Dapo-Lam, A Representation Lost to State Rascality | By Adegbola Oluwaseun “Triple Tee”

Dapo-Lam, A Representation Lost to State Rascality | By Adegbola Oluwaseun “Triple Tee”.

Ibadan Northeast and Southeast Federal constituency since the commencement of the fourth republic in 1999 has remained unrepresented twice by one person. It is a district largely reputed for setting high canon of evaluation for candidates seeking to represent them at the Nigeria lower Legislative house. These standards are allegedly so high that candidates of considerable greater value and huge capital investment in these ancient council areas could not win their re-election bid. Some described this as an unwritten law in the Federal district and a strategy to transmit power to different political tendencies and households. Interestingly, the 2023 general election was programmed to smash the glass ceiling. It arrived with a determination to end the snag and destroyed a tradition of 24 years.  This is because candidates of all the three major political parties have had their time in the green chamber and like an arrow shut into a hemisphere expected to return to the abyss, one of these candidates must be returned.

Dapo Lam became the obvious choice. His record at the green chamber ranked higher when put side by side with his co-contestants. Conscious of his high acceptance level, he ran a campaign that speaks to issue. His landmark projects were visible at every ground he stood to campaign. While no one expected an easy election, everyone expected a fair and free one. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. The Federal district is the strongest hold of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state. The key principal actors of the party are majorly from the federal constituency including the Incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde, PDP Deputy National Chairman, Toafeek Arapaja, PDP Senatorial Candidates for Oyo South district, Mogaji Joseph Tegbe in addition to avalanche of aides and advisers. Dapo stood against them all convince that power belongs to the people. The election was a scene of constant chaos with each contestant adopting a different strategy to win. For Abass Agboworin and the PDP, it was a ruling structured thuggery while Dapo’s strategy was to run a campaign that translates grassroots energy into voters turnout. The election came and slipped into a rerun. A winner could not emerge from first ballot. PDP ego was mutilated with defeat steering them in the face. Abass Agboworin attempted to induce victory by offering the umpire cash and valuables to buy the rerun but honesty stood at the gate and prevailed. He accused a Professor of Letters of poor enlightenment ( to use his word ‘’enlighted’’) because he could not convince him to shelf the rerun. Agboworin lost legislative aptitude to crass unpreparedness and bad schooling. He begged that the rerun polling units be restricted to just two against the clear six. He failed again. His final strategy was to rely on state forces to suppress votes and intimidate voters. On the day of the rerun, over a thousand voters bent on voting against him were either railroaded and/or prevented from accessing the election venue from Atipe, to Adesola, Ajegede, Oluyoro and Ibuko. Those who dare their savagery and unchecked barbarism became victims themselves. Over a dozen people were injured and several hospitalized. Members of the Park Management System, a subtle term for violent criminal or trouble maker in the state hijacked the voting process and there was little anyone could do. Agboworin was declared winner against the collective wish of the people. Oyo government appointment for  the good people of Ibadan Northeast and Southeast Federal constituency a man considered antithetical to their  collective hope and yearning for a great national endeavor . 

With the April 15th rerun election decided against the common will of the people, Dapo return to them the next morning. The reception was thunderous and natural. He is their representative. He visited victims on their sick beds and offered his modest support.  Agboworin will represent Oyo state Government in Abuja. He will represent the title but not the purpose. The people of Ibadan Northeast and Southeast Federal constituency will at the appropriate time remind their traducers in power that the power of the people is much stronger than the people in power. The tyranny of the wicked will not subsist forever. Game on.