PDP WINNING OSUN STATE GUBER 2018

STRONG CONTENDERS, AND THE FATAI AKINBADE FACTOR
ADVICE TO PDP LEADERS

BY BODUNRIN ORIADE

Immediately after Ekiti State gubernatorial election, the next in line is Osun State. I was in Osun State the penultimate week to assess the level of preparation as it relates to the forth coming gubernatorial election scheduled for 22nd of September, 2018 and the turning out of events and mandatory party primaries that precede. At the moment , party primaries seem to be on the front burners as aspirants from both APC and PDP jostle over their respective party’s ticket as flag bearer.

Foremost aspirants in APC are: Hon. Lasun Yusuf (the present Deputy Speaker House of Representatives.), Alh. Moshood Adeoti (present SSG in Osun State) Mr Bola Oyebanji ( present commissioner for Finance) Najeem Salam (the
present Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly) , Elder Peter Babalola ( present Chairman local government service commission), Alh. Gboyega Oyetola (the present Chief of Staff to Osun State Governor). Engr. Adelere Oriolowo( Project Coordinator, Rural Access and Mobility Projets).

No doubt, these men who have eaten so fat are now coming out in full force to own the cooking pots, plates and kitchen to enable them serve others and mastermind the allocation of the buffet. They want to own the dinning lots and become the chief hosts to dish out political foods, opportunities and privileges. They want to perpetuate the Ogbeni legacies; they want to replace Ogbeni Rauf Aragbesola, the incumbent Governor of the State of Osun.

I made discoveries in Osun State. Definitely, what will stop APC from winning the forth coming guber are non payment of complete workers salaries and pension monies owe to retired civil
servants. Also is the intimidating influx of Lagos based opportunists-professionals, who as consultants, are taking away jobs meant for the home based Osun sons and daughters. Unfortunately, these crop of men have resolved to stick around, while Osun electorate have determined to take a pound of flesh this time.

Top Contenders on the side of the opposing PDP are: Sen. Demola Adeleke( the present Senator representing Osun West) , Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi (a business man and the co- owner of Mutual Benefits Assurance plc), Engr. Fatai Akinbade fondly called “ALHAJI” ( a business man and grassroots PDP leader).

In my sojourn, I also discovered that what will cost the PDP Osun State guber, will be when the party decides to present an unpopular candidate as her flag bearer. Remember, according to the great poet , John Bunyan, in his poem "He that is down need fear no fall". Yes, because PDP is not currently in power, this has naturally absolved it
from vetting and public checks on performance and general scrutiny of the Osun State electorate. Hence, the onus lies on PDP to present a candidate that will do better than the incumbent. A popular candidate does not mean an aspirant with the deepest pockets and biggest resources. A popular candidate is an aspirant that is known to Osun electorate, not a stranger money bag. A popular candidate is an aspirant who has garnered experience by serving the Osun people in the past. A popular candidate is a serious leader who does not do rock-n-roll when the task of fixing an ailing economy is on the fore. Osun State needs a visionary leader and not a joker.


The selling point working for PDP as we speak, is her resolve to jettison impunity and observe due process in all her businesses. This determination has equally been boosted by the earlier public apology made by the energetic PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus and stressed forth by the holy activities from the just
concluded Ekiti State guber primary, which was thoroughly officiated by the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa led special committee and was adjudged most transparent primary in recent Nigeria. Prince Secondus’s efforts in rebuilding PDP for more grassroots penetration and PDP becoming result oriented, have become so legendary. Now people who left the party on the ground of injustice and lack of due process, are now returning. Prince Uche Secondus leadership of the PDP is really working. We will continue to support him.

But then these are my discoveries of what will happen to PDP as it pertains to who emerges as a flag bearer:
First , If Senator Adeleke wins the PDP ticket , this might portend danger to the party as the decision will only swell the degree of Adeleke’s unpopularity already trending. The interests of Osun State electorate towards PDP will degenerate and PDP might lose the guber election. Since Sen. Adeleke could not sponsor a bill ever since he was elected into National
Assembly, his constituency, the Osun North, has since declared him as incompetent and unproductive. If he should win the PDP ticket on the ground of massive inducements of the delegates or by resorting to sudden support to PDP and by enticement of Party leadership, there will be celebration in the camps of PDP enemies. PDP will pay dearly for that.

