THE IBADAN TEST OF KARIABILITY OYO PDP, ATIKU, G5 AND THE REST OF THE STORY

 

THE IBADAN TEST OF KARIABILITY

OYO PDP, ATIKU, G5 AND THE REST OF THE STORY

The term ‘TEST OF KARIABILITY’ is used in the Kegites Club. If you are a bona fide member of the Club, then you are Karid. A Kariable Soul or entity is one who is worthy of being Karid. Your Kariability is how worthy you are of being Karid. An Ilya is a campus branch of the Club. Before being admitted to the Club an intending Ilya must go through a TEST OF KARIABILITY.

You must show what makes you tick. So much is put into preparing for the Day-Db chosen for the TEST OF KARIABILITY. Each intending Ilya comes out with her people who must have been tutorialised for this day. Drumming, dancing and singing are tenaciously choreographed for the TEST OF KARIABILITY.

On Day-D, all the claims, boasts and assumptions are put to test.

It is akin to what the military calls a SHOW OF STRENGTH.

January 4^th and 5^th, 2023 will always be remembered in the history of Oyo State politics, especially in the Peoples Democratic Party.

The party primaries had given the incumbent governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde the ticket for a second term. Many party chieftains who felt aggrieved either left the party or stayed in the party waiting for a chance to show the governor they own the party. Whether they were right or not is a story for another day.

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar also got the party’s Presidential Ticket. Some State Governors in the party also felt aggrieved (Rightly or wrongly is not important here) but did not leave the party. They chose to fight from within. The G-5 was birthed. They made so much news holding meetings all over the world wearing fancy apparels depending on where they went. Pictures went viral of them in Suits, Jackets, Tiv, Ijaw, Hausa, Ibo and yesterday the Yoruba Aso Ofi.

There was so much grandstanding and tough talk especially from the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike who seems the most aggrieved and most vociferous among them, having lost out in the political power play of the Presidential Primaries.

PDP’s opponents the APC waited by the sideline, like vultures, waiting for the G-5 to bring down the PDP so they can scavenge on the carcass.

Oyo State was particularly of interest. Governor Seyi Makinde (a strong member of G-5) is the only one eyeing a second term in office. The others have exhausted the maximum 2 terms in office.

It became a contest between Makinde and the “gatekeepers” of Oyo PDP.

Oloye Jumoke Akinjide massed support for the party in the nooks and crannies of the state with the National Mandate Group. Alhaji Hassim Gbolarumi, Engineer Femi Babalola (Jogor), Elder Wole Oyelese etc had their own people too.

Everybody kept building up, claiming to have the minds of the people of Oyo.

Not a few believed Makinde’s “body language” showed he would not work for the party’s presidential candidate. Funny enough he never came out clear about this. Was the man credited with so much “street credibility” afraid of what the reaction of Oyo State people will be? Or was it another political manoeuvre? Many people however would have us believe Oyo PDP and people will go wherever Makinde went.

Oloye Jumoke’s National Mandate Group preached PDP from top to bottom. They campaigned for all PDP candidates including Governor Makinde.

Others were not so well disposed to the second term bid of Makinde.

It all became one confusing whirlpool.

All groups claimed they had control of the people. There was debate as to whether Oyo State was for Atiku or Makinde, both or even neither of them.

There was need to know the mind of the people. The National Mandate Group collaborated with all other elements to organize a FREEDOM WALK FOR ATIKU in Ibadan on Wednesday 4^th January 2023. Either by coincidence or providence, the G-5 chose the next day, January 5 to kick off Makinde’s campaign and Governor Wike told the world that the final statement by G-5 on Atiku’s presidential bid will be made at Mapo on that day.

So much speculations; so much tension; good and bad, filled the air. But one thing was germane. We need to know where the people of Oyo State stand.

January 4^th was epochal and unprecedented. Without any financial inducement, the turnout for the FREEDOM WALK was massive. Ibadan stood still as the crowd snaked from Total Garden, through Agodi Gate, Oje, Beere and landed at Mapo. All through the walk, people came out to show support for Atiku Abubakar. A point has been made. OYO STATE IS SOLIDLY FOR ATIKU.

One thing was also interesting at the event. None of the speakers said the people should not vote for Makinde. The vultures met their first disappointment. Tinubu and Folarin’s people who had expected a showdown were left confused.

The next day was tagged the day of “The Mapo Declaration”. The crowd was mammoth. Those who walked the previous day still assembled at Mapo. That is the PDP spirit.

Akinjide and other speakers still spoke about the need to vote PDP across board.

Then came the G-5 governors. Makinde and 3 others preached PDP and dodged any categorical statement on Atiku. Makinde was still loudly applauded anytime his name was mentioned.

Nyesom Wike of Rivers State was not so tactical. He had told the world to expect a declaration of the stand of G-5 on Atiku. Instead, he told Oyo People “on the other one, Seyi will talk to you”. This elicited shouts of “Atiku” from the crowd. The crowd was getting agitated and even chanting “P.D.P.” which normally calms the crowd didn’t work.

Now Oyo State has spoken again. They are solidly behind Atiku and will not stomach anything or anybody that goes against him. They love their governor too. The G-5 issue has no place in Oyo State politics. Nobody, not even Governor Wike, could dare Oyo State at Mapo.

Oyo State people are a politically sophisticated people. They know what they want and are not cowed by the antics or intimidation by anybody. I saw some young men going up and down chanting “Oyo la wa, Ibadan ni won n pe ibi”. (This is Oyo State. This place is called Ibadan) confirming the music of the drummers saying “A ji se bi Oyo la a ri, Oyo o se bii baba eni Kankan.” (meaning Oyo sets pace for others to follow)

All tendencies have been put to test. No more claims and counter claims north, south, east and west. Speculations, insinuations, predictions and conjectures have been put to rest. Oyo will vote Atiku and all PDP candidates at the polls.

The vultures should take flight as there will be no carcasses to scavenge.

The T. O. K. has been done and all doubts have been cleared.

I must commend the people for conducting themselves well during the FREEDOM WALK and the MAPO DECLARATION even when they disagreed with Governor Wike.

The Security Agents were very professional. Their expertise was displayed on both days.

 

OYO HAS SPOKEN

Femi Ladapo writes from Ibadan Nigeria