‘Only President Tinubu Can Resolve Osun APC Crisis’

Mr. Olajide Moruf Sadiq is the Director-General of ORANMIYAN WORLDWIDE, a socio-cultural group within the progressives’ – APC fold in Osun State. In this interview with NIYI OLASINDE, he bares his mind on the true situation of things in the All Progressives Congress in the state and the way forward. Excerpts: 

ORANMIYAN has been a household name in Osun State since the years preceding the emergence of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola. What has been its functions and its reviving blood?

ORANMIYAN is a socio-cultural organisation and for an organisation of this sort, there is that political undertone. It functioned as a tool for Ogbeni’s emergence. It was founded prior to the primaries for the 2007 Gubernatorial Elections in the state. Then, Mr. Aregbesola came to Osun to contest the governorship race. He used ORANMIYAN as vehicle for his aspiration.

We had other contestants like Niyi Owolade, Oladimeji (Imole de), Remi Olowu and several others. His own tool, ORANMIYAN, was able to map out a strategy. Thank God, when the date for the primaries came, there was no aspirant to contest again! They knew the range of entire delegates that we had in our own camp – that was the days of Action Congress (AC) – so it was contended that we should use primaries modality. Here was a man who came fully prepared with a working document. Then Pa Shuaib Oyedokun was with us. There was a meeting hosted at his Inisa home. The next day to the meeting, every other contestant had stepped down for Aregbesola. They confessed that they knew they would lose! Ever since, ORANMIYAN has been functioning well – all through the transformation phases of the progressive party from AC through ACN to APC.

Judging by the events which unfolded after the coming on board of Ogbeni’s successor, a segment of the people faulted his manner of emergence and blamed what played out on the fact that he was given freehand to form his own campaign outfit – ILERIOLUWA.

At that time, every hand was on deck. Everyone was ready to associate with ORANMIYAN. Ogbeni Aregbesola himself was instrumental to the formation of a group named Legacy Group in the APC. When the group was founded, Ogbeni was in the know. When a group was being founded within the party then, Mr. Governor had to be in the know. It was later on that we realised that the group was being formed to facilitate the emergence of a particular candidate as Ogbeni’s successor. Ogbeni wasn’t opposed to that group. Late Sanitarian Idowu Korede and few others championed the formation of Legacy Group. We were all hard core members of ORANMIYAN. So, whoever the candidate was that would emerge, we never saw it to have likelihood to clash with the philosophies of ORANMIYAN. Legacy was aimed at championing the cause of Oyetola.

The way it appeared, Oyetola suddenly became the flagbearer of the party (APC) just before the 2018 Gubernatorial Election?

I would rather say that is true for the people watching from the outside. For we insiders, we knew what was likely to happen. I was part of the 3-man delegation championing West L’okan project then. It was not long before we realised that Ogbeni had the intent to prosecute any cause held by his Principal – incumbent President Tinubu. Look, Ogbeni was too loyal. In spite of scepticism in many quarters towards Oyetola, he held his ground firmly. Even the public opinion polls didn’t in any way favour Oyetola – a privately-held opinion poll. We then had a force – En-Route Rauf – working from different fronts to ensure the emergence of a flagbearer from the Western Senatorial District of the state. Also, Professor Niyi Akinnaso, we worked closely together in 2018. He confided in us that all the opinion polls were not in favour of our party and its candidate. It was even taken to Asiwaju. It was proposed at a certain stage to send us as delegation to Asiwaju as attempt to swing the position of our party leaders. So that’s all history now. We all saw what played out during the elections.

Till date, accusing fingers are pointed toward Aregbesola over either excessive loyalty or trusting too much. Don’t you see this as causative to his trusted allies betraying him?

