Posted by By ISMAIL OMIPIDAN, Abuja on
Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State has been described as a misunderstood man, who is also a victim of bad politics and peculiar circumstance of the politics of his environment.
Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State has been described as a misunderstood man, who is also a victim of bad politics and peculiar circumstance of the politics of his environment.
The Good Governance Monitoring Group (GGMG) made this disclosure at the weekend in Abuja, while x-raying the political situation in Oyo State.
According to the group's national co-ordinator, Abiodun Adedeji, Akala is not the devil painted of him, but a man who found himself trapped in a dangerous terrain where two erstwhile friends and political allies turned to bitter rivals and in the process, the polity got muddied and muddled up with all sorts of political acrimony and brickbats.
Using the current face-off between organized labour and the state government as take-off for its analysis of the trouble in Oyo State, the group's boss said it was one example of a political time bomb planted by the last administration, just to discredit the present government. 'The administration of former governor Rasheed Ladoja unilaterally introduced the new wage at the twilight of his government. He knew it will create crisis. He knew government would find it difficult coping with the demand. But he introduced it all the same, so that the crisis will explode in Governor Akala's face. A man who didn't promise the new minimum wage is being compelled to implement it. That increment was done in bad faith by the past administration. It was like pouring petrol on a burning bush.
'Everyone knows the political situation in Oyo has been volatile for some time now, then you introduce a controversial project at the dying minute of your administration. What you are definitely aiming at is anarchy. And that is the situation at hand. Even if the past government meant well, the timing was wrong; the motive was suspect."
While not condemning labour in its demand, since workers are entitled to good welfare packages that would enhance their living conditions, the group urged workers to employ dialogue and reason in the resolution of the conflict, in the overall interest of the people of the state who have been bearing the brunt of the work-to-rule action.
Tracing the genesis of the fouled up political process in the pacesetter state, the GGMG insisted that Governor Akala found himself in a quagmire when the war between the two erstwhile political allies escalated.
'From then on, Akala was perceived as a traitor who betrayed his boss. But that is not correct from our indepth study of the scenario. Akala could not have supported his boss against the man who made both of them."
Speaking on the impeachment saga which rocked the state during the Ladoja administration, the group said while that period was sad for the democratic process, Akala had little or no choice in accepting to step into the shoes of his boss, since it was largely a constitutional matter.
'It will be unfair to continue to use that singular issue to condemn Akala as a traitor or a man who betrayed his boss. It happened in Anambra. When Peter Obi was removed, albeit through unconstitutional means, Etiaba stepped in so that governance would not collapse. Goodluck Jonathan also assumed power when Alamiyeisegha fell. So, what was Akala's offence? When the court ruled that Ladoja should assume his position, Akala reverted to his deputy governor position and continued to serve loyally, until he was elected April 21, 2007. So, Nigerians can see that Akala is a largely misunderstood man, a victim of circumstance. When Ladoja and Adedibu's feud became messier, he easily became target."