Encomium
+ All the factors in his favour
HISTORY as regards the governorship seat of the Pacesetter State, Oyo, has been rewritten, as the incumbent governor, Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi has broken the 22 year-old no second term tradition in the state by returning as the governor of the state for the second term.
This he achieved by humiliating other contestants, including the two former governors of the state, Senator Rasheed Ademola Ladoja and Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala of Accord Party (AP) and Labour Party (LP) respectively at the just concluded gubernatorial election in the state.
Ajimobi won convincingly in 18 out of the 33 local government areas in the state, leaving only 15 for the rest contestants to share.
However, since the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state pronounced Ajimobi winner of the keenly contested election, many supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the ancient city of Ibadan trooped out, celebrating the victory of the gap-toothed politician.
Reacting to the success at the poll, Ajimobi, who spoke to ENCOMIUM Weekly, via his Senior Special Adviser on the Media, Mr. Festus Adeoye said the victory of the amiable governor and candidate of APC in the Saturday, April 11, 2015 governorship election wasn’t a miracle but hard work and the clamour for continuity of his excellent performance in the state. He, therefore expressed deep appreciation to the good people of Oyo State who deemed it fit to give him their mandate for the second term of four years. The astute politician also commended his fellow contestants for their maturity during and after the election.
“It’s a great achievement in the history of governorship election in Oyo State. We have broken the no second term jinx. And this was possible because of the trust people have in Governor Ajimobi. They all want him to continue his good work which cuts across the state. I want to be repeating what the governor himself has said on the election. All I know is that we’re all happy at the moment.”
Asked to comment on the alleged threat by Ladoja to challenge the results of the election at the tribunal, he reacted, “Governor Ajimobi has pledged to extend his hand of fellowship to all other contestants. And almost all of them have congratulated him. So, I believe that has been taken care of.”
However, with a view to driving home his point, Mr. Adeoye referred ENCOMIUM Weekly to one of the dailies where Ajimobi was quoted as saying, “I thank my elder brother, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, my bigger but younger brother and bosom friend, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, I also thank my younger brothers: the likes of Teslim Folarin of PDP, Seyi Makinde (SDP) and other contestants.
“I thank them for putting up a good fight. Particularly, the two of them that have called me. Alao-Akala called even before the official announcement while Seyi Makinde called me the next day.”
However, a political pundit from the state, who preferred anonymity told ENCOMIUM Weekly the victory of Ajimobi didn’t just happen miraculously. He, therefore, attributed it to a number of factors which played out in the political career of the amiable politician.
“It’s only those who are not close to Ibadan or any other area in Oyo State that wouldn’t have heard about how people have been commending Ajimobi’s leadership style.
“He is a governor that carries all the people in the state along. He ensured that every area was touched in terms of physical development. And he has listening ears. He’s a very hard working man.
“Also, his wisdom and humility in dealing with all the monarchs in the state really helped him. Almost all of them supported his second term bid.
“And since the split of Ladoja-Akala accord in 2014, coupled with the leadership crisis in PDP in the state, everybody was sure that Ajimobi would carry the day. All Ibadan sons and daughters, people from other parts of the state supported him because of his performances so far. We all threw away the old tradition of no second term. Even if there is room for him to come once more, I believe he would still win because people really love him.”
Ajimobi also contested with Akala and Ladoja in the 2011 governorship election in the state. He defeated the two political giants with wide margin. Now, the two former governors also fought and lost the battle again to Ajimobi, despite their political weights in the state.
– TADE ASIFAT
