By Ismail Omipidan

When he is looking for something, he comes across like an Omoluabi. But the moment he gets it, you see his true colours. Several times, many have described him in unprintable terms. I defended him and argued that he was misunderstood. In fact, at some point, I practically begged journalists in Osun to show him mercy. I reached out to most of them individually. Still, the majority insisted that I did not know the man I was interceding for. But I was never discouraged. I marched on until some of the journalists who hated him with passion began to show some love.

Again, when then-Governor Adegboyega Oyetola lost the vote count in 2022, he told me some party members believed that this same fellow deliberately mismanaged the entire process so he could emerge as the most senior political office holder in Osun, ahead of 2023. As his media aide then, I dismissed that conspiracy theory and told His Excellency I did not believe it. Unfortunately, when it was time to choose a minister from Osun, this same fellow, through a proxy, began collecting signatures to position himself as the preferred choice of Osun for the ministerial slot. When the bubble burst, he disowned the coordinator who was collecting the signatures. He reached out to Oyetola and denied knowledge of the exercise. Again, when the matter came up for discussion, I told Oyetola that if one abuses the King behind his back and by the time he sees the King, prostrates to say he never did, then it is taken that truly he never did. We resolved that and moved on.

Then, Senator Iyiola Omisore was to give up the secretaryship of the APC. It was around 12 a.m. on that day. I had just left His Excellency’s residence when I received a call from my twin brother, Comrade Kehinde Ayantunji, asking if I had discussed the idea of retaining the position in Osun with His Excellency, Oyetola. I said no. He pleaded with me to please go back to him and sort out the matter. Until recently, I didn’t know he was the one who called the beneficiary that same night, because as I was discussing the matter with His Excellency, the beneficiary came in and I decided to excuse both of them. But before then, after broaching the idea, His Excellency asked who I had in mind. I told him if religious considerations were not introduced into the mix, the beneficiary should be our number one choice. But if religion was a consideration, then we should settle for Senator Jide Omoworare. So, once he left, I returned to His Excellency and he told me, “Do you know the matter we were talking about was what the beneficiary came to talk about? He said if it will not amount to self-seeking, he is interested.” The rest, as they say, is history.

With the same person declaring himself as the most senior APC leader in Southern Nigeria today, I am persuaded to want to believe some of the things they said about him in the past. From Muiz Banire, to Aregbesola, and to Oyetola, the pattern appears the same. Our Governor and President must therefore watch it. One of them may be the next victim.