Rag -Tag Politicians With Multiple Baggage, Celebrated As Political Juggernaut, By Kelly Elijah

Birds in the air are singing. Some undiscerning members of the All Progressive Congress, APC, are rolling out the drums. The critical electorate in Ondo State are also converging, discussing the expectations of the November 16 gubernatorial election.

The state is daily metamorphosing into political drama. Or better still, a political entertainment hub. It’s a period of defection galore across party lines, especially between the two elephant parties in the state. I mean, the ruling  APC  and the main opposition party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

I am not saying that some people are not defecting to other political parties in the state, but the heat is more between the two main parties. In retrospect, we can say unequivocally that PDP had a transparent primary election so what is playing out in the party like an implosion may be disturbing as most of the so called big wigs both in  the South and the Central parts of the state are jumping camp. But in his reaction to this unfolding drama, the gubernatorial candidate of the party, His Excellency Agboola Ajayi said ‘no man is God and those who defected after a rancour free primary election in the PDP to a party where a kangaroo primary election took place should better examine themselves.’

While also reacting and corroborating what Agboola said, the chairman of the PDP Campaign Council in the state, Olorogun Eddy Olafeso went further that most of those who defected were already excess baggage in the party. He described them as “Bad Cholesterol. (According to Google definition, Cholesterol is a fat-like, waxy substance that helps your body make cell membranes, many hormones, and vitamin D. The cholesterol in your blood comes from two sources: the foods you eat and your liver. Your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs.} But to describe then as bad cholesterol simply mean good radiance to bad rubbish. You can’t but laugh to scorn but  Eddy Olafeso is a wordsmith, a linguist and fearless speaker.

The former University of Ife Student Union President added that  that some of those who defected  had actually left PDP more than six months ago. According to him, some left to seek  political relevance while others left on account of stomach infrastructure as they can’t cope with the role of opposition party for too long. He went further to say that those who are being paraded as political juggernaut who defected were actually paperweight  and they will be in for the greatest shock of their lives in the  November  election..

But the good news is that a critical review of gale of defection playing out in Ondo State is not strange in politics. It is interesting that while some people are moving out of PDP, thousands of grassroots supporters of the ruling part are also switching camp to populate  the opposition party – PDP. Our investigation revealed that some members who defected from the ruling party to the opposition party listed a number of reasons why they defected from the ruling party to the opposition.

They insisted that there is a lack of internal democracy in APC as the last primary election conducted on April 20 was openly manipulated by Abuja and the presidency in favour of the current governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.  In addition, the reward system of APC is lopsided both at the central and the state level .There is hunger and anger in the land, which means bad governance by APC.

If you then look at the issues raised by APC members who defected to PDP, it’s difficult for anyone to predict which direction the pendulum of this election in November will really swing. In my view, rolling the crystal ball, I can effortlessly say that the power of money will play a strong factor in this election because poverty has been successfully weaponised by the ruling class over the years.

We shouldn’t forget also that there are these peculiarities with the electorate in Ondo State. They are prolific in protest votes and equally hate injustice in whatever ramification. In my view, with the level of awareness enhanced by technology, nothing can be taken for granted. We should also be conscious of this fact that the voting population in Ondo State is dominated by young people, both male and female.  While some of them reside in the city centres and vote in their home towns where bulk of the voters reside.

What will certainly determine the outcome of this election in November will be mostly the connectivity of the individual with the grassroots, individual charisma, capacity and integrity. This election is not going to be determined by scores of political deadweight masquerading as political juggernaut but by individual personality with untainted records in the private and public sectors. This election will also not be determined by the number of brooms or unbroken umbrellas, but individual personalities.

If you want me to evaluate the two front runners of the election the trophy is between  Governor Aiyedatiwa, backed by incumbent factors, including the state treasury at his fingertips. Unfortunately, he is completely disconnected with the grassroots. There is no record in place that he had ever won any competitive election in the state before now. His fat pocket may work magic for him if he can throw open the state vault the way he did during the abracadabra primary election. He may run away with the trophy.

And HE Agboola Ajayi, who may likely not have any deep pocket, is charismatic He’s an astute grassroots politician with awesome human chemistry.

He metamorphosed into political limelight from the grassroots, so his connectivity to the people may likely be his power point. He has records of election successes in Ondo State in the past. If he is able to muster funds to sort out election logistics, coupled with his connectivity, Agboola Ajayi may sure run away with the Alagbaka diadem.

While drawing a curtain on this article, it is pertinent to appeal to all contending forces in this contest to play by the rules of the game and forbid violence or brigandage in the build-up to the election, during and after, so that Ondo State can really experience the much anticipated socio-economic catalyst

.Kelly Elijah is an Akure-based freelance writer and political analyst