“If Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola can dump APC, Who is Wole Oke not to dump PDP, it is all about Power and Interest” – J Mao
READ ALSO: WOLE Oke’s Supporters Pledge Full Loyalty
Hon. Wole Oke, the political Don of Obokun Oriade politics, resigned from the People Democratic Party, and the online party men started calling him names: betrayer, greedy, etc. The bottom line is that Wole Oke dumps PDP for whatever deeper reason we may not know. But we can deduce from recent events what went wrong.
Arguably, one of the most celebrated politicians of his generation, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, recently tendered his resignation from the ruling All Progressive Congress.
The News was not news enough because the world saw it coming from his war with former Gov Gboyega Oyetola and his open attack on the candidature of his leader and benefactor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it was a matter of when rather than why for teeming political watchers.
I can not remember the very first time I met Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, but I was convinced that nobody is more Progressive than Rauf; he adored Awolowo, he venerated Bola Ige and Baba Akande; he literally worshipped Bola Tinubu until the political bubble bursts.
READ ALSO: OSUN: Governor Adeleke Stands The Chance Of Winning 2026 Election – PASTOR AKANDE
After serving 8 years as commissioner ( some people said 12 years kwa), 8 years as Governor and 4 years as a Minister under the Progressive. He resigned from the party!
What went wrong depends on where you stand. Nobody tagged Ogbeni as greedy, but some called him a betrayer of his leader and benefactor. Some of his followers even tried to rewrite history by saying that Ogbeni was of the same status, if not above Asiwaju, in the political indices of Lagos state.
I digress.
Back to Wole Oke, he practically owned the Obokun-Oriade Federal Constituency, and he is formidable, popular, connected and arguably the only politician in Osun who can stand as a “partyless” candidate and still win because of his connection to the electorate.
Whatever the vote Wole Oke got in Obokun Oriade in the last 25 years, I can bet that the votes include that of APC and PDP!
As a member of Class of 98 of PDP, why will Wole Oke dump the PDP that has given him so much, just like our own Ogbeni dumped APC? The answer is interest and access to Power!
Let me explain: Politicians live and die on access to power. Rauf Aregbesola was the power Tinubu nurtured, and Lagos politicians who want the favour of Tinubu must seek Rauf Aregbesola’s approval. Rauf was also Loyal and trusted followers; in such a situation, you can talk of betrayal because Rauf was loyal to his boss and super loyal to the party and for whatever reason, he worked against both!
But Wole Oke was never loyal to Ademola Adeleke; he was loyal to the party even when today’s leaders, including Gov. Ademola Adeleke, left the party, he stayed.
But to tag him a betrayal must be defined. Wole Oke may be implied to betray the party but not the governor.
You can only betray when you are a sworn loyalist or a covenant of loyalty, which I doubt Wole Oke sworn to either with the party or the governor.
READ ALSO: WOLE Oke’s Exit From PDP Causes Confusion In Opponents’ Camp
When Ogbeni sang the now celebrated Siaka o lo, walahi ao fi ibo le in Iwo in front of a mammoth political loyalist. I told one of my comrades who is closer to Ogbeni that Progressive died with Bola Ige, and anyone claiming progressivism is doing so when his interest aligns with the Progressive, but when such interest is threatened, they all justify it while the party is no longer Progressive.
Ogbeni, the last of the Mohicans of Progressive politics, arguably the most vociferous, courageous and combative of his generation, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola is the last person I will ever think will openly work against the party he nurtured, benefitted immensely and tirelessly spread across the nation. But life happens!
But Ogbeni didn’t betray his benefactor, he didn’t even betray his Chief of Staff and his successor, he didn’t even betray the party that threw him to national consciousness from a refrigerator repairer (In the word of Omooba Olagunsoye Oyinlola) to a Minister of Federal Republic.
He did not betray anyone, and in fact, he was not loyal to anyone but to his interest and when interest aligned, loyalty sustained, and when interest collapsed, loyalty collapsed.
READ ALSO: APC Expels Aregbesola Over Alleged Anti-Party Activities
May our loyalty never be tested was the powerful message from Fashola but the greatest test to loyalty is when political interest is not aligned. And politics is like a contract; when there is no meeting of minds, the contract is void!
Just like Our own Ogbeni, Wole Oke did not betray anyone, and anybody who hails Ogbeni’s decision to dump APC can not in good conscience vilify Hon. Wole Oke for the same decision. If Ogbeni can dump APC , I won’t be surprised if Tinubu dumps APC one day!
Both Celebrated Politicians deserve respect and access to Power even as their “excesses” must be tolerated to sustain winning election in their domains.
However politicians don’t even care about winning when their ego is bruised politically. Reason why both left their comfort zone to the uncomfortable zone of opposition.
READ ALSO: QUITING Of Aregbesola And His Group From APC Is A Good Riddance To Bad Rubbish – OSUN APC DECLARES
I wish both Politicians well in their future endeavour because I respect them even when I think they should have try harder for their legacy of conviction as a one party politicians but it is what it is. May our interest not be tested.
Osun election is already giving vibes and flavour and if history is anything to measure the future, Wole Oke will not be the last to jump out of the PDP. We have jumping political culture that only Ogbeni was able to tamed.
Regardless of whatever your position on this, Wole Oke exit is a bad Omen which is becoming a pattern, from Baba Shuaib Oyedokun from Osun Central , to Prince Dotun Babayemi from. OSUN west and now Hon. Wole Oke from Osun East. It is a political bad Omen.
May wise counsel prevail…
My name is Waheed Saka, I live at Obale’s compound Oke aafo street Ikirun.
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