The battle to occupy the only available seat in the red hallowed chamber of the National Assembly come 2019 representing Lagos West Senatorial District seem heightened following the rumors of his interest and subsequent confirmation via the social media of the flyers of erstwhile Minister for State, Defence; Senator Musuliu Obanikoro that went viral last weekend.
Life they say is a risk while politics seem riskier. The suspicious vacuum created in the Lagos West Senatorial District by the initial aspiration of Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola aka Yayi to become the governor of Ogun State and which many believed got him distracted from wholly representing Lagos West while some quarters accuse him of diverting their (Lagos West) resources for his personal ambition has caused more controversy than solution.
While his consultations and familiarisation with stakeholders in Ogun project which may have prompted Senator Musiliu Obanikoro to kick start his ambition towards replacing Yayi in the red chamber by his consultation for consideration for the position. However, like the African proverb that says “one does not use his two legs to test the depth of a river”, Yayi may have read the “body language” of his constituents in Ogun State or advised to withdraw his ambition and return back to the red chamber for a second term representing Lagos West.
This saw the withdrawal in interest from the Ogun project by Yayi as he returns to appease his constituents and to request for a second term. Though majority loved him from his many years of representing Alimosho from his days in the Lagos State House of Assembly to House of Representative and currently at the Senate, he has been able to muster his political lieutenants within his district hence winning election within the Lagos West is as good as certain for him.
However, the return of Obanikoro into the APC fold which many are yet to come to terms with; is not to be taken with levity as Koro as he is fondly called by his admirers that cuts across entire Lagos, is referred to as multitude when it comes to Lagos politics and his subsequent interest in representing the Lagos West Senatorial District at the red chamber is obviously sending a big message across to the camp of Yayi.
This may have prompted Yayi to swiftly move to have a round table meetings just to get the buy-in of all that matters in this battle. The meetings started with all the one hundred and eighty five ward chairmen which ended with the resolution of adopting Yayi for second term followed by the elders/leaders of APC in Lagos West of about three hundred and fifty persons also gave their support and endorsement for his second term also which may be giving his camp some respite at this crucial time.
These endorsements are quite cheering for the Yayi’s camp, however some political analyst and observers still believe that Yayi may be threading on a dangerous paths despite his numerous adoptions as many are deeply hurt by his action which they see as betrayal while plots by the Koro camp is not deterred and are bent on moving ahead. Also over the weekend a group identified as Coalition of Lagos West Indigenous Group (COLWIG) through a statement via the social media were questioning the authenticity of Yayi resident while another identified quarter is raising questions on the educational qualifications of Yayi. These are all the signs that the route to emerge as the candidate for the position may require more beyond these adoptions.
Only time will tell as 24 hours they say is such a huge time in politics, as the seconds tick towards the general elections, there is still much time for the pendulum to swing to either way especially with a party like the APC that has the tradition of agreeing with whatever decision the authorities agree with. Many believed that Koro being one time political benefactor to Ashiwaju of Africa prior to his prodigal sojourning which may have caused a down streamed their relationship; yet many believe that any one may put to the altar of sacrifice just to mend the relationship and further build the desired trust among the two as politics remains a game of interest.
With many claims and counter claims from all camps, it will only require just a word from the father to know who will be the biblical Easu and Jacob. The later got the father’s blessing rightfully belonging to the former through the help of their mother. The question here will be; will the hand of Jacob be like that of Easu and the voice like that of Jacob?
Which ever direction the pendulum swings to it will surely be different things for the both parties. For Yayi, it will lead to the nose-diving of his political career except he gets appointment as a minister in the case that the APC retains her role at the centre while it will mean resurrection to the political life of Koro.
All that matters now is will the father anoint and what implication would it have on the already fragile party. The father’s blessings will automatically nullifies every adoption whatsoever.
