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Osun: Stepping into Afolabi�s shoes
Wale Adedayo
PATRONAGE, a practical reality in a democratic polity, is set to assert its relevance in the politics of the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party. But some bigwigs in the ruling party are not leaving anything to chance in the ongoing struggle to control the soul of the PDP, thus the direction to the Osun State Government House in 2007.
The unexpected death of the former Minister of Internal Affairs, Chief Michael Afolabi, generally regarded and accepted as the leader of the party in the state, has thrown up forces, hitherto submerged by the late politician�s immense stature. While he was alive, the political life of the ruling party in Osun State revolved around Afolabi. Despite his travails, through an alleged involvement in the controversial National Identity Card scam, his authority on who got what in the state was without question.
Of course, there are other leaders, who also have a substantial number of followers within the state PDP. These include the state Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Osun State Governor, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke; PDP Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun; former National Chairman of the defunct National Republican Convention, Dr. Ahmed Kusamotu; and the state�s impeached Deputy Governor, Senator Iyiola Omisore. Others include, the state current Deputy Governor, Erelu Olusola Obada; a former PDP chairman in the state, who is now the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, and Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr. Peter Babalola.
Afolabi�s patronage was not necessarily financial during his lifetime. Our correspondent gathered that he used his connection with important national figures and institutions to advantage in securing juicy positions for Osun State indigenes and others from Oyo State. This form of patronage ensured that Afolabi�s loyalists are not only in a position to fend for themselves; they became a network for assisting potential members of his political family.
In today�s Osun, especially with the former deputy governor of the old Oyo State out of the scene, only three of the prominent figures in Osun State PDP can boast of the ability to do what he was doing before his death. Although none of the three can match the late politician�s stature, since he had the benefit of political visibility that dates back to the Second Republic, Oyinlola, Oyedokun and Omisore are well placed to ensure patronage for their loyalists.
Being the man at the helm of affairs in the state, Oyinlola, more than any other politician is better placed to dispense patronage within Osun State. While it is true that he is just learning the ropes of the art of politics, unlike any Abuja-based politician, financial largesse would not be the only item at the governor�s disposal. Appointment into choice positions and a reach beyond the state are essential components of Oyinlola�s arsenal. Besides, since the indisposition of Afolabi, and his subsequent demise, the regular meetings of the leadership caucus, which was usually held in the late politician�s residence, was shifted to the Government House, with Oyinlola presiding. It was, thus, not a surprise that Obada recently pledged her loyalty to the governor as the person best placed to replace Afolabi as the centripetal force of Osun State PDP. Akinbade and Babalola have, understandably, also followed the same direction. But the fact that Akinbade as PDP chairman in the state delivered Oyinlola as governor is a testimony to his growing political profile in Osun State.
Oyedokun, due to his position, ordinarily would have stepped into Afolabi�s shoes with ease. The late politician was in the same Peoples Democratic Movement with the PDP deputy national chairman. In the current dispensation, a lot of political capital could be made out of this by a politician with adequate foresight. With personalities such as Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, being key PDM members, Oyedokun could be said to be better placed to emerge as the new godfather of Osun State politics.
But his albatross was already in place long before Afolabi�s demise. He was opposed to Oyinlola�s choice as PDP candidate for the 2003 elections, and prefered Adeleke instead. This position, apparently, did not go down well with Afolabi, a situation that established both politicians as rivals. Even at the PDP South-West level, Oyedokun does not have much clout despite his position as the most senior politician from the zone after President Olusegun Obasanjo. PDP National Vice-Chairman (South-West), Chief Bode George, who is junior to him in hierarchy, commands more respect and following than Oyedokun. With the exception of occasional words in favour of Obasanjo by the PDP deputy national chairman, it has long been established that he has a soft spot for the vice-president. This was visible at the height of the cold war between Abubakar and Obasanjo ahead of the 2003 PDP presidential primaries.
Both Kusamotu and Adeleke do not have what it takes in today�s politics to step into Afolabi�s shoes. In his hey days, the former NRC national chairman could have easily assumed the spiritual leadership of the PDP in Osun State. In fact, had Kusamotu been recognised by the PDP national leadership through Obasanjo with a juicy appointment, he could still have maintained a reasonable level of relevance. But the politician�s fortunes are no longer what they used to be. The same argument holds for Serubawon, who many had believed would be governor in place of Oyinlola last year.
But if fate and a poor appreciation of the negative aspects of politics had not conspired against Omisore, the Ile Ife-born politician would probably not have had any problem stepping into Afolabi�s shoes. Irrespective of the sentiments about his alleged involvement in the assasination of former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, Omisore represents the new trend in Nigeria�s decadent politics of bread and butter. His appeal to most parts of the grassroots in Osun State, apparently, has more to do with patronage, and is rooted in the dubious politics of the late Gen. Sani Abacha transition programme. Even if he is declared innocent and freed from incarceration, the stigma of his alleged involvement in Ige�s murder would see to it that Omisore does not attain any serious leadership position in the firmament of Yoruba politics.
In all, Oyinlola, as was the case with some �novice� governors when they assumed office newly in 1999, may yet proved cynics wrong in claiming the exalted position left behind by Afolabi within the Osun State chapter of the PDP. But whether his hold will endure or not is another matter, depending on how Omisore accepts his political fate in Osun State if he eventually regains his freedom. Time, and a long trek to year 2007 will tell.
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