Today and in anticipation of the 2023 general elections in Kwara State, Offa is politically torn to shreds. Why, how else to describe the fact the Yorùbá ancient town is under the siege of five parties, namely:
- All Progressives Congress (APC)
- People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
- Accord Party
- Social Democratic Party (SDP), and a bit of
- African Democratic Congress (ADC).
For any Kwara politician, Offa, the headquarters of Offa Local Government Area, is suffocated and can’t accommodate ANY external personae. Even sons and daughter of the soil like Hassan Oyeyemi Oyeleke, Olayonu Olarinoye Tope (Danladi), Popoola Saheed Adekeye and Adeniran Maryam Joy are slogging it with one another.
Accord Party and ADC in Offa today are off-shore of the PDP, while SDP is of APC. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq allegedly pushed Honourable Ismail Tijani and Senator Sulaiman Makanjuola Ajadi from APC to ADC and Honourable Saheed Popoola to SDP.
Though Offa has bloc vote of about 30,000, the votes will be keenly fought for by five different political parties. (In 2019, APC had 22,874 and PDP 5,172 in the local government).
Offa politics is currently maintaining what is called “CROWN SHYNESS”. Sometimes trees are known to be a little too respectful not to intrude into each other’s space. The phenomenon is called Crown Shyness —where the top of individual trees avoid touching each other, thereby creating separation lines and boundaries in the sky. Nobody knows for sure why trees do this, but many explanations have been put forward. One popular one says it’s as a result of competition for resources —especially light.
I believe same thing is happening in the political space of Offa, only that the “light”, in this context is political power/positions in the 2023 general elections in the country.
Let me elucidate on them
1. SDP OF SAHEED POPOOLA
Honourable Saheed Olamilekan Adekeye Popoola, a former Chairman of Offa Local Government, is media conscious. I don’t believe he is media savvy.
On the 15th of March, the Offa-born politician dumped the APC For SDP. For anyone with foresight this development was no surprise because it was an open secret that he and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq don’t see eyeball to eyeball.
Personally, I don’t feel good with this development because Governor Abdulrazaq rode on 2019 Otoge political upheaval to the Kwara State Government House. Yes. It is on the record that under the banner of the Congress for Progressive Change political party, Governor Abdulrasaq unsuccessfully ran for governor of Kwara State in 2003, 2007 and 2011, and was defeated by Abubakar Bukola Saraki in 2003 and 2007, and by Abdulfatah Ahmed in 2011.
Popoola was the first one to use the platform of the then Action Congress, later Action Congress of Nigeria to win an election in the history of Nigeria. So they all came to ‘meet him in the APC’, why should he leave for them?
Popoola’s programmes on the radio (Ọkin 105.7 FM, Offa and Radio Nigeria Harmony FM 103.5, Idofian) reek of distastefulness, enmity and decry of maladministration of the Kwara APC. In fact, Saheed Popoola’s programmes provided opportunities for (the then) opposition to cristal see what Governor AA’s administration entailed.
There were concerns in different quarters as to revelations by Popoola. In fact, operatives of DSS took the fore in those always calling him a day after his programmes to come and explain some things he revealed on his programmes. This is to say Government House’s people listen to him too.
Well, he defected to Social Democratic Party in his own wisdom (and maybe consultations with some bigwigs). It is on the record that he, upon defection, said ‘we are open to negotiations with any party….’ Let the meaning of the words hang.
The Kwara State House of Assembly threatened fires and brimstone upon his defection but the son of Popoola would not have taken such a long step without consultation with his lawyer. An insider told me he consults with his lawyer before he goes on air as to what he wants to say and the laws that permits/forbids him. He does not only consults but asks the lawyer to show him the exact place that says what.
On the rail, Saheed Popoola is bidding for Mrs. Adeniran Maryam Joy for Eesa, Shawo and Igboidun Constituency. It is an open secret that he invests interests in selling the candidacy of the woman to Offa, people but would this be? Time will tell.
