•Details Of Their Dirty Fight
•Over Gov. MAKINDE’s 2nd Term Bid
As expected at a time like this, when another general election is around the corner. The Presidential and National Assembly elections which hold in February 25, 2023, while governorship and state assembly elections will be held on March 11, 2023.
This is a season where politicians tend to display or affirm their loyalty to their preferred candidates at different levels. This exactly is the situation between two prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Honourable Diran Odeyemi and Chief Bisi Olopoeyan.
Both Olopoeyan, a chieftain of PDP who belongs to the aggrieved faction of the party in the state and Diran Odeyemi, the immediate past Deputy National Publicity Secretary of PDP are presently in a war of words. And this is unconnected with Governor Seyi Makinde’s second term ambition.
Before now, Olopoeyan has been at loggerheads with Governor Makinde over what he describes as neglect of those who struggled for his election victory in 2019. Claiming that Makinde is taking over the party in the state and even in the South-West and sidelining others. In the struggle with Olopoeyan in this battle with Makinde are the likes of the former Deputy Governor of the state, Barr. Azeem Gbolarumi; Engr. Femi Babalola (Jogor); former House of Representatives leader, Mulikat Adeola Akande; Adekola Adeoye; Nureni Akanbi; Elder Mathew Abioye; Princess Aderonke Adedoja; Sarafa Olaoniye; Ahmed Aranse; Ajinawo; Baba Elisa; Bola Akinyemi and Micheal Okunlade among others.
So bad has been the situation that the aggrieved members and Governor Makinde’s faction have clashed severally. In fact, the office procured by the aggrieved members, around Bodija, Ibadan, was at a point attacked and destroyed by some unknown gunmen. That is how terrible it has been and the aggrieved members have since vowed to make sure Makinde is not re-elected. They are ready for a showdown with the governor and his supporters. So, it wasn’t surprising when Olopoeyan swiftly responded to Diran Odeyemi’s comments during a radio interview some weeks ago.
Odeyemi, in the course of the interview, had said that it is needless for any member of the party to contest against Makinde in 2023. Saying that, “if someone is thinking Seyi Makinde will lose a primary and governorship election in Oyo State, then such person is making a big mistake.” Responding to Odeyemi’s notions, however, Olopoeyan, in a statement, told supporters of Governor Seyi Makinde to tell him the true situation of things in the party. Olopoeyan noted that being an incumbent governor is not an automatic ticket to winning the election for the second time. He warned Odeyemi and his colleagues to stop playing to the gallery. Olopoeyan also advised those who are close to the governor to tell him the truth. Olopoeyan said that Odeyemi should remember that Alao-Akala was a sitting governor when he lost the 2011 gubernatorial election. And that late Abiola Ajimobi as a sitting governor also lost in the senatorial election in 2019.
“So, all that Diran Odeyemi said on the radio was just an attempt to hide the truth from a person that needed it. It is high time people like Diran Odeyemi, who is close to Governor Seyi Makinde stop playing to the gallery. “They need to start telling Governor Seyi Makinde the truth, not just be uttering all the governor wants to hear all the time,” the statement reads in parts.
But in his own response and what looks like a killer punch, Diran Odeyemi took Olopoeyan to the cleaners. He replied with a lengthy article that has since been generating lots of reactions across the board within the Oyo political circle.
In the said article, Odeyemi described Olopoeyan as a political jobber who thrives in mischiefs and all. An irrational and irrelevant politician who has never won any election even at the ward level. It was indeed a savage response from Odeyemi. “I read your response to my Radio Interview at Amutajero last week. I was busy in Osun but now less busy, hence this response.”
“I stand by all that I said in that interview without apology to you or anybody. It is my personal opinion which I care less if does not meet your expectations.”
“When Gov Ayo Fayose expressed a similar statement of fact in his speech before the Southwest congress, you are one of the people that grumbled and condemned him but went missing during voting. I am therefore not surprised but wonder about your audacity to pick on me.”
“A simple telephone call to me (you have my numbers) for clarity would have been ideal but in your usual character, you saw an opportunity to voice out your frustration against the positive mention of the name of your enemy- Gov Seyi Makinde.”
“I know your level of comprehension, I am aware of your limitations and can also understand your frustrations.”
“The Governor is your enemy and whoever did not agree or join you in condemning him is also your enemy by extension.”
