A two-term former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Kamil Akinlabi has downplayed the role of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, in who becomes what in the politics of the town.
Akinlabi, while reacting to questions on his sour relationship with the monarch, disclosed that it is better to be in the good books of the people than of any powerful individuals.
Alaafin, it would be recalled, was instrumental to the emergence of Akinlabi as a Reps member between 2007 and 2015 before the latter fell out of favour with his benefactor.
For many years, Alaafin, Insideoyo.com gathered, had always backed those who have occupied the position, especially from 1999.
Insideoyo.com further learnt that the Alaafin had to talk the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, into conceding the ticket, which had already been won by then incumbent- Dr. Moroof Akinwande, to Akinlabi. In 2007, the Alaafin was said to have offered similar assistance to Akinlabi, in APC.
Akinlabi, who is currently special adviser to deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuf, later contested and lost the primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the current occupant and son of the monarch, Prince Akeem Adeyemi, in the 2015 election. Adeyemi defeated Akinlabi, who later contested with Labour Party, LP, with over 18, 000 votes in the general election. Both are from Atiba local government areas.
According to Akinlabi, who recently defected to the APC, said that most of the people backed by the monarch don’t usually win election.
He analysed how different political parties won all the local governments in the ancient town. “In 1999, the defunct All Peoples Party, APP, won in Atiba. In 2007, the candidate of the ANPP won in. Atiba. In fact, in the 2015 election, the candidates of LP and Accord won Atiba and Oyo East/West State Constituency respectively. What are you saying? You don’t need to be in the good book of anybody but that of the people,” he said.
Asked if he would seek a return to the lower chamber of the national assembly in 2019 knowing fully well that the current occupant and son of the monarch is also interested, he noted it is about the process and people and not being the son of somebody.
Reacting to comments by a former senator, Gbenga Babalola that former governor Rashidi Ladoja made Governor Abiola Ajimobi and former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, he described the statement as non-existent.
“Ajimobi had won election with the Alliance for Democracy, AD, in 2003 as a senator. How could Ladoja have helped Ajimobi? The elections Ladoja contested against Ajimobi in 2011 and 2015, he lost. Ajimobi is the undisputed political leader in Oyo State. He is the only governor who has a former governor backing him,” he added.
