Maybe if Abdulkabir Akinlade, the flagbearer of Allied Progressives Movement (APM) in Ogun State 2019 governorship election had been more circumspect, he would have heeded the advice of some of his friends and close associates, and reconsidered his political calculations. But he followed the instruction of his political godfather and former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
Akinlade would never forget his experience in the election in a hurry. In fact, the 2019 episode will remain indelible in his mind for the rest of his life.
When Amosun picked him as his anointed candidate to succeed him towards the twilight of his tenure, many kicked against it based on his antecedent. The ‘war’ in the All Progressive Congress (APC) became too much and too hot to handle, which Amosun and his loyalists ultimately lost.
Undeterred, the former member of the House of Representatives moved out en masse to a totally unknown party, APM. However, this was the beginning of his political albatross.
He lost the governorship election to the candidate of APC, Prince Dapo Abiodun. Again, with the advice of his godfather, he refused to accept the result of the election and pursued it to the Supreme Court, where he lost.
Maybe if had known then, he would have accepted his fate in good faith. But like an unrepentant optimist, he decided to challenge the outcome of the election.
Many in the state were not surprised with the outcome of the result for many reasons: the party was not popular and his emergence was also condemned across the state. Shortly after the apex court ruling against his party, he went back to APC and also directed others to bury their grievances and return to the fold.
It will be recalled that it was the struggle to actualise his mandate and redress the injustice allegedly meted out to him and his supporters that made him seek an alternative platform.
The former lawmaker at the lower chamber went on political hibernation, and recoiled into his cocoon, but in the buildup to the 2023 governorship election he resurfaced but decided to play second fiddle to the flag-bearer of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Ladi Adebutu. This made him a laughing stock of sorts, especially for his waggish political ideology.
Did he prove his detractors right? Yes. After Adebutu lost the election to the incumbent, Abiodun, he has once again gone into hibernation.