“This idea and line of thinking is too shallow, immature and crude. Gov Makinde is not my friend either but I, like many other committed and enlightened politicians are matured in disagreement with him.” “I wonder why you chose me as another of your object for cheap publicity. I know your style. Rushing to the press in your imagination throws you up politically and has become your marketing strategy towards getting recognition and patronages.” “This style is ok in as much as it remains your procedure for a meal. What is wrong is choosing me as another of your opportunity for cheap bravado. I am up to the task of putting you at your level.”
“At the risk of sounding immodest, I am not in your class and so can never be who you are. I am sophisticated urbane and educated the qualities that you lack.”
“These standards you lack are the reason you should not have expected me to say what you will fancy or lend credence to your unintelligent ways in action and utterances.” “This is not a pride but a statement of fact m, I repeat, we are not on the same level.”
“Yes, I understand you are arms-in-glove with Gov Seyi Makinde which is not unexpected in politics but assuming everybody should join you in your archaic manner of fighting him is too shallow a thought.” “Your personal reasons for choosing him as your enemy is not the same reason why some of us don’t fancy his inability as a leader to embrace all.”
“He may not be who we expected as a political head but God and destiny as made him our leader which is a fact that is against your comprehension and understanding. You obviously can not give what you don’t possess, you are deficient in an exposure.
Must we allow our sense of reasoning to becloud our sense of judgment? No, I don’t think it should. While we are in disagreement with Gov Seyi Makinde’s political style, he remains our symbol and emblem. His modest achievements in governance is our joint claim and collective gain as members of PDP that wants to remain in office. “Assuming we don’t want him as our symbol beyond 2023, must we break the pot with which we will eventually need to produce another soup?
Bisi, stop playing God, reconsider your ways, politics is never a war, even in wars, there are rules of engagement, be fair, just and rational. The Holy Books teaches us not to sin in anger. “If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day.” (Ephesians 4:26). We should always give room for jaw-jaw and a round table talk for settlement. “While you exhibit your limitations and level of intelligence, some of us are refined, cultured, sensible and strategic in battle.”
While Governor Seyi Makinde may not be who we expected, no matter the level of dislike for his person and style, it will be unfair to discredit, insult and bring him down at any given opportunity, especially in the media which has become your trademark.
He is not clueless in governance but in my estimation is limited in the political methodology of winning over his perceived enemies. A committed party man will not disparage or belittle him and his office in anger. Subtle advice and a constant gentle approach I believe is a better approach for us that are determined to stay put in PDP. I honestly can not play dirty as an ex-National Officer compared to someone who has never won any election as low as ward level.
My Dear Bisi, It is obvious that with your recent visit to Tinubu, garrulous attacks on the party and romance with other political parties, only what to destroy before you take your exit.
Taking pictures beside the Jeep of Kwankawaso or displaying a handshake with Sen David Mark and other gimmicks of yours is only for the gullible, they are old-fashioned and display of a nonentity, you are marketing your product and possibly looking for customers. Please leave quietly and stop being a pest. Political doors have entrances and exits, stop making noise.
Seek for your customers elsewhere and keep enjoying the credulous ones in your enclave. Stop claiming what and who you are not, you are overpricing yourself. O to ge.
It is obvious that you are being ignored rather than being subjected to a party discipline. You are lucky because it can only happen in PDP. In other political parties, you would have been reduced to your size as a non-existent.
Perhaps PDP believes in the Yorubaland wisdom. When you ignored it, it has a meaning. It is simply interpreted and likened to a dog that is hangry and thus barks especially when he is hungry.
In summary, you are irrational and irrelevant. We are taught never to dig too deep a political grave. We are also lectured that no misunderstanding is beyond settlement which is why political battle is never a war of battle to finish. We understand crisis to be a necessary ingredient in politics, the art of managing it is for the wise and not for fools. In your estimation, what you believe is giving you political recognition via the media is seen in the public domain as notoriety, peripheral and a needed nuisance to fill in a funny gap in politics.
Your main problem is choosing a character or a distinct identity. While you love to be feared as a terror competing with the leadership of NURTW (even when you don’t own transport) you also want to be recognised as Adedibu reincarnate whereas you lack the smallest of prerequisite requirements for both characters. You are a coward and a noisemaker. The formula of mixing these identities and your efforts to be their carbon copy for political recognition is your dilemma. You lack tact and you are insensitive. If in your thought, rushing to the press on faulty arguments throws you up politically each time you open your mouth, I want to assure you that it is exposing all that you lack in training. Learn to be civil and reasonable, it has its gains.
Rather than read this upside down, I want to advise that you get a good interpreter that will tell you that all that I wrote is a piece of advice, the way forward, a little knock for being nought and not a total condemnation. You remain my friend. I am however ready and willing to take up your challenge in anyways.”
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