I am a Muslim devout. In Islam, we believe strongly that God blesses us collectively here on earth but separates us to bless in the hereafter. So, here on earth, He (Allah) blesses anyone it pleases Him to bless. God gives whatever to whoever He pleases. But after death, He singles people out for specific treatment in judgement. So, Rauf is a victim, not of just being a loyalist to Asiwaju; but of being a fanatic. He was so fanatical. Owing to his fanatical stand, he had made many enemies, which is now culminating on people clamping on Asiwaju against him. So, there are a lot of forces militating now. Meanwhile, loyalty is not a bad principle. What has happened couldn’t have been avoided. The best thing to offer one’s leader is 100 per cent loyalty; not 99 per cent. That is why we found ourselves where we are today.

ORANMIYAN, TOP – there are hues and cries that it was the emergence of TOP and the allusion it had with ORANMIYAN that led to the downfall of Oyetola…

Well, let me correct this wrong notion: ORANMIYAN has never been a political rallying-point for anyone since Ogbeni’s exit from office. After his exit in November 2018, I, alongside others went to Ogbeni in Lagos. He mandated us to pay a courtesy call on Oyetola – whatever it would cost – which we did. It was an uphill task seeing him. It is a long story. In spite of all attempts at sustaining peaceful relations, Oyetola was not disposed to carrying on with us as his own. Much as he would have loved to pretend, that fact became too obvious. Ogbeni instructed us specifically in December 2018 after his exit from office that all the support and patronage we gave him while in office be collapsed into his successor’s structure; since he had then become former governor. It was he (Oyetola) that constituted a snag. It got to a stage that when we met at occasions and outings, ILERIOLUWA began to deal with us as antagonists. Let me cite this example: At the official commissioning of a project at the State Hospital, Asubiaro, the ILERIOLUWA group frontally declared to us (ORANMIYAN) that we were not the same. That nearly degenerated into a fight. So it was the ILERIOLUWA group that drew the battleline. It was the counsel of one of our directors – Alaba Popoola – that saved the day. He withdrew our people from the place. It was thereafter that Ajibola Famurewa, DG, ILERIOLUWA, gave me a call and together we went to the Government House to see Governor Oyetola. We presented the issue. In spite of his good words on that occasion, the situation further degenerated ever since. Segregation, unfriendliness, sidelining and all the rest were meted out to us.

Are you sure it wasn’t the emergence of TOP that worsened the relationship between ORANMIYAN and ILERIOLUWA?

No. As the sitting Governor, ILERIOLUWA, as the Governor’s organ had to cohabit with us in friendliness. But deliberately, they segregated us and sort of relegated us to the background. First, at managerial/administrative levels, we were working together as one. When TOP came, I became the Administrative Secretary for TOP. How did TOP come about? TOP came about as a child of necessity during that time. Having been segregated and sidelined, we had to come together to have a name and identity – still within the APC. All members of ORANMIYAN group were also members of TOP in their respective local governments within the APC. TOP was superior to ORANMIYAN. ORANMIYAN was Aregbesola’s campaign outfit; while TOP was our face and identity through the trying times…

Hope the issue is not that Governor Oyetola felt intimidated with the emergence and activities of TOP?

One thing led to the other. I don’t think he needed to be intimidated. He created that problem. How do I mean? Oyetola originated the lie that Aregbesola never wanted him to be Governor. Now, having become governor, why did he need to create further problems, especially with the mammoth others who were loyal to Aregbesola and his tendency? The day we went to confer our (TOP) patronship on Ogbeni in Lagos, Ogbeni directed us that we should confirm from Oyetola at the slightest opportunity if he didn’t give him N1 billion for the campaigns. If that was not convincing enough, we should request him to cite a single action or event he (Aregbesola) elicited that attested his lack of support for him. That day, Aregbesola confessed how he had to enlist 3 DGs for Oyetola’s campaign, so the work could be done thoroughly. Look at this: if he had not wanted him to become governor, Aregbesola could have prevailed and whatever happened in consequence between him and Asiwaju would have been resolved by now. So, Ogbeni was too loyal.

