Alao-Akala: A Former Governor And His Relevant Options For 2015 By: OLAOLU OLADIPO on July 3, 2013 - 3:29am inShare Former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State has been adjusting to life outside power since he left the Agodi Government House in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital as the state’s helmsman. But like any other politician, the urge to remain relevant has consistently driven his political moves. Though his ouster from office in 2011 has brought with it mix fortunes, the Ogbomosho born politician seems to be keeping his head out of the proverbial murky political waters in a state where shifting alliances seems to dominate the trend. Since his exit from power occasioned by the loss of the seat to the incumbent, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the retired police officer has had to manage his time between attending to proceedings in various courts where he is currently facing sundry charges bordering on official graft and politics, a pastime that brought him fame and wealth. Though his activities have been limited to the Oyo North Senatorial district where by virtue of his position as a former governor, he is acknowledged as the leader of the zonal chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the area, a feat many believe would be pretty difficult to match. It is to his credit that the PDP produced the only senator in the South West geo-political zone in the last rounds of general elections where the dominant Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) dislodged it from power, not only in the state but also in the region. Buoyed by this, sources in the know told LEADERSHIP that the politician seems to be at cross roads regarding his next political direction, especially as the 2015 polls are approaching. This stems from the pressure being mounted on him to vie for the governorship of the state against the incumbent whom he will have to slug it out with for the second time. His supporters who harbour this position hinged it on the fact that the 1999 constitution still guarantees him another term of office if elected having served a term in office. The ceaseless pressure notwithstanding, Alao-Akala is said to prefer going to the Senate, a move that has pitched him against the current holder, Senator Hosea Agboola, who still wants to return to the red chambers. Aside the seeming inability to determine what his political direction would be, the former governor is said to be in a quagmire regarding the right platform that would provide him with the opportunity to ventilate his ambition to achieve relevance in future polls. While he is still a valuable member of the PDP, a party that still defers to him on issues relating to the North Senatorial District of the state, he is said to be considering the option of other equally viable parties that have strong presence in the state. In this, new alliances and new friendships are being courted while the old damaged political bridges are being rehabilitated in the build up to the polls and in the process; all efforts are being made to ensure that the right decisions are made for the right expectations. For now, PDP remains attractive owing to its appeal as the major opposition party in Oyo State but sources in the know also stated that the Accord Party is also in the radar for consideration owing to the renewed vigor by another former governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, to re-invent it as a winning machine to capture power. Ladoja, the leading light in the Accord Party and former boss of Alao-Akala, is said to be making good showing in the polity of the state in view of the way and manner with which the party is winning new converts into its fold from both the PDP and the ACN in recent times. Though the two of them worked together as governor and deputy, the romance ended in a not too good manner leading to the impeachment and eventual re-reinstatement of Ladoja back into office by a judicial pronouncement. In the ensuing crisis of confidence between the two personalities, accusations and counter accusations bordering on betrayal begun to fly around but the two recently met somewhere in Europe where they allegedly agreed to explore ways of working together in the event of one having vantage position in any of the two parties. So, the calculation for Alao-Akala is such that if the PDP proves to be hostile, the least the Accord Party will give him the platform to contest the Oyo North Senatorial Seat in the event that Agboola has the upper hand in the ensuing battle of wits between the godfather and the godson. However, as the events unfold, the next few months will be crucial for the ex-police officer in his political career. 29 RELATED TOPIC TAGS News Politics Ibadan Nigeria PDP Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Agodi Government House in Ibadan Accord Party Action Congress of Nigeria Senate Hosea Agboola Rashidi Ladoja Abiola Ajimobi Adebayo Alao-Akala police officer Governor Leader Ogbomosho born politician Senator politician Yoruba States of Nigeria Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja Total S.A. Christopher Alao-Akala Oyo State Action Congress of Nigeria Abiola Ajimobi Ibadan Politics SHARE 0 inShare Translate TEXT RESIZE -AA+A RELATED ARTICLES EFCC Arraigns Alao-Akala, Senator Agboola Over N11.5bn Fraud PDP Members Meet In Alao-Akala’s Residence In Oyo I’m Still In PDP, Says Alao-Akala FROM THIS AUTHOR
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 11:20:29 +0000
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