The Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Hon. Dare Adeleke, was recently a guest on Parrot Xtra/Ayekooto on Radio, anchored by Olayinka Agboola on Splash 105.5FM, Ibadan. During the interview, he spoke on the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government, the security situation in Oyo State, the political alliance between APM and PDP, the crisis within opposition politics, the roles of key political figures ahead of 2027, and the importance of political loyalty and party supremacy, among other topical issues.
Excerpts:
How will you wish to assess the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government and its impact on the state?
God knows everything that occurs to us in Oyo State. We did not ask for it, but as you also know, we have a lot of enemies within ourselves in Nigeria. However, using such to affect innocent children and teachers who are not involved in anything is very painful.
As the governor has said, such an incident has never happened in Oyo State in the past seven years. It was very saddening to the governor. Even those who were abducted said they were bathing in the bush and walking long distances, but everything is in God’s hands.
What is your current political affiliation, and how does it relate to your relationship with the PDP?
Officially, I am in the Alliance Peoples Movement, APM, and I want you to know that the alliance we have with PDP still continues. We did not leave PDP.
Those of us who did not vie for any position remain connected with the party. Anywhere Seyi Makinde is, that is where we are, and all our votes go to him.
With the current political arrangement, which platform should supporters identify with during elections?
Those who want to vote should understand the political arrangement. For instance, Engineer Seyi Makinde is no longer in PDP; he is now in APM.
How do you react to politicians who claim association with a party while holding positions or tickets from another platform?
Those people are practising fraudulent politics. Take the example of Ayodele Fayose, who collected a ticket for his child in APC but still claims to be in PDP to create confusion within the party.
We do not know what the APC constitution says that allows someone to join a party in the morning and obtain a ticket by evening. Politics should not be about causing confusion. People like Nyesom Wike are practising sycophantic politics.
Then, how would you describe the style of politics being practised by Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose?
Politics in Nigeria is different from what obtains in America. For instance, when President Trump made certain positions known on citizenship by birth, the Supreme Court ruled on the matter, and he respected the decision.
Here, when the Supreme Court makes pronouncements, it depends on whether those in power choose to respect them. For instance, when the Supreme Court ruled on the PDP convention held in Ibadan, questions were raised about the legality of the Abuja convention and the position of some officials within the party, yet the issues remain unresolved.
People still see Wike as someone who supports the government of the day.
On Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, he has been contesting since 1993. At that time, I was the financial secretary of NRC in Oyo State. Some people may think it is normal, but such actions do not set a good example for younger politicians. History may record that Atiku has contested from 1993 till date, but while the constitution allows it, we must also consider the moral implications.
The PDP has a zoning arrangement where different regions are expected to have opportunities for the presidency, Senate, vice presidency, and other positions. However, things are no longer the same.
The style of leadership under President Bola Tinubu is different, and whatever Wike is doing is perceived by many as being connected to the government in power. The same issue affected the G5 governors, including the disagreement with Atiku.
Party supremacy remains important. In summary, the politics being played by Fayose and Wike is not the type of politics that should be encouraged because it creates confusion within the party system.
Governor Seyi Makinde called for international involvement on the Oriire abduction because of statements allegedly made by Wike that he would “throw fire” at Oyo State, and Fayose’s accusation that Makinde was behind the abduction. This was why the governor called for a special investigation.
What is your reaction to the reported defection of Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja to the APC?
As for him, this is about his seventh political party. I have known him since Baba Lamidi Adedibu made him a member of the zero party.
When Baba Adedibu wanted to choose the chairman of Ibadan South East, he refused, and I do not think they were in good terms afterwards. Governor Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala also did not have a good relationship with him until his death.
After that, he moved to the Accord Party, but nothing came out of it. Looking at all these movements, I do not think the kind of politics he is practising is suitable for the masses.
The politics he is involved in looks more like business than service to the people. Governor Seyi Makinde is different because he is submissive and listens to the people around him.
Even when he told me he wanted to make Arapaja the national vice chairman, I advised against it because I believed he could betray the trust placed in him. That was eventually what happened, and nobody followed him, not even his PA. He is a serial betrayer, a political prostitute.
Will you wish to use this opportunity to advise fellow politicians?
My advise is that we, as politicians should always think of how to support the masses and make their lives better. We should eschew politics of amassing wealth. Let our politicians learn to provide amenities for our people, put smiles on faces.
Stop Press: Same interview has been published on the pages of the current edition of our sister publication, ParrotXtra Magazine. You can pick your copies from the nearest newsstands…
