Ladoja’s accord with ACN redefining Oyo politics

Abiola Ajimobi and Rasheed Ladoja

That Oyo State is the nexus of South-West politics has continued to be evident in the current dispensation. Currently, a novel political drama is unfolding between the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria and the Accord Party, led by former governor of the state, Rashidi Ladoja.

At issue is the truce between the ACN and Ladoja’s Accord, shortly after the April 2011 governorship election, where the ACN candidate, Abiola Ajimobi, emerged winner.

And barely one month after he was sworn-in as governor of the state, Ajimobi’s party resolved to woo the Accord into an alliance: a move, which political analysts say was meant to help the ACN administration have a firm grip on the state.

By the calculations, the ACN needed the alliance with the Accord to have a comfortable majority in the state House of Assembly.

Going by the initial near tie between the ACN and the Peoples Democratic Party in the state assembly, Ajimobi’s party was not at ease.

After the election, out of the 32 lawmakers in the House of Assembly, 13 were ACN members, 12 were PDP members, while seven were members of the Accord.

However, with the defection of one Accord lawmaker and three PDP lawmakers to the ruling party, the number of lawmakers, who belong to the ACN rose to 17, while the PDP and the Accord were left with nine and six lawmakers respectively.

ACN had feared that the PDP – the leading opposition in the state – would constitute a threat to the Ajimobi’s administration. It was believed that in such circumstance, the governor would have found it difficult to push bills for new policies through the state assembly and that the PDP lawmakers could easily rally support and impeach Ajimobi in a bid to frustrate the ACN.

Therefore, in a ploy to forestall such occurrence ACN wooed the Accord through an agreement it allegedly reached with Ladoja.

Although some Accord loyalists in the state have criticised the move, it was difficult for them to go against the will of their leader and benefactor. And so far, the truce appears to be the strength on which the Ajimobi-led government has based its stability as far as the House of Assembly is concerned.

However, the agreement appears to have suffered a terrible setback. This is in view of the acrimony that greeted the appointments of some members of opposition political parties into Ajimobi’s government.

Some political watchers described the truce as one that almost got Accord loyalists and their party leader frustrated. Although Ajimobi was said to be willing to keep to the terms of the gentleman agreement by appointing certain members of the Accord, the step almost boomerang.

The move was vehemently criticised by some aggrieved members of the ACN, who believed the governor had traded their right to secure what they termed ‘unnecessary support’ from their enemy’s camp. Attempts to convince party members were met with protests and threats.

On several occasions, aggrieved party members had taken to the streets in protest of the decision to appoint Accord members into the cabinet or boards of state agencies.

Most resisted were attempts to appoint members of the opposition party as caretaker committee chairmen in some local government areas in the state. The latest was the concession of the chairmanship positions of Egbeda and Ona Ara local government councils to Ladoja’s party.

Although the development appeared to have yielded positive result as some members of the Accord and PDP in Ona Ara dramatically defected to the ACN, the governor’s action drew criticisms from some members of his party.

Interestingly however, the refusal of party loyalists to support the agreement between both parties was already drawing leaders of both parties into a cold war. Of course, Ladoja and some members of his caucus would not take that for an excuse.

And obviously in a bid to placate the former governor and his close aides, Ajimobi swore in Akinwale Akintoye and Akanni Ademola as new caretaker committee chairmen for Egbeda and Ona Ara. During their inauguration, Ajimobi told the Accord members to ensure that they run their respective councils in line with the principle and policies of the ruling party.

Ajimobi said, “You are expected as part and parcel of this administration and based on our arrangement with Accord Party; that you work according to the dictates, principles and policies of the Action Congress of Nigeria.

“Remember, it is an ACN government and therefore, as you are coming on board, you should know that you are wearing the cap of that government. When you finish and you go back to your Accord Party, then you are Accord Party but as long as you are with this government, you are of the ACN.

“Let me also say that where there is rancour, there will be no development. The politics we are playing now is politics of development and not of rancour or abuses. We, therefore, expect you to join hands with us so that we can achieve the aims and objectives of this government in line with the ACN philosophy.”

But hardly had the governor inaugurated the council chiefs than members of his party took to the streets. The protest rally went to Government House, the state House of Assembly and the Governor’s Office, all in Agodi, Ibadan. But their demand on Ajimobi to rescind his decision was turned down.

A member of the ACN in Ona Ara, Mr. A.O Adesina, however, condemned the governor’s insistence to honour his word by retaining the Accord party appointees.

He said, “We want to say that the appointment of an Accord Party member as chairman of our local government will be to the detriment of our party at a time when majority of the Accord and the PDP members are joining our party in Ona Ara local government.”

While the move by Ajimobi appears to be generating strife among members of his party, Ladoja appears resolute not to join any of ACN or PDP.

While addressing journalists in his Bodija, Ibadan residence, he indicated that he had resolved not to defect to any party. He disclosed that the negotiation on his return to his former party had been stalled.

He also added that he had resolved that his party would play the role of alternative party to the ACN and the PDP in the state.

He said, “My negotiation with the PDP is no longer on course. Accord Party will be an alternative party to the ACN and PDP in 2015. I cannot say emphatically that I would contest in 2015 because I don’t know if I will be alive then. I am not happy that local government council election has not been conducted in the state.”

He, however, hinted that the working relationship between his party and the state government was still on course affirming that Ajimobi invited his party to help him stabilise his government.

As it were, Ladoja’s efforts at fortifying his party ahead of the 2015 poll recently got a boost with hundreds of members of the All Nigeria Peoples Party in the state defecting to his party.

The defectors, who were from Lagelu Local Government Area of the state, led by Mr. Bukola Agboola, described the Accord as a natural habitat for him and his followers. Agboola stated that their defection had further reinforced the relevance of Accord in the council area.

Ladoja, while receiving them assured both the new and old members of his party of equal opportunities. His political scheming and strength has been described as unequal among the committee of political parties in the state. This, perhaps, is because of the noticeable increase in membership of his party. But the ruling ACN and the PDP are equally boasting of hope of election victory in the future.