Honourable Joy Maryam, alias Ọbẹ is not a push over in Kwara State politics. Over the years, she has proved that she has all its takes to represent her people well, and this justifies the confidence reposed in her by the electorates who gave her their votes at the polls.
She has been a grassroots politician for many years, haven contested and won election to become a councillor representing Shawo South-east and emerged as the Speaker for Offa Local Government Area of the state on the platform of the defunct Action Congress, (AC).
She has also served as special assistant to the Kwara state Governor on Rural Development, special assistant to the Governor on Social Support Services and member Governing Council of the College of Education (Technical), Lafiagi from where she voluntarily resigned to contest election into the Kwara state House Assembly in 2019.
At the time (April, 2019), she was the only female lawmaker-elect in the whole of Kwara State when the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC presented to her a certificate of return in the 24-member House of Assembly.
This has certified her to unique among equals, because with her victory at the poll in 2019, Honourable Adeniran’s success represents just 4.16 per cent of the membership strength as against the 20.14 per cent women-membership of the then outgoing state House of Assembly where five females are Honourable members. She was extremely favoured to grossly negates the 35 per cent as recommended by the United Nations (UN) for women slot in elective and appointive positions in governments globally.
Also, it was on record that, there was no single woman among the six elected members of the House of Representatives neither is there any female among the three Senators-elect in 2019 in Kwara. She was the only one. Would she be able to do it again now?
Again, Time will tell!
2. ADC AND ‘AGGRIEVED’ SENATOR AJADI
Founded in June 2017, the ideology of African Democratic Party (ADC) is “Third way”. It was founded by some politically concerned Nigerians who feel there should be a third force to counter the APC and PDP. I think that is what Senator Ajadi did.
The ambition of Senator Suleiman Makanjuola Ajadi to return to the Red Chamber to represent the Kwara South Senatorial District is known all and sundry. This knowledge can be said to have turned to obsession, then desperation. Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq allegedly capitalized on this and thwarted his ambitious ambition.
Senator Ajadi had been there and knew what it was. Aside senatorial seat, he is a former Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters during Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
The headline that rented the entire Kwara media on July 21, 2022 was “Gov Abdulrazaq betrayed me”, words credited to him. Daily Post even added “aggrieved” to Senator Ajadi.
He is quoted to have said, “I consulted and confided in him (Governor Abdulrasaq) before taking the shot at the Senatorial primary election, but the process was fraudulent.
“I complained to Governor Abdulrazaq and even suggested a clear and acceptable process which will be fair and free to all contestants but fell on deaf ears.
” I will fight the battle on the platform of the ADC for my people” he declared, adding that ” if my people in Kwara South Senatorial District cannot get the dividends of democracy, why must I sink or swim with a party called APC?”
The administration led by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq did not stop after the APC Primary Elections; instead, it filed a lawsuit to thwart Ajadi’s bid for the Kwara South Senatorial District.
The lawsuit, which is personally signed by Malam Sambo Muritala, the Governor’s Special Legal Adviser, was slated to be heard on July 26, 2022.
The lawsuit, among other reasons, forbids Ajadi, who left the APC, from running for office in 2023 under the banner of another group, the African Democratic Congress, or ADC.
Ajadi and the state administration had a falling out after what he claimed to be a fraudulent APC Kwara South senatorial primary poll recently held in the state’s Idofian, Ifelodun Local Government Area.
He later defected from the party to the ADC and won the nomination to run for the Kwara South senatorial seat.
Reacting to the suit, Ajadi said “it is laughable, we will meet in court if I am qualified to contest under another party or not.”
He condemned the APC Senatorial primary election, describing it as a fraudulent process in which he could not identify the delegates elected for the exercise.
