The day Engr. Seyi Makinde was announced as the new regional opposition leader by the South West People's Democratic Party. I started asking myself some questions; Did GSM capable to be the regional opposition leader? Can he gain more influence with this? What will be the benefit of Oyo state, his government and his political carrier on opposition role he embarked on? Are we still need more of this power tussle again?
Before his announcement he has put on a shoe of the opposition governor since the day he was swear in as the governor of the state by bring out policies that didn't go the same way with the Federal policies most especially in this COVID-19 trying time, the misunderstanding between him and Federal government about the palliative (rice) is another case study. If he put on the shoe of opposition leader in the region his not going beyond his boundary with fact.
John Sealy a political scientist once said "History without politics as no fruit, politics without history has no root". Historically, Yoruba nation (South West) political settings is beyond the way we used to look at it some times, GSM is not the first governor in South West that will be the main opposition leader in the region and he can't be the last.
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In first republc when Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the premier of Western region he played a big role as the opposition leader. Uncle Bola Ige, Chief Adebisi Onabanjo and Alh. Lateef Jakande and the likes during second republic.
To fast forward to 1999 what is the role played by Alh. Lam Adeshina, Chief. Bisi Akande most importantly Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the opposition party even when the.President was from their region? After the 2023 election when the ruling party PDP won all the South West state except Lagos state Sen. Bola Tinubu stand still and remain the major opposition governor/leader in the region, nobody can forget the misunderstanding between Chief Obasanjo the President and the Lagos state governor Sen.Tinubu then, he continue till 2007 when he left the power as the governor from 2007-Nov 2010 South West was silent because no strong governor to challenge the ruling party and federal government although South West was PDP state then except Lagos state. Governor Raji Fashola that need to wear the shoe then remain silent may be because he was technocrat until Nov 2010 when Ogbeni Aregbesola was announced as the governor of Osun State the game still open Aregbe vs Jonathan.
In 2015 when President Mohammed Buhari swear in as the President of FRN, Mr. Peter Fayose former Ekiti state governor step in as the opposition governor in the region the story of Peter the rock still ring in my hear.
Nothing bad if Seyi put himself in the shoe wore by other former governors in the region. Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo state (PDP) vs President Mohammed Buhari (APC) a long movie to watch.
However, as a governor of Oyo state and new opposition regional leader what is burdening me now is that we must not forget the elements of the Federal government are always on ground at States level, whether its a State govern by the Party at the top or not, the implication is this, one can play it if he discover that those elements are considerably less effective, at the same time , it might not go down well with a sharpened elements who are often bankrolled by the said power at the top.
It is important and expedient to say that we don't really need much of this power tussle again, government business is growing much more bigger than we could imagine. So it will be advisable that the lesser power who sometimes tries to struggle it off with the power at the top is a total waste of time.
I wish GSM best of luck in his new role
Alabi Quadri Adetunji
alabiquadri13@gmail.com
09018201963
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