What is the way forward now for Osun APC as a single formidable front?

Oyetola’s people are recalcitrant. They are neither repentant nor penitent. They need to embrace reconciliation. In Yoruba, we say: ko si b’ara ‘e da s’ohun ninu oselu; b’ara ‘e da s’ihin l’o wa. That boils down to the fact that we make further friends in politics; we do not create enemies. If the Osun APC faces another round of elections today, we will still lose. We lost not because our members worked for the opposition; but because they just did siddon ‘n’ look. Looking at statistics of Guber Polls, only about 17 per cent of voters go to the polls willingly. Coercion and mobilisation becomes highly necessary. We normally mobilise on election mornings to make people come out and vote. Without reconciliation therefore, who will mobilise in subsequent elections?

Now, don’t you feel that the ORANMIYAN/defunct TOP caucus is losing out?

We are now OMOLUABI Caucus. Since November 2022, we collapsed all our structures as TOP, we then renamed our tendency as OMOLUABI Caucus. This is important. We are members of APC fully. When Ogbeni made his homecoming, he said he begged / appealed to all aggrieved members – not because he offended them personally or that he was at fault. He said I am begging not because I have done anything wrong. I am pleading in the interest of moving forward. As a married man, you beg your wife even when you haven’t offended her; just for peace to reign in the home. That is maturity! We have done all that. We did lots more before the elections that brought Adeleke in. We made every effort at reconciliation. Look, Ogbeni cannot and will not be a member of the PDP. He had made several efforts with APC under Buni and Adamu to reconcile the party in the state. He even reached out to Oyetola two weeks before the 2022 Governorship Polls, so the APC wouldn’t approach an election with a divided house. As a politician, I know what winning an election entails. Rowdiness of election rallies is pure deceit.

So what happens now? What about party elders?

These people are not disposed to any form of reconciliation. The elders haven’t made matters any better. It’s unfortunate! So the so-called leaders of our party have not done well. Whether anyone likes it or not, Aregbesola has that record in this state as the only governor who won elections on two straight consecutive terms. Even the winning margin in 2014 elections remain boat-rocking – over 100,000 votes! How would one now say a two-term governor and former federal minister is not a stakeholder in his state of origin? He wasn’t invited to the Stakeholders’ Forum of 2021 – highest ranking office holder at the time within the party…

Something appears to be terribly wrong with the party’s top hierarchy.

Yes. Now, the Chairman Adamu and Secretary Omisore purportedly resigned. The plan is on to replace them with Ganduje and former Senate Spokesperson, Basiru. You took a ticket from a Christian (Omisore) and you are giving it to a Muslim, under a Muslim Chairman, a Muslim-Muslim party leadership under a Muslim-Muslim Presidency! You took a post from someone from Ife federal Constituency, you give it to someone from Osogbo Federal Constituency of the APC. It has always been our protestation within the party that we should operate with fairness and equity. All said and done, Mr. President, who is supposed to be above board appears not to be predisposed to reconciliation.

Now, how can a truce be reached?

The way things are going now, the President is the last person who can resolve Osun APC crisis. If he says ‘stop’ today, it is done. What report has the Adewole Committee brought to the table? Now, this is 2023. 2026 is so close by.

Finally, honestly and decisively, speak to the two parties in the crisis.

Both sides should embrace peace and reconciliation. As for us we have done valiantly by burying the hatchet. We collapsed the structures of TOP and we made moves for reconciliation, which they are doing everything to scuttle. Absolutely, all of us in OMOLUABI Caucus have done everything humanly possible to embrace reconciliation. The ILERIOLUWA people should emulate this gesture.

As we close, speak truth to power.

Politics is beyond Mathematics. Mathematics is about formulae. If you follow procedures very well, then you’ll have correct results in Mathematics. In politics, there are no hard-and-fast formulae, but if the right and appropriate approaches are embraced at the right time, success is certain. Surest approach is crisis resolution.