Ajadi would later come to Harmony FM, Idofian to say he knows how Governor AbdulRahman is siphoning Kwara state’s money abroad to buy properties and that “Kwara State governor Abdulrasaq Abdulrahman only painted two class rooms in my community and we know how Kwara money is being laundered abroad to buy houses.”
This was a man formerly christened “political godfather of Governor AbdulRamon AbdulRasaq.” Well, it seems the son has beaten his own father in the game of politics. In Albert Estein words, “You have to learn the rules of the game.And then you have to play better than anyone else!”
What is evident as of July, 2022 is that African Democratic Congress (ADC) has no resources, human or otherwise in Offa. In short, no giddy structure for now.
But, wait, did Senator Ajadi want to be given the APC Kwara South Senatorial ticket against the incumbent Architect Yisa Lola?
3. ACCORD PARTY, DANLAD, AJIBOLA AND KEJÌ
Accord Party was brought to Offa by Honourable (Dr) Olayonu Olarinoye Tope (Danlad). He is using a political wordings “Àṣeyọrí 2023”. (Permit me to use his popular name Danlad throughout this submission).
Without much ado, Danlad has a great reputation for himself before and when serving as member of the House of Representatives, representing Offa/Ifelodun/Oyun Federal Constituency.
According to Offa Pendulum Magazine, “Friday October 17, 2014 would remain indelible in the hearts of Offa LGEA Teachers who were affected by the unending deduction in their salaries from the controversial Bank loan. With Olayonu’s persuasion and resolve, the Chairman of State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), Alhaji Lanre Daibu, announced Government’s decision to put an end to the reckless deduction. With this act of responsive representation, Olayonu has emerged as Offa Pendulum Man of the month for November, 2014.”
On the 3rd of March, 2019, This Day Newspaper wrote a report “Those Who Will Not Return to Ninth Senate”, the paper wrote inter-alia:
“In the Senate, out of 66 Senators, who ran for last Saturday’s parliamentary poll, 39 were successful while 27 others failed to make it back to the upper legislative chamber.
“Top on the casualty list is the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who lost his Kwara Central senatorial seat to Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe of the APC, while the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banks, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim (PDP Kwara South) lost to Lola Ashiru of the APC…..
“However, in the House of Representatives, it was an all-round defeat for the PDP in Kwara State. In Ilorin West/Asa federal constituency , Alhaji Abdulyekeen Alajagusi of the APC defeated Hon. Abdulrazaq Mohjammed Lawal of the PDP. For Ilorin South/Ilorin East federal constituency, Abdulganiyu Cook Olododo of the APC ousted Hon. Abdulwahab Oladimeji Issa of the PDP and it is the same story in Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun federal constituency where Tijani Kayode (APC) defeated Hon. Olarinoye Tope Olayonu.
“In Patigi/Edu/Moro federal constituency, PDP lawmaker, Hon. Hassan Mahmud Babako gave way to Ahmed Ndakenne of the APC, who defeated him at the poll. Hon. Abubakar Musa of the PDP was also defeated in Baruten/Kaiama federal constituency by Malam Mohammed Bio (APC). Olawuyi Abdulraheem (APC) also emerged victorious over Dare Bankole of PDP in Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero federal constituency.”
While the line “…and it is the same story in Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun federal constituency where Tijani Kayode (APC) defeated Hon. Olarinoye Tope Olayonu” maybe one of thousands for the news paper, it is not same with the people of Offa who were directly affected.
Today, Danlad is contesting for the same seat in 2023. He has in his trail many political loyalists, on the fore is Hon. Abdulwasiu Hammed Ajibola who is also vying for Kwara State House of Assembly, Ojomu/Balogun Constituency and his brother Tajudeen Hammed (Anderson) who is also Special Assistant to Danlad on Media and Publicity.
If you know Danlad, you can attest that he is a man of few words, I have never saw him play to the media gallery. I think he loves action and that is why you won’t see him on the media talking here and there. Not a journalist joy?
