“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.” Martin Niemöller.
The above quote by German thoelogian and Lutheran Pastor, Martin Niemöller comes to mind with the resignation Senate Deputy Chief Whip in the 7th National Assembly, Hosea Agboola, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In the buildup to the 2019 election, Sen Agboola commonly referred to as Halleluyah, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Adebisi Ọlọpọeyan, and former House Leader Hon. Mulikat Akande Adeola were the only people Governor Seyi Makinde had in the PDP. It can be validly concluded that the trio made Makinde the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP. They worked out the mathematics that gave Makinde the ticket, simple as ABC.
After the election, Alhaja Mulikat was the first person to be edged out of the corridors of power. She felt betrayed and had to leave the PDP, moving to the SDP in 2022. Alhaji Adebisi Ọlọpọeyan was the second to be schemed out of things by the “powers that be,” but you all know Alh. Olopoeyan, he fought them. He even conducted a parallel congress of the PDP. He showed GSM (Makinde) that he brought him to the party, but by then GSM was no longer an ordinary party man; he was already the Governor of Oyo State. Eventually, Alhaji moved to the NNPP, and to this day, his relationship with Governor Makinde is unstable, enemies today, friends tomorrow, a typical political relationship.
The last man standing was Sen. Hosea Agboola “Hallelujah.” He really enjoyed Makinde’s first tenure in office. He benefited greatly from Governor Makinde and other top government functionaries. His Sango hotel was usually filled with PDP members and those seeking favours from Makinde’s government. Whenever I drove along Sango Express Road, there was always an assemblage of PDP local government chairmen, commissioners, special advisers, government contractors, and even serving members of the National Assembly at the time, all waiting to see Sen. Hallelujah. Suddenly, towards the end of Governor Makinde’s first tenure, the crowd at his Sango hotel had declined. I noticed that politicians, contractors, and favour-seekers were no longer patronising Sen. Hallelujah. This suggested a crack in the senator’s relationship with Governor Makinde, but the situation was well managed until after the governor’s re-election. Immediately after the second tenure commenced, just like Alhaja Mulikat, Sen. Hosea Agboola was discarded into the “political dustbin.”
As a politician, and most young politicians understand that the struggle to stay relevant after helping someone attain political power is far fiercer than the electioneering activities. There are lots of people who were not on the field with the candidate during the election. Do not underestimate the influence of those people, close ranks with them. Even people who are close to an ordinary chairman of a local government are doing unthinkable spiritual things just to gain control, not to mention senators, governors, or presidents.
Meanwhile, I think if Sen. Hallelujah had stood up for his two cohorts (Mulikat and Olopoeyan), protecting them during the struggle for power, control, and relevance, they would have been in perfect control together and formed their own cabal behind Governor Makinde’s government. But when Sen. Hallelujah was enjoying patronage, he didn’t do anything to protect his comrades, and today those who have more influence and relevance have kicked him out of the power space.
Alh. Olopoeyan and Hon. Mulikat had long been removed from the WhatsApp group, and finally, Sen. Hallelujah followed suit. The question now is: Who is the admin that keeps removing people from Governor Makinde’s WhatsApp group?
Oyeyemi writes from Agboole Agoro, Itutaba, Ibadan.
