Overlooking all the political brinkmanship and a drift towards a domain of egos that have rocked the buildup to the forthcoming gubernatorial election slated for November 26 later this year in Ondo State, one has the onerous task of hammering the nail on the head.
First for the interest of the ordinary citizenry of the Sunshine state, and secondly for the sake of posterity and yet-unborn generations trailing us in the back. Certainly, a time will come when history will shift to us and critical questions will be asked, bearing in mind that actions we take today shall definitely transmute to the annals of history tomorrow.
To my mind and to millions of watchers around the world who have been following political trends in our dear Ondo State, it is time we unfolded the truth and move progressively ahead as a people. A people bound by a common goal of prosperity and that of socio-economic advancement of our people, who are predominantly peasant farmers and rural dwellers.
Still on this pedestal, it is my candid opinion that all warring factions in the November pool should sheath their swords and embrace a linear progression towards purposeful political leadership which will pilot affairs of our state for the next for years. Deeply, I think those in All Progressives Congress, Ondo State chapter shouldn’t allow this chance to slip away from them, as it appears their most vintage position to take the state away from Governor Olusegun Mimiko-led Peoples Democratic Party.
It should be a time when Ondo indigenes, home and abroad should begin to think a taste of the possible economic repositioning they had always yearned for. The vintage nature of this period for APC in Ondo is so crucial that the array of transformation agenda hopefuls in its fold is alarming. This many have attributed to the party being regarded as the only credible platform that can produce the next governor.
For APC, what the faithful can’t see as another blessing in disguise is the fact that current crisis rocking their next door neighbour, the PDP. So far, the clash of interest rocking these political neighbours has seen PDP as a house divided against itself, which can’t stay together even beyond November 27. I wouldn’t want to dwell on PDP and its perennial issues, but more on APC where the hope lies.
Most worrisome is the unwarranted diatribes over the narrative of candidate imposition emanating from certain quarters of APC in Ondo State. In the last few days, friends have become enemies. The once highly respected human right crusader, Dr. Tunji Abayomi has embraced a new love in letter writing, to paint a public picture of his political tale. Also, a reputably trusted party chieftain like Romiti Akeredolu (SAN) has become a bird, singing in like manners.
But the national secretariat of the party in its troubleshooting mission is frantic in clearing the air on certain misconceptions. One is that the attacks against the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, about this Ondo State poll is uncharitable. Another is that the Asiwaju has a constitutional right to support any candidate of his choice as a Nigerian. In any political lexicon, “Endorsement”, which Asiwaju is being bashed for, according to the top organ of the party, is neither a felony against the state nor an infraction against the party’s constitution.
Hence, instead of throwing away the baby with the bathe water, these warring individuals should bridge the gap before it becomes late for them. Form a united front that will wrest power from the political spent horses who had milked the oil-rich state without mercies in the last eight years. They should toe the line of reasons and prospects. And apply the tact which the political mastery in Asiwaju Tinubu saw in Dr. Segun Abraham, thereby believing that he can bail Ondo out of her current infrastructural dearth and economic woods.
In Abraham is not just a political adventurist who merely dreams of being called His Excellency in a few months, but a technocrat cum businessman who has conquered in many territories including politics. As a Chartered Engineer, with Doctors of Science Degree in Engineering/Business Management (Honorius Causa) from Bradley University, USA, Abraham is a round peg in a round whole.
His drive towards greatness has seen him through great institutions like Syndale University College and Seminary, Canada, Institute of Directors, UK (Dynamics of Negotiations), UNIDO (Joint Venture Industrialization), Ingersoll-Rand, UK (International Business Management), Lagos Business School (Chief Executive Program), Institute of Advanced Technology and Management (Leadership through Innovation). The list also includes the African Development Bank, World Bank and African Carribean Pacific. Abraham who currently sits atop Seg. Mahsen & Co. Nig Ltd (SMC), has handled major projects for World Bank and BPE among several others.
A man of many parts, Abraham has made his mark in the political turf of his dear state and Nigeria at large. Hence, he shouldn’t be regarded as a green horn blinded by crude ambition. Recall that in 1998, he was actively involved the all the processes that led to the creation of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). Also in 2012, he expressed his intention to contest for the office of governor on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Since then, he has returned to the fold supporting the mega APC at any given opportunity.
From the foregoing, it will be unfair to hang the moral burden of imposition on Abraham as if he’s not capable of running a full-fledge political campaign, driving home his manifestoes to his Ondo people. The noise is such that it now appears the man at the eyes of this storm doesn’t have what it takes to run Ondo State including a strength of intellectualism. To those of us who are concerned, we strongly suggest that instead of being needlessly loud about this gentleman, let every man bear his father’s name. Let all the 3000 delegates from the 18 local councils of Ondo State be allowed to make a choice and let’s see if Abraham will not carry the day.
Emmanuel writes from 12, Oyemekun Road, Akure, Ondo State.
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