I have personally conducted an interview for Hon. Abdulwasiu Ajibola in early January, 2022 and the headline was “Kwara: Saraki Is A Consensus Leader, Seeks General Agreement Among Party Members, Says Hon Ajibola”, it is however more than a surprise hearing revelations from Anderson about all that transpired.
WATCH THE VIDEOS BELOW
Did Danlad betray the PDP? Yes and no, depends on the side of the story you hear. According to Hon. Jide Jatto, the PDP Chairman in Offa, members signed an MoU that they will abide by whoever the party chose for the positions.
Honourable Marooph Bintinlaye also confirmed some harmonious agreement in his interview with News Bulletin Nigeria (the video is available on the YouTube Channel of Yoruba Medium dated 16 of July, 2022 and News Bulletin).
Bintinlaiye said that is why only one or two out of persons who contested and lost position in the party stayed. By “one or two” the pointer is obvious.
However, when you hear Anderson spoke you yourself maybe convinced.
Anderson and myself shared some clouded childhood experiences. I attended Boade beside his family house.
In addition, we both carry Balogun blood. There are four Balogun compounds in Ọffà, his own Balogun is my grand mother’s (my mother married my father from another Balogun family. He should ask Mummy Lekan why she called my mother Iya ọkọ mi when my mother was alive). Reason for this is that I know him to not throw up points when he is not furnished with data. He has said some things about people that will be defeated and those that will excel in the 2023 general elections in Offa, I look forward to it. I’m sure I’m not alone.
4. APC AND THE TWO HONOURABLES FROM ERIN-ILE
Honourable Tajudeen Abioye defeated the incumbent Honourable Ismail Tijani who was seeking second term in office in the APC primary elections to clinch the party’s ticket to represent Offa/Ifelodun/Oyun Federal Constituency in 2023.
The inner circle will tell you that Abioye is an anointed candidate of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Well, one son of Offa was also raised against incumbent Senator of Kwara South Lola Ashiru by Governor Abdulrasaq, he lost.
Honourable Ismail Tijani, who just finished his one term representing Offa/Ifelodun/Oyun Federal Constituency lost his return bid through APC intra-party crisis. The aggrieved Tijani was said to have decamped to African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Honourable Tajudeen Abioye is relatively unknown. In fact the only thing known of him is that he defeated Honourable Tijani and I don’t think the APC party structure is working for his candidacy. Kwara APC is crisis-ridden. What the people know about him is that he is from the same place as Hon Tijani – Erin-Ile in Oyun local government area.
Some said Honourable Tijani was incompetent as evident in an open letter addressed to him, click here
Hon Tijani Kayode Ismail, has also accused the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, of destabilizing the state and destroying the party.
A writing by Kwara Reporters titled “Factcheck On APC Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency Primary Elections”, the news organization said that instead of Tajudeen Abioye, it was Ismail Tijani that won the All Progressives Congress, APC, Primary election for Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency which was held in Idofian on 27th of May, 2022.
“The election was also conducted in presence of INEC officers, men and officers of the Nigerian police, NSCDC, FRSC and political observers.
“Total numbers of 205 delegates represented the 3 local governments in the Constituency. The delegates are 90 from IFELODUN, 60 from OFFA and 55 delegates from OYUN.
“Voting commenced after the due accreditation of the delegates.
“At the end of the exercise, the APC electoral committee for the primary, led by Mr. Kayode Banji, sorted and counted the ballots in the presence of the delegates.
“The following persons emerged from the results announced at the end of the Primary election:
1.HON ISMAIL K. TIJANI – 87 VOTES
2.GBENGA POWER – 52 VOTES
3.HON TAJUDEEN ABIOYE – 35 VOTES
4.BARR. FALOLA -12 VOTES
5.OSATIMEHIN – 6 VOTES
6.SEGUN OYEWO – 6 VOTES
7.BARR ADERIBIGBE – 3 VOTES
8.CHIEF YEWANDE – 3 VOTES
9.TESLIM BELLO – 0 VOTES
10.INVALID – 1 VOTE
“As a result of this, having scored the highest number of the votes cast with the simple majority, Hon. Ismail Kayode Tijani was declared winner and returned elected.