For Dr Akin Ogunbiyi: If Dr Akin Ogunbiyi wins the PDP primary, PDP might also lose the guber election because the outsiders’ factor which is seen as having come to feast on Osun State meagre patrimony, will play up during election and this will come to hunt Ogunbiyi. Though Dr Ogunbiyi , a very good and thorough manager, who grew his company “Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc” from grass to grace, but lacks the political competence to lead a state. Leading a state especially in Nigeria, is just much more than adding up numbers and figures to justify the costs and bottom lines of investment portfolios; in politics, one might have to expend enormous time
and energy in handling continuously emerging erratic quantum of human overzealous nuances, which are in most cases ignoble, diabolic and gravely unruly as they are illogical. As we can define who goes into business through prerequisite qualifications and specifications, that might not fly as a recruiting measure in political turf. Political experience means learning how to relate and live with not just people but politicians. Partisan politics is different from corporate or business politics because the rules to each are different. Hence this is where Dr Ogunbiyi might need a help. Perhaps Ogunbiyi might want to learn in the job as a Governor, but that would be too expensive for the party to risk.

For Engr. Fatai Akinbade: If Engr. Fatai Akinbade wins the PDP guber primary, both Osun electorate and all the citizens will definitely rally round him. The people of Osun are really well at home with Engr. Fatai Akinbade; they have known Akinbade for long and are ready to vote him. Fatai Akinbade’s political experience and glorious
ascendency, is what every serious political party would like to promote and fly. When people see good candidate , it is always obvious. Engr. Akinbade has a very solid and an unparalleled political background to his side that non of the aspirants can measure up to that. Engr. Akinbade is the most qualified among all the aspirants that have stepped out so far both in PDP and APC.

Just take a succinct glance at the political credentials of Engr. Akinbade . What do we see? When some other contenders were still struggling to stamp feet on social activities in their primary schools and Alma Mater , in 1979/1983 Fatai Akinbade was already mobilising the youths of Iwo North for the National Party of Nigeria( NPN) , when he served as the Chairman youth wing of the NPN. And when the civilian government of former President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari,( GCFR) was sacked by the then military, young Akinbade who resorted to practise his engineering profession, was already doing well as he was already handling government turnkey jobs
such as construction of Central Bank quarters and other World Bank projects.

Soonest the military planned to cede power to civilian, Fatai Akinbade tactically went back to trenches as he planned to regurgitate oncemore his first love of grassroots mobilization and then leverage on the massive supports of his people and he then became the Chairman of NRC in Ola-Oluwa Local Government of Osun State in 1990.

Now, Akinbade’s potent engineering concept of grassroots modern development which was embedded in his development plans to market the NRC party ( National Republican Convention) across towns and villages, next left the primordial incubation and gained a meteoric rise and endorsement even by the military and by 1994, young Akinbade was made the commissioner for works, transport, lands and physical planning. Osun State being a newly created state then, the military deployed the engineering expertise of Akinbade to find their bearings and a headway in
the development of the new Osun State. As a strategic commissioner for works, Akinbade evolved policies and supervised surveyors , town planners, architects and other engineers to give rise to the development of Osun State. The services of Fatai Akinbade became so indispensable that subsequent military administrations in Osun State could not work without him. Akinbade served three different military administrators; a feat deeply swayed and anchored on his honesty and astute character. Akinbade’s forthrightness is bankable and guaranteable and Fatai Akinbade became the bearer of Osun State masterplan.

Today there is nogainsaying that whoever wants the development of Osun State should go to Akinbade, because he has the key. The military government obediently followed as Akinbade pointed the flash light to every development concern. World Bank assisted roads were duly allocated, constructed and completed. The foundation of inter-city, inter-state road projects
were laid. Lagacy roads such as: Awo-Ogbaagbaa-Iwo Road, Oshogbo-Ibokun-Okeimesi-Ekiti Road, Ada-Ibokun-Ilesa-Idominasi Road, Ede-Ara-Ejigbo Road, Oshogbo west-by-pass dual carriageway and among others were built. Can you now imagine? All these achievements are being credited to someone when he served as a commissioner. One wonders what would have happened if Akinbade was the Governor. No doubt Akinbade is the most experienced and most qualified.

