In 2018, months before the National Assembly primaries of the APC, I visited Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon, popularly known as Igodomigodo, at his office in Benin City. In the course of my discussion with him, I expressed frustration over the state of affairs of our party and how the system was being manipulated to favor certain persons. In response, Hon Obahiagbon welcomed me to partisan politics and told me not to complain, noting that APC provides level playing field for all members and that manipulation is a big part of that playing field.
He suggested that rather than complaining, I should face the convoluted playing field like a warrior who turns the manipulations of opponents into an advantage. His words were similar to what I’d heard in the late 1990s from Chief (HRM) Sergeant Awuse who had a “win first and let others complain” policy.
Much as I do not ascribe to views of these eminent leaders, I kept their counsels to heart and learnt not to expect perfection from the handling of the internal affairs of political parties. On account of these lessons, I always try not to invest my emotion in the pursuit of party’s nomination or other accompaniments of APC’s internal affairs and I mentored my associates to adopt similar stance.
While I triumphed in 2019 after overcoming the hurdles of the level playing field, I wasn’t so lucky in 2023 when the goalpost was moved away from my field of play. You will win some and lose some because luck moves like the wind, it could blow in your direction one day and in another direction the next day.
I participated in the May 18th 2026 Senatorial primaries of APC as an aspirant in Ondo North. I began to prepare for the primaries one year into the tenure of the incumbent after seeing his lethargic display as a Senator. I had discussions with associates and leaders of the party in the Senatorial district, Ondo State and the federal capital and received assurances that my aspiration was not out of place.
I knew from field studies that my chances were very bright if competence, past records and widespread acceptability would be the yardsticks for nomination. Nonetheless, I knew that there were more to party primaries than competence and popularity, so I rested all my hopes on God.
The moment Alagbaka attempted to shave my well nurtured beards in my absence, I relocated to Abuja like all discerning aspirants, to knock on doors and reach out to people of goodwill who believe in my vision, whilst also doubling my campaign within the Senatorial District. Unlike some of the people ‘forming aggrieved’ today, I invested my time and resources before, during and after the primaries.
Despite my hard work and handsome investment, the final outcome did not favor me but I have not lost sleep. My family raised banners unto God to thank Him for the safety of my supporters and I throughout the race and my supporters on their part were proud that my record of service and good character earned accolades throughout the process.
I embarked on this journey knowing that the playing field would be undulated and that it could only become level if I find the right ‘bulldozer’ to bulldoze all obstacles. I found good bulldozers and they did bulldoze, but God, who remains the author and finisher of all fate had other plans. So when I read the vituperations of supporters of some aspirants who like me failed to get the ticket of the party, I wonder why they are investing so much emotion lamenting the outcome of a process that was designed to be a poker game. That you celebrated victory prematurely because you held two aces does not nullify the cards held by other players. You knew from the onset that it was a game of five cards and the person with the best cards wins.
I am amused that some persons are protesting and writing bombastic grammar to explain how the ‘will of the party members’ have been overturned. Why are you deceiving yourselves? Which will? Which party members? Anyone who claims that free and fair direct primaries were held anywhere in Ondo state in the 2026 National and State House of Assembly primaries is a fraud, an ‘olosa’ and a ‘gbewiri’. What are we even teaching those behind us? We all know what happened in the homes of political appointees and appointment seeking wannabe leaders during the primaries, from Supare Akoko to Igbokoda. Those of us with electioneering experience know how this thing works. It wasn't different from what happened during the governorship primaries in 2024. I know the sequence of play from the referee's whistle to touchdown.
We all know that it is not a coincidence that the team that conducted the APC primaries in 2024, conducted the APC congresses of 2026 and also handled this last assignment. We all know that result sheets for the direct primaries were safely kept in Alagbaka and that party members were not counted nor votes recorded in all wards. We all know that the video recordings being paraded as evidence that direct primaries held were simulated to make the charade appear real. So what’s the choreographed display of anger for? That you stole something and it was stolen from your custody? P-u-l-e-a-z- e!!! He who seeks equity must come with clean hands.
I sympathize with the few aspirants who could have won direct primaries in a fair contest but were shortchanged by the process. You were victims of a system that promoted zero-sum game where positive-sum was needed. In the words of our elders.. ‘enikan o kin je awa de’. God surely has a way of visiting judgement on men who shortchange others whilst sharing meat with their teeth. You too have your own fault. Like the political lackeys whose livelihoods depend on second rated political offices, you failed to urge restraint when a mere mortal was challenging God to a wrestling match.
By deifying men whose positions were made possible because we submitted our freewill to them, we gave them the confidence to feast on our flesh to satisfy their cravings. We are all accomplices to the madness that enveloped our party. By not speaking out when things were going wrong, perhaps because the Zero-sum politics favored you, you made yourself liable for this final outcome. In any case, how many of you cared to reach out to other aspirants after you were foisted on the people as ‘consensus’? You all looked away as your supporters mocked those who were not favored by the Alagbaka consensus or distanced yourself from them so you are not perceived to be unequally yoked with ‘disloyal people’.
We have all been served breakfast, some cold and others warm. Rather than instigating our supporters to throw tantrums, let us retire to the comfort of our homes to thank President Tinubu for providing the avenue for reset. We are all members of this great party called APC and I am aware that none of us has the right to force consensus on another. Everyone who accepted Alagbaka’s consensus as fair, must embrace Asiwaju’s consensus with joy, after all, what’s good for the geese should be good for the gander. Anyone who is under any illusion that the NWC of our party took the decision to revisit the concocted outcome of May 2026 primaries in Ondo State should wake up. It was a big stick wielded by the bigger man, to cut ‘us’ to size.
The man to whom authority is delegated cannot be bigger than the owner of that authority. Our National Leader spoke clearly and unmistakably, there is no room for ambiguity. Now that the ship has sailed, we are faced with the option of allowing it to sail in peace or continue to stir the waters to prevent the next ship from coming to shore. Rather than dissipating energy in attempting to stop a moving train, we might as well conserve that energy to rebuild our party. President Tinubu is the leader of our party, he has had the final say, let us respect that.
What has happened has happened and what will happen in future will still happen. Let us embrace the lessons learnt from the ‘consensus fiasco’ and use it as catalyst to re-unite our party. Que sera sera!!
*From the table of Hon. Ade Adeogun*
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