The admixture of sycophancy, propaganda, public relations and marketing has been the recent serving for the simple majority of the stakeholders in the Ondo State politics. The actors are governorship aspirants whose tentacles are deeply attached to the federal pool of unlimited financial resources. The battleground is the social media space where their achievements whether real or imagined are trumpeted in the loudest possible manner.
Although no clear meaning has been given to the ongoing dance contest, the prize is obviously the seat of power in Alagbaka, despite the fact that the current occupant is yet to complete a year in office.
While it is a free world of ideas and everyone has the right to disseminate information, it is also the constitutional right of any persons to seek or aspire for any political office. However, it would appear in this context that the pearl you may have the right to prospect for is right in the jaws of a ravenous beast.
Wesley Lowery’s assertion that “Power is never given, it’s taken,” highlights the persistent power struggles among those who dare to lay claim to the crown ahead of 2028. The puzzle is how early the current Nigerian politicians begin the jostle for the next election while the incumbent is barely comfortably seated to dispense the “dividends of democracy” to the waiting populace who voted him into office.
The political space at the centre is already tensed with 2027 seemingly at a close corner. The campaigns for 2027 have started. The battle by proxy is no longer concealed. The bill boards are speaking eloquently for Nigerians to hear. And the players are not taking any chances. Every move is marked and tackled with the seriousness it deserves. Even the Jonathan kite flown recently by the coalition is being assailed with all arsenals.
It seems that the new style of politics is to help the opposition parties determine who should hold their ticket and who should contest the 2027 presidential election. Instead of the ruling All Progressives Congress to mind its business of ensuring the country is properly governed if they really want to be able to win the hearts of Nigerians for a second term for President Bola Tinubu, they are preoccupied by who would the opposition present to contest against the President in the next general election.
Again, nothing in the law books forbids anyone from making some noise over their political aspirations, it is just that – the race is not for the swift, nor the battle for the strong.
Olubunmi Tumji-Ojo is Nigeria’s Minister of Interior. He was a member of the House of Representatives of Nigeria representing Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State from 2019 to 2023.
Tunji-Ojo is reported to have brought and implemented a series of transformative reforms across key agencies under his supervision. This innovations focused on modernizing immigration services, strengthening border security, improving paramilitary welfare, regulating mining activities, enhancing school security, and addressing correctional facility challenges. Since becoming minister, his image has towered above many of his peers and rivals as well. He is unarguably a bright mind and one of the best materials Ondo people can boast of. However, His praises are heard everywhere, credit to his social media handlers, who glorify and worship every of his moves. There are concerns that he wants to be governor. This aspiration is not well received in government quarters.
Does he really want to become the next governor of Ondo State? He certainly has not made his intentions public. But his opposers have the answer. They have said he wants to be the next governor of Ondo State. They have also yelled out an emphatic and unequivocal nay to his aspiration. Every effort is now being articulated to make his dream a futility.
Tunji-Ojo’s constitutional right to be governor of Ondo State is unassailable. He is eminently qualified and for his achievements as a federal minister, his competence is one that could be put to use as the governor of the Sunshine State. This, not withstanding, the state boasts of a galaxy of competent leaders whose pedigree could be compared to the best elsewhere. From Ajasin, to Adefarati, Agagu, Mimiko and the courageous Akeredolu, none of them diminishes in patriotic zeal and commitment to development. The brilliance of Olusola Oke and the cerebral Eyitayo Jegede were never tested even though they got to the threshold of the seat of power.
The bile against the minister, many say, is his rising influence among the people and within the party, threatening to cast a shadow over the Governor’s hold on the party structure. Insiders claim the structure of the APC in Ondo State is gradually falling under the control of the minister, coupled with his power and liberality to dole out largesse to party men.
The alleged NYSC certificate forgery leveled against the minister is a new phase of the controversy. Although NYSC has clarified that his certificate was not forged, it failed to answer questions regarding the period of his mobilisation to service and his membership of the National Assembly. Premium Times wrote under the FOI Act, requesting NYSC to confirm the certificate. The newspaper appreciated NYSC’s prompt response, but raised questions as to the morality and legality of having to mobilise for NYSC a serving member of the National Assembly.
In its response to Premium Times, NYSC says Tunji-Ojo’s certificate is genuine, noting that the nominee was first mobilised in 2006 but “absconded from the service.” NYSC said Tunji-Ojo only later resurfaced in 2018 and was remobilised in 2019 and deployed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in Garki, Abuja, as his place of primary assignment. NYSC further said that Tunji-Ojo’s certificate was omitted when others were printed in 2020.
Said NYSC: “During the passing out, his Certificate of National Service was not available because it was omitted in the Certificate Printing Application.
“He (Mr Tunji-Ojo) applied for his Certificate of National Service through the State Coordinator FCT on 18th October 2022, and the State Coordinator forwarded the same to the Headquarters and his Certificate of National Service No. A004523631 was produced on 28th February 2023 for collection.”
The posers raised by the newspaper are that: NYSC failed to explain why a sitting member of the National Assembly would be mobilised for another full-time engagement as a corps member and that NYSC would be required to explain whether Mr Tunji-Ojo earned an allowance while in service and how he was able to cope by combining the two engagements. The newspaper also sought to know if the law establishing NYSC permit a lawmaker or any other elected official to be mobilised for the service? Until these questions are adequately answered, the minister will continue to receive knocks and kicks as he rumbles though the web of controversies in the state.
In an attempt to drag the President into the matter, Nigeria Integrity Movement (NIM), a civil society organization, urged President Tinubu to allow a transparent probe into Tunji-Ojo’s NYSC certificate controversy.
To my mind, the potential for this being explosive has been doused by the NYSC in affirming the authenticity of the certificate.
His opposers are taking their final stand at the zoning line. The trench here is deep and there will be no compromise. They also claim that the next governor of Ondo State will not come from Ondo North, but Central. “This is the tradition, and no one will change it now,” one opposing voice, said.
The argument is by no means complicated. Adefarati from the north, then Agagu from the south and Mimiko from the central. Mimiko attempted to truncate the tradition by drafting Jegede from the central, but he failed and Akeredolu from the north became Governor. He exited and gave room for Aiyedatiwa. If the law forbids Aiyedatiwa from contesting the next governorship election, it will be trite to have the Central produce his successor.
They agree that the zoning is not a constitutional matter and that anyone could hazard his party’s ticket to run contrary to the norm. However, because this battle is practically an all APC affair, it has become sacrosanct that the zoning arrangement should be the decider. Tunji-Ojo, by this design has his intent dead on arrival.
But can they stop the minister from changing the norm and become the first to do what others could not. Even Mimiko attempted to change it, what would prevent Tunji-Ojo from starting from behind, after all when the parade commander says “about turn,” the last soldier on file becomes the first.
These indirect exchange of brickbats between the governor and the minister has been denied. It is a proxy war and the damage will be monumental when the dust finally settles. The handshakes and smiles in the media is the politics. The denial that there is any conflict between the governor and the minister is understandable. However the bellicose is unassuaged. The bickering is inherent in the conflict of ambitions. Even though the governor is technically out of the race, some still believe the law forbidding him to run could still be tested in the law courts. With this in view, it is a fight to the finish.