Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state surely knows how, when and where to hit his opponents.
Another remarkable character of the Oyo state Governor is his ability to leverage on public opinion to when deciding to choose or switch sides in the polity.
To the Oyo state Governor, president Bola Ahmed Tinubu is currently not that popular with the masses as a result of the harsh Economy and it is the right time for Makinde to ride on the waves of public opinion to attack the president, who was his benefactor and ally when he, Makinde faced the dangers of losing his seat in 2023.
There have been insinuations that Makinde’s current disposition against Bola Ahmed Tinubu is part of a game plan for a personal ambition in 2027.
One thing you also have to give to Seyi Makinde is his mastery of timing.
He does know how to choose his time to launch attacks on the president.
First, he decided to join the Oyo state chapter of the NLC to protest against the policies of the Tinubu Government, being the only Governor who did so.
Secondly, he made some scathing remarks against the president at Iseyin during the opening of a Mosque in the town sometime this year.
Guess who was the special Guest of honor on the occassion? The Sultan of Sokoto!
Just yesterday, the 13th of June, 2024, after all activities marking both the May 29 handover day and the June 12 Democracy Day have been rounded up across the Country, Makinde struck again.
He was at the Oyo state House of Assembly Chamber to deliver what he called ” a state of the State address”.
While delivering his address during the jamboree, Governor Makinde ensured he fired some salvos aimed at Aso Rock and I’m sure the impact of the salvos are felt in Abuja.
The harsh criticism of the Governor made headlines and local Radio stations in Oyo state did justice to the details while reviewing Newspapers headlines today.
Exactly what Makinde wanted.
He had the floor to himself.
The Oyo state Governor, in his speech rubbished the claims that monthly Allocations from Abuja have been increased by president Tinubu.
According to him, there is nothing special in what the president did, because all the revenues of the Federation are polled together and the Federal Government is still taking 52 percent of the total revenue.
If you look at this statement critically, it implies that the public statement by the president to the effects that state Governments monthly Allocations have been increased by 2 billion Naira is a hoax.
I am interested in how the Federal Government will react to this statement by Makinde.
I was shocked when the Governor used the phrase “…pot calling kettle black” when trying to dismiss the claims of the 2 billion Naira increase in monthly Allocations.
I wonder who is the pot and who is the kettle in this context.
I must emphasize that the Governor did not talk about the claims by the president that some quantity of grains were released to states by the Federal Government.
Governor Makinde also rubbished the move by the Federal Government to ensure that funds are released directly to the Local Governments.
He emphasized the facts that Multi Nationals are leaving the country and that manufacturers are not comfortable as a results of the wrong policies of the Federal Government which has made the Naira to lose value.
He talked about how some investors he brought to Oyo state made some complaints to him about the rate of the Dollar to the Naira and made a very serious statement about him watching the riot in Algeria which was caused by shortage of water and how it troubled him when he saw that Government in Nigeria have not been able to provide basic things.
He was of the opinion that the discussion about the increase in monthly Allocations and Independence of Local Governments are misplaced priorities.
He declared that Nigerians are hungry and that the change to the old National anthem is a misplaced priority.
Now, before the Governor addressed the gathering at the House of Assembly, some of the members of the House of Assembly, I found it difficult to add the prefix ” Honorable” because their conduct yesterday was everything but honourable, some of them who were chosen to talk about developments in their Constituencies, after some irritating praise singing, did raised some issues concerning security.
Those who spoke from Oke Ogun raised serious issues of insecurity, most especially, kidnappings.
In fact, they told the Governor that even, they, as representatives of the people are always afraid to go home because of the fear of being kidnapped.
The fellow who spoke from Ibarapa talked about the Farm settlement in Eruwa where there is no activity despite repeated promises and the Loans taken in respect of the project.
Some of the members talked about the negative consequences of the Consultants that the Governor have employed to run the State’s Higher Institutions.
Some of them were even begging the Governor to appoint Governing Councils for the Higher Institutions in the state.
It is interesting that the Governor sidestepped these prevailing issues and glossed over some of them in his address.
He abandoned his responsibilities for the removal of the log in another person’s eyes.
One of the members of the House reminded the Governor that health workers in the services of the state Government have been on strike for about a month now.
Guess what, the Governor didn’t consider the topic fit enough to warrant his attention.
Odolaye Aremu was a traditional musician of repute from Ilorin, famous for his ” dadakuada” brand of music.
He once fired a warning about those who are looking for the downfall of others. ” Eni ti nde Ile okete Olorun nde idi Oun naa”.
Chinua Achebe also wrote about the man who woke up in the early morning, looking for the man who was owing his father some amount of money before his father passed away, Achebe wrote that if such a man did not desist from such pursuit, he will soon meet with the one his mother owed before she died.
Governor Makinde is indeed a very crafty individual who sure knows how to hit blows below the belt.
He knows that we live in a society where people have lost appetites in asking questions.
Unfortunately, what the Yorubas call “abosi”, mischief, doesn’t have roots.
Some of those close to him even expected him to use the occassion of yesterday to make a pronouncement on the stools of two very powerful Monarchs in the state.
The stools of the Alaafin of Oyo and the Olubadan of Ibadan have been vacant for some time now.
That of the Alaafin for almost two years.
The Kingmakers in the two ancient Towns have done the needful and have submitted candidates for Governor Makinde’s approval but instead of him to approve and allowed this Towns to have their Monarchs installed, the Governor have been playing God.
In Oyo, he claimed the Kingmakers collected bribes.
I wonder in what position the Governor is making such inglorious accusations.
I’m his native Ibadan, he has declared that he will approve the nomination of the Olubadan designate only when the candidate is ” strong enough” to be installed!
There is tension and apprehension in both Towns as a result of the insensitivity of the Governor about this issues.
These are the issues the Governor should be addressing the citizens of Oyo state about.
He ought to have addressed us about the state of Education which have completely nose dived since he became Governor.
He should be telling us how much he has added to the debts of Oyo state.
He should be telling us why staffs of Higher Institutions in Oyo state have been on strike for weeks and what he did with the 5 billion Naira he took to mortgage Agbowo shopping complex for fifty years!
He should be taking to us on why he chose to be selling Legacy properties of the state and how to justify his decision to spend 15 billion Naira of borrowed money on the building of garages instead of investing such on Education.
He should be explaining why we have not been exporting maize to Botswana as he promised promised despite the humongous amounts of Loans he has taken in respect of Agriculture.
I am surprised that each time Governor Seyi Makinde fired this salvos against the president, they are always met with silence from the presidency.
What are the president’s spokespersons doing about Makinde’s constant attacks against their Principal?
Or, are we being treated to some play acting here?
SOLA ABEGUNDE
