Former caretaker chairman, Ibadan North West local government area, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun has revealed how late former governor and the emeritus leader of progressives politics in Oyo State, Alh. Lamidi Onaolapo Adesina strategically used him to initiate and aid Governor Abiola Ajimobi into the murky politics and electoral limelights.
He made the shocking revelation today on a public affairs programme aired on a popular Ibadan private radio station on the topical issues bordered on the state affairs and the ongoing realignment amongst presumed strange bedfellows; political juggernauts in the state politics.
Olatubosun said he was favourable to be a party in the making of the incumbent Oyo State Governor, Sen. Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi as popular political personality in the present democratic rules courtesy of his predated activeness in politics and involvement in the party administration as state executive officer when the latter was introduced as a neophyte to the respected leaders and other executives of the party after his dismissal from the National Oil.
He maintained he had been well rooted in the grassroots politics and party administration when Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s national assembly; senate project was unveiled to the executive officers of the Alliance for Democracy, AD in 2002 by late former governor, Lam-Adesina as the leader of the party which he played significant roles as party executive officer, indigene and electorate in the district where the governor contested and won despite the massive rigging of the other conducts which led to the entrenchment of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP rule after the 2003 general elections in the state.
He further stated that his strident efforts in making Ajimobi’s gubernatorial ambition a reality accidentally strained his relationship with many associates over his preference for Ajimobi’s choice as gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in 2010 over Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin which had been believed to have been settled for to fly the flag of the party in the 2011 elections.
“ I nearly had my head broken at Olubadan Stadium on the day we conducted the ACN primaries to elect the standard bearer of the party. Contrary to the expectations of the teeming party faithful, we manipulated the process to favour Ajimobi at detriment of Lanlehin who many favoured as the most popular above Ajimobi, Adewusi and others.
On announcing and raising Ajimobi’s hand as the duly returned standard bearer party candidate for the election, as the state secretary of party, I was pelted with varying degree of missiles which led to incurring a serious deep cut majorly on my fore head and other parts of my body by angry party supporters who felt betrayed with the exercise.
Subsequently, I was singlehandedly appointed by late former governor, Alh. Lam-Adesina to serve as chairman, Contact and Mobilization Committees; Director General for Campaign Groups of Ajimobi. Of which I assiduously combined with many tasks outside my mandate in order to ensure all other candidates success in the state and national assembly elections.
Coincidentally, I became the most wanted opposition political figure by killer squads of the then ruling party without security cover, having posed a series intellectual burdens on Alao-Akala led administration and party as director of media and publicity of the ACN, still I diligently combed nooks and crannies of the 33 local government areas of the state to canvass votes and galvanize support from those who were mattered in return the progressive party to the power.
While serving as the chairman, DG campaign groups in the 2011 and 2015 gubernatorial elections respectively, I produced and rolled out over 200 jingles on radio, television stations, sponsored uncountable articles newspapers and journals regardless inevitable tedious branding on new digital media without collecting a dime from the governor.
Even during the intermittent break in my appointment as caretaker chairman till it lasted, I took the publicity of the state government policies and projects upon me by attending different public fora, media engagements and mobilizing my socio-political group and compelling leaders of the making groups, Itesiwaju-Oyo Coalition Movement formerly known as Ajumose Coalition Movement to orientate the public amongst whom their members traders, artisans, professionals dominate and sell presumed misconstrued policies to the resident at large” he concluded.
Olatubosun said he was on the examination and selection of ideal and competent hands into the various offices as stipulated by the governor, Ajimobi, Alh. Lam-Adesina nominated him as nominee caretaker chairman for Ibadan North West local government council which his outstanding performances literally made him to serve beyond the time frame set by his detractors who later resorted mudslinging and advocate of sectional group; Lamist and SENACO adherence.
He said his tenure at council administration was adjudged to be best by different organisations and communities people compared to the preceding administrations in spite paucity of funds in statutory allocations, internally generated revenues, IGR worsened by the over bloated staffs strength making it practically nearly impossible to meet myriad of developmental yearnings of the residents across 168 communities in 11 wards of the council.
He further lamented that how Ajimobi surreptitiously frustrated his administration mission to rebuild the popular Ogunpa market in comformity with an international standard through a Public Private Partnership(PPP) initiative as a result his sheer and incurable hatred towards late former governor, Lam Onaolapa Adesina’s on sensing the proposed reconstruction project being named as Lam Adesina International Market on completion.
Olatubosun who is being saddled with the responsibility of the conduct of the congresses in inaugurating executive officers from wards to the state levels of the energizing African Democratic Congress, ADC therefore allayed fear of any possible implosion in the new party as he said that the stakeholders have agreed to allow internal democracy takes cause of any process.
