Ogun politics: My lens — Badero Olushola

Badero Olushola

I love Ogun state politics for its vibrancy and unpredictability- the intrigues and hues of decamping and re-camping of political sojourners.

PDP's problem started from Ogun state and can only be ended by Ogun state.

Obasanjo brought Buruji Kasamu into Ogun state politics from Benin Republic when Gbenga Daniel was governor in 2005. Buruji told them he was a businessman and not a politician - he would mobilise and finance the party across the state and the government would in return give his car business patronage. Deal struck and OGD Omo Ilu Foundation was birthed.

In 2007, OGD got his second term, Buruji got his car supply contract and Omo Ilu was growing so fast with the gifts like cars, food, loans to their converts.

OGD and OBJ began having problem with their choice of successor to Gbenga Daniel. According to their confessions during the spat: OBJ wanted his daughter, Iyabo to succeed OGD, but OGD would have non of that and won't stop tongue-lashing the President at the time in public and private. In fact, unconfirmed rumour claimed Iyabo, then commissioner of health in Gbenga's government slapped the governor during a heated argument when the governor won't stop lambasting her father, President Obasanjo.

Abeg, it is unconfirmed but we hear am sha!

For federal protection, Obasanjo was able to retain Buruji's loyalty, two years after leaving office. Obasanjo used Buruji's newly found political strength and resources in the state to wage a political, judicial and media war against Daniel. Buruji claimed he spent over N10billion to dethrone Gbenga Daniel and stopped him from installing a successor. It started from taking over the structure of the party from Gbenga Daniel and handed it over to Buruji. They succeeded as Obasanjo's preferred candidate, Adetunji Olurin scaled the INEC hurdle to contest under the party, PDP; Gbenga Daniel and his team had to find solace in PPN and GNI as its flag bearer.

After 2011 election defeat, OGD began the battle of his life to exonerate himself of the corruption case of his 8 years in office. He is accused of diverting billions of public funds to personal use. Buruji began meddling in the politics of the neighbouring states and later the entire southwest. He began sponsoring elections of candidates in different parts of southwest thereby extending his political tentacle beyond Ogun, the place Obasanjo brought him to cover.

On that, he began meddling in the choice of regional representatives in the NEC of the party. Cases were instituted against Obasanjo's men in Southwest by Buruji, serving the interest of a new master, Goodluck Jonathan. Remember, Buruji came back to Nigeria with the promise of federal protection. Obasanjo couldn't give him that any longer post 2007 and Jonathan was his best bet.

Buruji was now in control of PDP structures, not just in Ogun, but the entire southwest. Oyinlola was forced out of PDP as secretary; Fayose was made Governor against Obasanjo's wish. Buruji himself became a Senator in 2015. But before then, the game had force Obasanjo to resign from PDP and tore his membership card. His reason: Buruji can't be his leader in Ogun and Southwest. Baba began playing the card of how he brought Buruji and that Buruji was a fugitive and so on and so forth.

Today, Buruji's men are everywhere; every camp and at every important political meeting in and outside the state - they are obliged to report back to him.

When people say the only two solid political structures in Ogun state today are Amosun and Buruji's, they are very right. They don't have followers (Buruji and Amosun), they have loyalists. I won't go into much details of their loyalists retention techniques for now, but this is a fact.

To be a "Burujist" or an "Amosunian", you must swear to an oath of allegiance. This is also a fact. Therefore, before you do anything contrary to the wish of these two, you need their consents or you face the wrath of your oath. It is psychological but it is real.

On this premise, when I see people celebrating Amosun's and Buruji's loyalists cross-carpeting to other groups, I feel sorry for our ignorance.

Kasamu brought Ali Modu Sheriff through Fayose and Wike (remember, Buruji played a very big role in Fayose's emergence as Ekiti Governor in his second coming). Buruji is also a very good friend of Tinubu ditto APC, therefore, the rumour of his plan to instal Sheriff to reduce the threat of PDP against the APC may not be totally false after all. Fayose felt played but he's now too weak to stop a corny Buruji who had his power game well planned long before meeting Fayose.

The only person that can bring peace back to PDP in Nigeria is Buruji Kasamu; but not without a price. The fights on who should control Ogun state PDP between Obasanjo, Gbenga Daniel and Buruji Kasamu is what escalated to the disruption in the party's leadership structure in the southwest and Abuja. The ruthless Buruji is no longer asking for the total control of the PDP structure in Ogun state, he wants the entire Southwest and be the one calling the shot. Failure to grant him this will make the recovery of PDP from its self imposed political coma - a dream . We can then say PDP is more or less dead because Ali Modu Sheriff's proposed national convention will have Buruji's men controlling the entire southwest - that is Buruji's long time dream and only Sheriff can guarantee him that - except these weaklings trying to fight them have a better offer!

Don't take my word for it though!

I've seen a man crippled from birth ran 100 meters after a church miracle I saw on tv in Nigeria. It is not impossible 😂

In politics, sometimes it is disheartening when you know too much that is being hidden from the majority and you just don't know in what language you can explain to them that they are being played because of their ignorance and ability to read between the lines.

I put all of these group of political scavengers into a basket and they barely fill the first bottom layer of it. The real majority is out there but are too scared to get involved. No wonder these charlatans are holding sway here.

We have to change that. We have to find that majority money can't buy and leave these leeches to their chicaneries. They are not real and that is why our progress remained just fantasies with them.

We can do better and you need to know that!

Tell your friends "it is time"

Maiyegun General