In politics, loyalty is a shifting sand, but history remains stubborn. A recent radio tirade by Dare Adeleke, an ally of Governor Seyi Makinde, alleging that Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja betrayed Governor Seyi Makinde is not just a distortion of facts—it is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.
In reality, if anyone in Oyo State deserves the title of a serial betrayer, it is Governor Seyi Makinde himself.
To understand Ambassador Arapaja is to understand a politician of absolute conviction. For Arapaja, loyalty is never 99.9%; it is always 100%. History bears witness to this.
Must loyalty be measured by laying down one’s life before it is acknowledged? Was it not Ambassador Arapaja who stood shoulder to shoulder with Governor Makinde through every political storm—from the National Secretariat crisis, where party leaders were tear-gassed by the police, to faithfully serving and defending the party throughout his tenure as National Vice Chairman (South-West), Deputy National Chairman (South), and now National Secretary? How much more loyalty is expected of a man who gave his all to the party and to Makinde’s political cause? It is even more ironic coming from a governor who publicly declared that he is “blind to party loyalty.”
During the famous political crisis between the late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu and the then Governor, Ambassador Arapaja stood firmly and unwaveringly with his political leader, Baba Adedibu. Contrary to Dare Adeleke’s attempt to rewrite history, Arapaja never had any disagreement with Baba Adedibu over the choice of the Chairman of Ibadan South East Local Government. In fact, every politically informed person in Oyo State knows that Hon. Ademola Ige openly aligned himself with then Governor during that period and was among those who worked against Baba Adedibu’s political structure at one of its most difficult moments.
What makes this even more ironic is that after leaving Baba Adedibu’s camp to pitch his tent with then Governor, Hon. Ademola Ige later sought political compensation from the very structure he had abandoned. Baba Adedibu was always known for saying that those who remained steadfast with him during the difficult days would be the ones to reap the rewards when victory eventually came. Having chosen another path when the battle was toughest, it was only natural that those who stayed loyal would be given priority when the opportunity arose.
It was in that spirit of loyalty that Ambassador Arapaja appealed to Baba Adedibu, highlighting the sacrifices and unwavering commitment of those who stood firmly with the Adedibu political family throughout the struggle. After considering the role they played and being convinced by Arapaja’s submission, Baba Adedibu agreed to settle for Hon. Adedoja Ekolo. The decision was never about personal vendetta; it was about rewarding commitment, loyalty, and sacrifice.
When the House of Assembly attempted to impeach the late Governor Alao Akala while he was out of the country, it was his deputy, Ambassador Arapaja, who single-handedly foiled the plot.
Upon his return, Akala publicly embraced him and described him as the most loyal Deputy Governor in Nigeria. Adeleke’s attempt to paint Arapaja as an ingrate therefore falls flat.
He mocks Ambassador Arapaja over a house in Abuja allegedly bought by Governor Makinde, but one critical question must be be asked: Was that house bought with Makinde’s personal wealth or with public funds? If Ambassador Arapaja was in Abuja on the governor’s behalf, defending the PDP and advancing Makinde’s political interests at the national level, did Dare Adeleke expect him to be sleeping on the streets?
Furthermore, Adeleke conveniently ignores the fleet of vehicles and lucrative contracts handed out by the Makinde administration to non-party members while many loyal, suffering PDP members were left unrewarded.
Governor Makinde’s political trajectory is a masterclass in discarding the very ladders he used to climb to power. Barely three months into his first term, he began falling apart with the coalition that ensured his victory.
He abandoned political heavyweights in Oyo State like Barr. Sarafadeen Alli and Hon. Mulikat Akande Adeola. Where are those who stood firmly with him before and throughout the 2019 election? Where is the then “Aleluyah”? Where is Hon. Mulikat Akande Adeola? These were individuals who invested their political structures, time, and energy in his emergence, yet they too became victims of his politics of abandonment.
The greatest casualty of Governor Makinde’s politics is not merely his political associates but the people of Oyo State. Many of those who entrusted him with their mandate have watched him pursue political interests that have generated widespread debate and controversy.
Adeleke raises dust over Ambassador Arapaja’s calculated move to the APC, claiming he has defected to multiple parties. Yet, he conveniently forgets that his principal, Governor Seyi Makinde, has also moved across different political platforms in pursuit of his political ambitions—from the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), then to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and now flying the flag of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). If changing political platforms to advance one’s political career is acceptable for Makinde, why is Ambassador Arapaja’s political decision suddenly being portrayed as a betrayal? Politics cannot have one rule for Makinde and another for Arapaja.
If Makinde can change political vehicles whenever it suits his interests, why is Arapaja’s political decision suddenly a national emergency? The answer is simple: those making the loudest noise are those whose political relevance depends entirely on Governor Makinde.
Ambassador Arapaja has consistently protected his political structure and remained loyal to those he chose to follow. If there is anyone whose political history is filled with abandoning allies after benefiting from them, the records point elsewhere—not to Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja.
