Your Excellency
First and foremost, I have to state clearly that I am a strong and committed member of APC who has never given my votes to any other party except a progressive party since i started voting in 1983. In the last general election, my party the APC got my votes in all the five elections. Despite all the negative ways my party is perceived currently, it will still have my votes in the coming local government election and in the 2019 general elections. I pray hard for the party to win all the mentioned elections.
However, the party cannot win or lose the general elections unless the election is held. I am writing this letter because of the information i gathered from the public (from Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomosho, Oke Ogun and Ibarapa) on your public image, integrity, reputation and the disbelief the people have on your pronouncements concerning the proposed local government election. Truthfully speaking, the people of Oyo state have no belief in anything you say. Your statements do not worth anything before the people.
As a committed party man and an adherent supporter of progressive politicking, I write this letter because if this trend of disbelief and lack of trust continues, you will drag the party’s image far below redemption level by the time the 2019 election comes and this will leave you with a negative and unenviable legacy. You will be a direct contrast to the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo whom you always like to compare yourself with. As you rightly said when we came to break with you during Ramadan, our party is already cracking at the federal level but it will break completely if you continue with non conduct of local government elections.
In order to redeem your battered image and reputation, I will advise your Excellency to fulfil the two promises you made during the swearing in of the members of Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC). Â Apart from the public comments above, you reinstated the same during the meeting you held with the 33 council chairmen, 33 APC party chairmen, and the state chairman of the party and the APC leadership of the house. This is a high powered meeting and your pronouncements there should be nothing less than binding and sacrosanct.
The general perception of the people is that you will renege on the promises using the ongoing workers strike as an excuse but it will be in the best interest of yourself, the party and our dear states for you to stick to your words by doing the followings:
Dissolve the local government now since their tenure has expired on July 6th, 2016 as you promised.
Allow the Head of Local Government Administrations (HLA) to manage the affairs of the local government pending the conduct of elections.
Ensure the sanctity of your words as pronounced by ensuring that the local government election holds on or before September, 30th, 2016.
Empower the constituted OYSIEC to conduct a free, fair and credible election.
Your Excellency’s words made privately or publicly are words of authority that must be respected and complied with. In order for people to respect your words, you must obey the words yourself. As a man of honour and integrity, it is advisable for you to start reversing the negative perception people have on your public pronouncements.
There cannot be any justification for not holding the election in September. More so, The Chairman of Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) has given a definite and sacrosanct date of October 8th, 2016 for the conduct of their local government. It will be very unfortunate if Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State with whom you were sworn in on the same day for your first term as well as your second term will conduct two local government elections while you have not conducted one. Is this a sign of success or failure? Please be honest with your answer sir.
Although you have said it many times that you will never contest election or hold any public office again after 2019, I am sure you don’t know tomorrow as an ordinary mortal and you will not like to do anything that will negatively affect the likely future political ambition any of your children or  family members will have. Similarly, you will not like to have a dead or incapacitated APC after your tenure. A political party that puts one in a post is like a mother midwifed to deliver a child and nurture him to adulthood. By inference, a political office holder who helps in killing his party is not better than a child who beats his mother.
Administratively, conducting local government election will assist you a lot in shedding the unnecessary burden of controlling the state and its 33 local governments by you. It will portray you as a democratic leader who responds to the needs and aspiration of the people. Most importantly, it will reinstate people’s confidence in your words while returning respect and dignity to the high office you hold.
My dear governor, so many of us are willing to use the APC foundation for political positions in the future. We all contributed our resources together to but you in the positions of Senator, Governor and Governor Koseleri. We hope you will tread the rightful path to improve your public image and that of the party. May God help you sir.
Yours Sincerely,
Written by Lanre Akangbe
[email protected]