“However, The Kwara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has charged the public to disregard any announcement of the results of the party primaries conducted circulating on the numerous social media platforms, print and broadcast media or any other communication channels for now.
“The party in a statement on Saturday stated that only the officiating officials for the party primaries from the National Secretariat can authoritatively confirm the results of the primary elections conducted, adding that no amount of resorts to self help by prematurely and falsely announcing the results can change the results, stressing that the official results would be communicated at the appropriate time.
“”The Kwara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC dissociates itself from the announcement of results on the various media, and we urge party faithfuls and the public to disregard it,” the party concluded.”
5. PDP, HASSAN AND THE STRUCTURE
Honourable Oyeyemi Hassan Oyeleke is a known face in Offa politics. In fact he is the oldest and most experienced among these contenders. He was elected Councilor, Essa ‘B’ Ward between 1987 to 1989, chairman of Offa L.G.A. Council from 1991 to 1993 and was appointed the Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) Chairman for Offa Local Government Area, in 2003 by the then Governor Abubarkar Bukola Saraki. From the above, it would be deducted that he has political history.
Hassan is also the immediate past House Leader of the 8th Kwara State House of Assembly.
However, there are two things at his disadvantage. First, PDP is the major opposition in Kwara State. Secondly, he is said to not be prudent with money, an accusation I have heard him denied on July 10, 2022 during PDP stakeholders’ meeting at his residence in GRA, Offa.
November 19, 2014, Offa Pendulum Magazine wrote:
“Hon. Hassan Yemi Oyeleke : A Political Colossus
“His passion for humanity and communal development have remained his mainstay in politics.
“A man that creates history and if impact is the measure of good performance, then Oyeleke who is presently a member of Kwara State House of Assembly, representing Essa/Shawo/Igboidun constituency is one of the outstanding Politicians from Offa.
“The 1985 graduate of Education from University of Ilorin was a Councilor in the defunct Oyun Local Government Area and later the first Executive Chairman of the now Offa Local Area in 1992 and TIC Chairman of Offa Local Government Area in 2003.
“Within a period of about 18 months in office between 1992 – 1993, his achievements were tremendous. His phenomenal infrastructural transformations were based on the passion for high performance. Within 18 months, he increased standing water taps from 34 that was erected during Northern Region era, to 441 and subsequently paid two years rates in advance.
“He established, equipped and staffed four new Basic Health Centers at Ajegunle, Elesinfunfun, Gbosun and Igboidun villages and established a Garri processing factory at Igboidun. He also provided street lights on eight roads; Popo, Ira , Cathedral , Essa, Anilelerin, Olugbense, Station and Olofa way and also provided flood lights at Oja-Oba and Isale-Ago markets ,Ojude Olowa, High Chief Essa, Ojomu, Shawo and Balogun residences.
“Determined to break new grounds, Oyeleke paid Bursary Awards to all final year students of Offa origin in Higher Institutions of learning in 1992 and 1993, and gave subvention to Offa Students Union (OSU) National secretariat and its branches in higher institutions across the federation , while he built, equipped and staffed the only Nomadic school till date, at Jangbo.
“One of Oyeleke’s significant innovations is the construction of Offa Mini stadium , and he got the Nigeria Football Association’s (NFA) approval to host National matches . He also organized and hosted different sporting activities such as National Female Challenge Cup, Under 16 Youth Soccer competition and Inter Local Government football competition.
“To underscore his imperatives for Women Education and Advancement , he standardized the Women Education Centre through provision of adequate facilities which facilitated the accreditation to a Certificate Awarding Institution.
