By Sola Ajisafe
Since I published “The Poroye Committee: A Plaster on a Fracture,” the responses have been revealing.
Some, as expected, descended into abuse. I was called a “BTO apologist.” One person even said, “you are preparing yourself for a Commissioner position under your Akoko brother who is currently paying your bills…” Some found most important my innocent reference that the names of committee members had not been published by the party. I accept it as my fault and also accept all the abuses. I do not do this for the applause but because ” if we fail, we are the ones that will stay in the party”. Those who are always constantly on the move will have reasons to move again.
But beyond the noise, I also received quiet, sober counsel from people very close to the seat of power in Alagbaka. Their message was uniform; they are helpless, unhappy, and afraid for both the party and the government. Their fear is that His Excellency, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, appears unprepared to listen to the voice of reason.
From the totality of these interactions, five critical truths emerged.
First, centralisation. It is the consensus that all decisions on party and government are taken solely by the Governor. He does not listen. Those who blame the Commissioner for Finance miss the point. No matter how powerful an appointee is, she remains an appointee until she contests and is elected. “Ila ki n’ga ju onire.” The Akra fruit cannot be taller than the one who will harvest it. If it attempts it, the harvester is authorised to bend it appropriately and harvest the fruit. That is the natural order of selection. Only a weak person will not apply such principle.
Second, vultures around the throne. There are people around the governor who profit from his anger and thirst for vengeance. They feather his ambition and urge him on, not for the good of the party or government, but to enhance their own relevance. They appropriate their appointment to assume a Celebrity and Mega Status without having any political relevance in their locality.
Third, the missing persons. Many asked why I did not name those who should be reconciled. The co-aspirants who received the “Ododo treatment.” When last did the Governor sit with the likes of Princess Oladunni Odu, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, Wale Akinterinwa (WA), Senator Jimoh Ibrahim and others to discuss the party and government? What of those who served with him in the Aketi Exco? What of the elders and other stakeholders?
Fourth, the politics of ego. Politics is not only about appointments or money. It is about ego and dignity. What efforts has the governor made to assuage the pain of those who spent their time and resources but were disenfranchised during the primaries? There is what we can call the “JAF Group”. People who feel ignored because they are not shouting. They ask: “Is it because we are not making noise that we don’t matter?”
Fifth, the insult of the process. On the Poroye Committee itself; is the governor not aware that many of these leaders will never appear before the committee? Not because they are too angry to reconcile, but because they consider it an insult to be summoned by that calibre of persons. It feels like a further humiliation, not a genuine attempt at peace and reconciliation.
Without immodesty, I have come to the conclusion that our governor displays a clear training gap in public affairs and people management. You cannot say you want the President to win by one million votes in Ondo and yet refuse to provide the parameters and the ways and means. You cannot claim that you want reconciliation and your media team are always abusive and quarrelsome. You cannot claim you want peace and your body language says otherwise.
Instead of seeing a grassroot and performing person like Minister of Interior as the problem because you claim he is ambitious, why not admit him as a friend and partner and bring him closer? We all saw the governor’s unfriendly body language to former Governor Olusegun Mimiko at a public function at the Dome sometimes ago on reconciliation. We saw his body language to the Minister of Interior at Pa Fasoranti’s centennial birthday lecture in Lagos not long ago. It was visible and unmistakable that he cannot tolerate other views contrary to his own in a contest.
How can you claim to be reconciling when the following still happen under your nose?
- The court cases. Some of those you supported are still in court fighting the NWC and by extension the Presidency. Why not rally them together and strike a political settlement for appointments or other compensation? There is always another day in every political contest.
- Personal diplomacy. Adopt a multi-pronged approach. Take over the reconciliation with co-aspirants and former Exco members yourself. Reconcile with the Minister of Interior not by sending a weak team or photo optics, but by visiting him in his office or at home. Have lunch with him. Invite him to your office in Akure or to Owena House in Abuja. Bring National Assembly members to the table. Visit the Ijabiyi group at Gbawondanu Estate. Ask Wunmi Isaac to withdraw his suit against Owo Elders and apologize, instead of sponsoring a parallel leadership in Owo. You are the architect of the crisis in the party because of lack of consultation. For instance, the crisis in Akoko South East and South West is a direct result of lack of consultation and tact. There is no two ways about it, the governor must personally intervene.
- Political baggage. Many committee members carry political baggage that makes reconciliation impossible. For instance if Chief Jimoh Ekungba cannot reconcile Owo LGA, how can he reconcile the State? “Ile la ti n ko eso rode.” Charity and credibility begin at home. The Chairman of the Committee has his own political history that is well known. This raises trust issues. This is not to say anyone is a political angel, but “ohun to jo ohun la fi n’we ohun”. You measure likes with likes.
- Neglect of party structure. When last did the Governor sit with Engr. Ade Adetimehin, former Chairman of the party? Whatever Adetimehin’s perceived weaknesses, he has a deep array of sympathizers and root in APC. The treatment meted to him on February 17 and 18, 2026 was a sacrilege that must be appeased. It is on record that Adetimehin and others brought Biyi Poroye into APC and received Babatunde Kolawole back from PDP to the party. Today, Kolawole has been made Adetimehin’s political nemesis or political enemy. Yet since Kolawole assumed office, how many times has he visited Adetimehin? Compare that to visits to those who just joined the party. He has visited Baba Oluwateru and Adu Cubana. This is understandable but to what extent on the problem at hand? If I were the governor, I would have made Baba Oluwateru and Adu Cubana as Chairman and member of the committee.
Reconciliation is strategy. It is scientific. It is not moving round and round like a barber’s chair. It must be intentional and purpose driven. It cannot be for the optics. If the Governor is not intentional and does not drop his ego, no reconciliation effort will succeed.
It is a fact that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win in Ondo but it has to be massively not the usual percentage. This massive win will not be because of the half-hearted efforts of the Aiyedatiwa-Kolawole-Poroye tripod. It will be because Tinubu has a name that sells, and because there are people dedicated to his values and working strategically to fill in the gaps. For instance, nothing will stop a Chief Oke, Princess Oladunni Odu, Wale Akinterinwa, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim who has proposed the “Aseyori Tinubu”, and many others from mobilising their constituents and supporters from working for Asiwaju. But how about none party members and the un-decided voters.
But as long as people are still in court against the NWC and the Presidency, as long as people and some friends of the governor in his senatorial district are bent on rocking the boat, all pretensions to reconciliation are a ruse.
The Presidency knows those who want Asiwaju to win and those working against his political interest. You cannot claim to want Asiwaju to win and yet encourage National Assembly members to lose, or allow party members to defect and work against the party. You cannot claim you want the President to win and you have not shown any strategic effort to correct the voters apathy in your senatorial district.
Therefore, I repeat my position which is inexhaustible as follows; dissolve the present committee. Constitute a Council of Elders with no serving appointees. And Governor, the reconciliation must start with you. Visit the wounded. Call the co-aspirants. Dine with the Minister. Beg the elders, unite the party. The people see your body language.
Until then, we are only applying plaster to a fracture.
Ondo deserves peace. Ondo deserves APC.
The National Assembly candidates of our party must win with Tinubu.
Anything short of that is a failure and betrayal simpliciter by Aiyedatiwa.
Oloroogun Sola Ajisafe, Lawyer, writes from Oka Akoko.
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