Our attention has been drawn to factually incorrect statement from the Osun State All Progressive Congress (APC), faulting comparism of Governor Gboyega Oyetola to election-denier, former President of the United States, Mr Donald Trump. We first want to take liberty to list five reasons why the outgoing Governor is every inch a Trumpist and even likely worst as noted by Dr Muyiwa Oladimeji, an accomplished professional and Chairman of Ademola Adeleke Transition Committee.
The sycophantic piece seeking crumbs and last minute compensation was laced with outright falsehood especially by claiming Trump never sought judicial redress on his election denying foray. A quick search would have educated the writer to know that Trump and his allies filed more than 20 court actions to stop the will of American people from prevailing. It follows therefore that the major premise of APC’s questioning of erudite Dr Oladimeji’s unveiling of Nigeria’s Trump is groundless.
Any sitting leader who propounded the ‘I won’t quit advocacy’ as done by Governor Oyetola on the final day of his campaign for re-election is a worst Trumpist. The Governor’s address was televised live and he affirmed that he wont leave as he must spent his eight years in office. Those statements can only emanate from a fascist-minded politician with ultra-right wing tendencies in contravention of basic democratic norms.
We must point out further that when the July 16th results were out in public attested and authenticated as valid, the Governor was still claiming a win. At a time his party members were already accepting electoral loss as traceable to several factors, the Governor was holding fast to his ‘anigbele’ agenda exactly like a Trump who is still delusional and think he was rigged out. Any leader who electorally failed by all standard, whose loss was acknowledged by his leaders but who remain adamant and intransigent is beyond a Trump. As he opposes democracy, his garb may become that of Italian Benito Mussolini.
Pressing the matter further, Trump in pursuance of his ‘election denier’ launched out to manufactured fake votes and alibi to remain in power. In Osun, Governor Oyetola and his propagandists orchestrated a fake election result tabulation to purportedly claim victory. In fact, the search for votes was desperately pursued but for the democratic alertness of the mandate holder, Senator Ademola Adeleke.
We must elaborated further by calling attention to attempted mutilation of American governance structures when Trump discovered the political end has come. The many appointments and approvals centering even on national security that he gave few days to quitting office bear the hallmark of every steps, actions and deeds of Governor Oyetola. The Governor looks every inch a good students of Mr Trump. If that behaviour is not Trumpist, is it that of Brazilian Jair Bolsonaro?
And the last of the points why the Iragbiji politician is a Trumpist is his attitude to the setting up of Transition Committee. Trump not only refused to set up a transition committee but barred appointed officials from relating with the Biden team. What has Governor Oyetola done? Worst than Trump’s conduct is happening as elaborate plans are being executed to ground the state after November 27.
Despite lack of cooperation, the Adeleke Transition Committee has accomplished its task as patriots. We commend stakeholders within and outside the state who supported the painstaking realisation of the assignment. It must have pained little Francos of Osun that an actionable document was put together despite the Trumpist antics of the APC. As Senator Adeleke put it, good governance is at the door for the people of Osun state.
The last crowning of a Trumpist Oyetola is what all stakeholders are determined to frustrate-disruption of handover of power on November 27th. Trump and his team launched that attack on the Capitol Hill on January 6th to stop ascension to power of a President Biden. If Oyetola decides to act like his teacher, Osun people will stop him in his track.
We declare without equivocation that Governor Oyetola has not in anyway deepened Nigeria’s jurisprudence by his abuse of judicial process. His legal action coupled with his engagement in media trial were designed to truncate the will of the people. It is a failed effort to upturn the electoral decision of the people which was exactly what Trump plotted and executed.
We repeat once again that no Governor is elected to breach laws and regulations. The right to govern does not extend to violation of oaths of office. So while the outgoing Governor remains in office till November 27th, his constitutional duties does not cover Trumpist breaches and infractions.
Democratic transition is an acknowledgment of the superiority of voters over elected officials. Sovereignty lies with the people who decides who the mandate holder will be at interval. We insist that any defeated leader who plotted a sit tight agenda is a family member of Spanish Francisco Franco.
E-Signed:
Mallam Olawale Rasheed,
For:Adeleke Transition Committee
