South-West Politics And The Chess Game Players – The Common People As The Pawn!

South-West Politics And The Chess Game Players – The Common People As The Pawn!

South West Nigeria is one of the geopolitical zones of Nigeria that includes Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti. The zone is about 21% of the national population. Out of this, Lagos state has the highest population of about 21million people (Estimate) and the state has the largest economy in the zone.

In the zone, Lagos is playing not just the economic powerhouse but also acting a big brother to the rest of the state by dictating who and who should be in what position or the other – no thanks to the Lion of bourdillon, the former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu!

It has become some sort of tradition since 1999 when the military handed over power to the civilians. Elections have become selections across the land, you can’t be an ordinary councillor in Lagos without being loyal to the king of bourdillon. His will is law in the state and in extension across the Southwest.

2019 election is around the corner and all sort of calculations, manipulations and games are on-going, of course in all these plans – the people are the ultimate one being played.

Get some cold drink and relax - let’s go on this little ride that will cut across Lagos, Ogun and Osun states.

The present Governor of Osun State, Omoluwabi Rauf Aregbesola was a commissioner for works and infrastructure in Lagos state under the administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu before the then power calculation sent him to stand for governorship election in faraway Osun state and of course the calculation worked as planned and he is a sitting governor today but the fun is not ending there. Ogbeni Rauf’s term is coming to an end and he is apparently preparing to be a Senator as typical for most ex-governors.

The Senate is always the retirement plan but Rauf is not interested in contesting in Osun state as you would naturally assume. The 2019 calculation is not in his favour in the state and guess what?

Ogbeni Rauf is standing as a candidate for the Senate in Lagos state? Yes, you heard me right! He is eyeing the Lagos West senatorial seat! The calculation is that Ogbeni Rauf remains a formidable politician who can easily deliver the senatorial district that is the biggest in the country.

While we are on the Lagos West - the present Senator representing Lagos West in the upper chamber, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Yayi is poised to move to Ogun State where he is expected to contest for the governorship seat in 2019!

Still, in Lagos state – Senator Musiliu Obanikoro has just announced his defection to APC from PDP, the party he was with for good 10years. Obanikoro was the Chairman of Lagos Island local government; he was a Senator from 2003 to 2007 and was later appointed by the PDP led government as High commissioner to Ghana. He later served as the Minister of State for Defence in the last government.

Musiliu Obanikoro fled the Country after President Jonathan lost his bid for re-election in 2015. He was later smuggled into the country with some assurance by his contacts for a soft landing; he was briefly detained for electoral fraud and money laundering involving some 4.7billion naira that was taken from the former NSA, Sambo Dasuki. Of course, it was all a charade as he was later released with no charge – He is now a member of the party in government, automatically he is a saint! And the slate is wiped clean! Go and sin no more, my son!

Now that Musiliu Obanikoro is now part of the APC, the same party he fought with all the state securities, guns and money just in 2015! He was also the PDP gubernatorial candidate against Governor Fasola! The election that was so bloody and lots of people lost their lives! He is now seeking to be a Senator in Lagos but not at the Lagos Central where he was a Senator previously, the political calculation today won’t guarantee a slot for him in that zone so our dear politician is being considered as a Senatorial aspirant – yes Lagos West! The largest senatorial district in the Country! He would have to slug it out with Ogbeni Rauf. I am sure at worst case scenario they will both reach an agreement for one to shift to another zone or even better another state as a Senator or a Governor as usual.

Both Aregbesola and Obanikoro would, however, have a challenger in the person of another ex-senator! Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi who by all indication is also in the race for the same juicy district!

Obanikoro said during his defection announcement “I am on a mission to the APC because the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) could no longer offer me a platform to accomplish my mission.” Well, whatever that mission is, it’s definitely not in the peoples' interest but his own personal interest.

It is not only shameful but mean and disgraceful how all these politicians are manipulating the people for their own personal gains. They have been ruling for decades in different positions, from the executive to the legislative arms of government and yet the people remain in the same position if not worse off with no good social amenities or social welfare, there are no jobs, no good roads, electricity is a mess and the education and health system in a total chaos!

My people, election is near – do not die for anyone, it’s not worth it! They are all friends in “business”. No matter what they say on the pages of Newspaper, they have each other numbers on speed dial.

Do not be a pawn in their game of chess!

Be part of the change you desire.

Register to vote - know your rights 

Protect your vote and make your vote count.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.