game underneath, deflecting all public enquiries at ascertaining the veracity of the rift from worried party members, loyalists and even opposition elements whose intention was to escalate same.
Disturbed by the ‘cold war’ between the duo, Adeojo, who was the PDP candidate in the 1999 governorship election, had invited them for a ‘peace meeting’.
At the meeting, sources told OYOINSIGHT.COM that Adeojo told Makinde that “he doesn’t have to react to every issue, as well as that he needs to manage those working with him well.”
Though this newspaper learnt that the elder statesman has also called the deputy governor for a similar meeting, OYOINSIGHT.COM cannot confirm if the Igboho-born engineer has responded to the invite.
This newspaper further learnt that the elder stateman, who is the Seriki Musulumi of Yorubaland, also called the deputy governor. OYOINSIGHT.COM cannot confirm as at press time whether or not Olaniyan had visited him.
How It Started
Trouble, OYOINSIGHT.COM was told, had started few months after the duo were sworn in. Sen. Hosea Ayoola Agboola was said to be the ‘stumbling block’ between the duo.
Alleluyah, as the former Oyo North senator is popularly known, was said to have been indisposed to the nomination of Olaniyan as running mate to Makinde in the build-up to the 2019 election. A former Iwajowa local government chairman and ex-Oyo assembly member, Barr. Adeniyi Farinto, who suggested the names of Olaniyan, who was then a governorship aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to Makinde. Alleluyah was said to have preferred one of his loyalists, a 40-year old Omirinde, from Saki West local government.
During and after the electioneering campaign, Makinde, OYOINSIGHT.COM further learnt, had told the electorate that his own deputy would not be a spare tyre like others before him had done. He was said to have promised to put some ministries and agencies under the supervision of Olaniyan.
An impeccable source who is close to the duo confided in this newspaper that it did not take two months before signs of ‘love-lost’ started showing. Without consulting his deputy who is a Muslim, Makinde had few hours after being sworn in appointed Prof. Sayed Hamzah Ayantunde Malik as the chairman of the Oyo State Pilgrimage Board (Muslim Wing). The Muslim leaders who worked for Makinde’s emergence were jolted by the appointment. But it was later learnt that Malik is a nominee of former vice-president Atiku Abubakar.
Two weeks later, he constituted the governor’s advisory council headed by Alleluyah. Governorship candidates of the African Democratic Congress, ADC and Zenith Labour Party, in the 2019 election, Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin and Barr. Sharafadeen Alli however rejected membership of the council.
Rather than interface between people and the governor, OYOINSIGHT.COM learnt that Alleluyah has continued to create more trouble for himself and Makinde. “Instead of him to bridge the relationship between Makinde and each of Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, Hon. Ajibola Muraina and Hon. Mulikat Akande Adeola, he is busy creating more problems for the governor. The governor is enjoying him. He influenced the appointment of many council caretaker chairmen, secretaries and the likes.”
The source alleged further that: “Alleluyah isn’t happy with DG (Olaniyan). On several occasions, he has sold the idea of getting him impeached to Makinde. As I talk to you, nobody goes to the deputy governor’s office again. They have seen the governor’s body language. In fact, those whose appointments were influenced by Olaniyan had gone to pledge their loyalty to Makinde for fear that he might be impeached. I forgot to tell you that Alleluyah hatched many impeachment plot against Olaniyan. But majority of the members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, caucus, love Olaniyan. So, it was foiled. Ordinarily, Makinde would have handed over power to his deputy when he was going into isolation, but for those who have an axe to grind with the deputy governor and asked Makinde not to do so. Olaniyan is seen as too rich. That is another angle. They believe he won’t be controllable. And you know he hails from the same zone with Alleluyah. Allleyulah wants to go back to the senate in 2023 and he is leaving no stone unturned. He believes Olaniyan may become too influential and may affect his chances.”
The source also alleged that a former leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, From Okeogun is also in the know of the alleged plan to impeach the deputy governor. He was said to have been asked to nominate three popular Muslims from the zone to replace Olaniyan.
Another source said that the named leader, who’s in his 80s, has invited Olaniyan for a tete-a-tete, “when it seems the lid has blown open”.
PDP Keeps Mum
Sources told this newspaper that the leadership of the ruling PDP is keeping mum over the issue.
“It is not that they don’t know what to do; they are helpless. Makinde has not funded them since the party took over reign of governance. Imagine the party donating a paltry N100,000 to the state COVID-19 fund. They are only looking at them
Culled from Oyo insight.