“He introduced payment of monthly allowances to some Chiefs, which include; Ola, Osi-ApabiEkun, Elemosho, Kende, Esikin, Akogun, Shaba, Alagure, Esunja, and procured a Pilot car for Olofa and a Peugeot 505 official car for Onidun of Igboidun.
“A man of consistent integrity, critics may ascribe his unparallel performance to the independent status of the Local Councils then, but his 90 days stint as Chairman is another landmark achievements. Oyeleke was appointed the TIC Chairman for Offa Local Government Area, in 2003 by Governor Abubarkar B ukola Saraki, and in just three months, his landmark achievements is another unparallel feat.
“He built 60 lock up shops, named Bukola Saraki Shopping Complex at Owode Market, sunk four boreholes at Itafa, Essa, Abogunungun, and Owode market. He also graded and rehabilitated 10 roads, all of which were commissioned by Governor Bukola Saraki. He also increased salaries of Traditional Chiefs.
“He is seen as one of the poster boys of Offa Boundary Matters and his success story on land and boundary matters during his first stint as Chairman is equally resounding. As Chairman of Offa Local Government between 1992 and 1993, he defended Offa ownership of 36 villages in Igboidun ward where the permanent site of Federal Polytechnic Offa is situated, GRA Quarters along Ipe road and other lands outside Offa Local Government, such as Asaoye and in Inaja and Ahogbada. He is still one of Offa spokesmen on Offa land boundary matters. As member representing Essa/Shawo/Igboidun Constituency at the Kwara House of Assembly, he also assisted with the reclaiming of some land along Atari area.
“The Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Hassan Oyeleke has received the Award of Honorary Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) from the Atlas University; a Nigeria – American equity partnered University, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.
“The award, according to the University is based on the recognition of his outstanding achievements and contributions in the areas of political, social and humanitarian services.
“In a statement issued prior to the Award, by the Provost, Atlas University Main Campus, Prof. Dr. James Obet Etuk, Oyeleke’s nomination was meritorious. The statement reads: ” I have been directed to inform you that the Governing Council of Atlas University has approved your nomination for the prestigious award based on personal merit. ”
“On the 19th April 2014, Oyeleke together with the Special Adviser to the Vice-President on Parastatals, Statutory Bodies and Inter Government Affairs, Hon. Dr. Braieye Ekiye; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Benue state, Dr. Torngee Jem Tor-Ayim and many other eminent personalities were conferred with awards at the Economical Centre, Aba town hall, Abia state.
“In a similar development, the United Nations-POLAC Peace Programme, aimed at promoting United Nations Millennium Development Goals and UNESCO’s culture of Peace, through the Office of the International Director, also nominated Oyeleke as Ambassador of Peace of the United Nations-POLAC.
“The appointment is in consonance with the UN General Assembly declaration of the year 2001- 2014 as international decade for Peace and Non-violence and the UN millennium Goals and UNESCO Culture of Peace Project.
“The Appointment and Certificate was presented to him on Friday, May 30, 2014 at the Hotel Presidential, and according to the statement issued by the International Director, United Nations-POLAC Peace Programme, Rt. Rev. Prof. Chidi Ehirido, the Justice for Peace (JP) Appointment/Awards, is the highest calling and recognition to those individuals whose lives exemplify the ideals of living for the sake of others and who dedicate themselves to the promotion of universal moral values, strong family life, inter-religious cooperation, international harmony and establishment of culture of peace.
“The Trustees, it added recognizes that Oyeleke exemplifies these qualities and would want to encourage; ” these special individuals to be models in community services and peace keeping”.”
WHAT ARE THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES?
Wait for the concluding part…
Jimoh Taofik Adekunle
(Jimson Jaat Taofik)
July 28, 2022
Jimoh Taofik Adekunle (Jimson Jaat Taofik) is a trained journalist, blogger, freelancer, author and researcher. He is a graduate student of The Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State.