The twilight to the military administration in Nigeria was succeeded by a great movement to democratise governance. This eminent democratic drive was consummated by the emergence of political parties; one of which was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The formation of PDP started in 1998. At this time , Fatai Akinbade was one of the foundation and Financial members of the PDP. Unlike other contenders, Akinbade contributed in building and financing PDP in Osun State. At PDP National, very
vibrant Akinbade, became a member of Youth Mobilization Committee. Akinbade was so popular that by 1998, his people tipped him and wanted him to vie for the Governorship of Osun 1999. But as a party man, Akinbade listened to party elders who were led by the Late Chief S.M Afolabi, who prevailed on him to wait since the party had zoned the governorship ticket of PDP to Osun Central; an attempt to checkmate the then Alliance for Democracy(AD) in Osun State. Akinbade complied and stepped down for Dr Olu Alabi , who became PDP guber candidate while himself was appointed the Deputy Governor candidate.

In 2001, when PDP had planned and wanted to win Osun State, all the elders and young men and women in Osun State started having sleepless nights; they so much believed in Akinbade that they started routing for him desperately and indiscriminately, both in the camps of enemies, friends and foes just for Akinbade to become the PDP State Chairman of Osun State. Many people
before now, did not know that Fatai Akinbade was the Chairman of PDP in Osun State. Akinbade became the Chairman of PDP in Osun State and he was alongside one of those including the present PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, when Secondus was the PDP State Chairman in Rivers State, who contributed in making PDP a winning power house in Nigeria. The beautiful old days of PDP could only be relaunched and relived with great party leaders such as Akinbade and Secondus on board and then the dream of winning southwest to PDP will become a done deal.

Akinbade’s choice as PDP State Chairman was not by accident. The choice was a grand plan to appropriate and replicate the navigating powers of Akinbade’s potent grassroots political mobilization alchemy, built on a very tight and unfathomable modern sophistication. The wizardry that drives the Akinbade methods is so uncommon. Akinbade did not disappoint the progressive and enlightened minds who pitched in
his favour. He reconciled party members who were aggrieved and caused to enliven hope among party members. Akinbade became a bridge builder and marketed the perceived fortunes and privileges inherent in PDP beyond party frontiers. Just a while, Akinbade brought his magic wand to bear and Alliance for Democracy became decapitated as members moved in droves into PDP; this was a prelude to 2003 election victory of the PDP in Osun State and PDP eventual tookover of the southwest, then it became glaring that what devastated the AD was in the hands of Fatai Akinbade.

PDP before making Akinbade the State Chairman, could only boast of only a member of Osun State House of Assembly in the AD government. To buttress the grassroots powers of Akinbade, this only member then came from his constituency, whom he effortlessly delivered. Fatai Akinbade as PDP State Chairman in 2003 elections, won all the seats in the state assembly; he won the 9 seats in the Federal House of Representatives; he won the
3 Senatorial seats and finally won for PDP the Governor of Osun State in favour of Prince Olagunsoye Oyilola and Erelu Olusola Obada as Executive Governor and Deputy Governor respectively. To compensate for a job well done, Fatai Akinbade was appointed the Secretary to the State Government(SSG). We are all aware of the monstrous powers of the Secretary to a State Government. Needless to overstate this, but let us remind ourselves that the apparatchik of the government coupled with the paraphernalia of administration in the PDP 7-year reign in Osun State were domiciled and administered by Fatai Akinbade. Fatai Akinbade knows what works for Osun State. He knows the importance of service and reward for labour hence might not want to owe workers salaries and pensions . These achievements of Engr. Fatai Akinbade are verifiable. They are not dreams; they happened ; the records are there. You now see why Fatai Akinbade is the most qualified.

It is an asset to PDP that a leader like Fatai Akinbade is still in PDP and ready to serve more. We still await anybody both in PDP or APC, who can match this track record to come forward. The danger of PDP not picking an aspirant such as Akinbade will be that APC might pick him. I bet on this! Whichever political party that chooses Fatai Akinbade as candidate, will win the Osun State gubernatorial election. I trust the PDP latest barometer of measuring and selecting aspirants. Is only the best will go for us. As a former PDP Chairman and Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Fatai Akinbade, will foster a reunion for all PDP members. Decampees will return and PDP will regain her lost momentum and win back Osun State 2018.

Engr. Fatai Akinbade is a royalty and a Prince of Ogbaagbaa. Engr. Fatai Akinbade is a qualified engineer and a member of Nigerian Society of Engineers(NSE). To appreciate the outstanding development strides of Fatai Akinbade, His Imperial Majesty, the Late Ooni of Ife, Oba
Okunade Sijuade conferred on him with the title of OMOLOJUOBA. With this, I beckon on PDP leadership to add up my findings to what they already know and devise a strategy at making other aspirants to see from our unbiased direction and rally support towards a consensus candidate in favour of Engr. Fatai Akinbade.