The division, tension and hostility currently experienced within All Progressives Congress, the governing party in Nigeria, was brought about by President Muhammadu Buhari's aloof posture to pertinent issues.
When professional military men or retired strongmen of the force align with politicians, its product will inadvertently be transformation of such officer into a militrician. Avoidable as it may seem, the result of distancing oneself from internal politics post-electoral victory tend to create overzealous factions fighting for control of heart and blood of the political party.
A mass of anti-corruption drive, and its attendant attempt to reshape Nigerians psyche away from corruption' orientation demands flushing political parties of shady manipulations alongside the campaign. The worries among informed political analysts is that APC members appear power-thirsty far more than its league rival, long-time Federal might beneficiary, Peoples Democratic Party.
Controversially, the president while projecting an ideology of "I belong to nobody; I belong to everybody" has fell out of favour with the media revolutionaries of the "Tinubu School of Progressive Politics" based in southwestern part of the country. A lot of those who used to claim to be Buharists now speak ill of him. It is pertinent to advise President Muhammadu Buhari that one of the major precondition for gaining international acceptance is to remain fair to a leader of a people who control the media, comfortably, above any other section of the country.
Not really should this region of the country, Southwest, be wrongly considered superior at the expense of underestimating the rest regions. But because it is the homebase of notable "syndicate" creative writers and political cartoonist I've ever met since my five years of writing, the days ahead before his political calendar runs out in May 2019 may not be sexy for the Daura General-turned-President. It is instructive to state that only few columns circulating nowadays originates from lone rangers, several has since been doctored and sponsored under pseudonyms.
If those who are bent on consolidating their hold on power across Oduduwa nation fail this week in the Sunshine state, be prepared that the arsenal of media propaganda will be unleashed, with more room for daily heating up the policy.
In the context of current political climate, Rotimi Akeredolu of APC, whose emergence during the primary spiced up this newfound squabbling, is the next governor for Ondo State. At this juncture, the incumbent Governor Olusegun Mimiko has no candidate but a staunch supporter of the APC candidate since the fall of his surrogate, Eyitayo Jegede. Before you blame Mimiko for initially supporting Jegede, see reference in Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Kano, to mention but few, and the legendary role of godfathers in who occupies what office across Nigeria, Lagos being a celebrated example.
Perhaps, Nigerian political succession stories since rebirth of democracy in 1999 has been tied to surrogate approach. The case of Kano State where a fallout between the Gandujiyya and Kwakwansiyya movement reinforce the assertion: not all ally-politicians can be trusted with power.
Alas, Olusola Oke of Alliance for Democracy is coming as second. Olu Agunloye of SDP and Jimoh Ibrahim of PDP can compete for third and fourth position in no order.
All other contest or argument on Ondo Gubernatorial result is shifting to post-election tribunal ground.
However, the already corrupt judiciary will protect the interest of their own because Rotimi Akeredolu was once a president of Nigerian Bar Association. In fact, the Association's secretariat in Abuja upon commissioning in 2012 was named before him in recognition of his immenSALY contribution [apologies to pro-Senator Bukola Saraki supporters].
Adedayo Osho is a political analyst.
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