It is bad News in a Democracy when the Opposition however small, completely disappears from the radar like the Minority Leader Oguntodu has just done in Ondo State to team up with the Majority Party.
Is the Opposition now surrendering Ondo State into a one party state where the APC now reigns supreme and where it can now get away with murder on anything the Party wants to do in Ondo State.
I see the development as something to condemn and to regret and not something to celebrate or rejoice about because Democracy functions better where there is an organized and a virile Opposition to put the feet of the Majority Party to fire if and when they misbehave in governance.
Part of the reasons the Action Group Government of Pa Obafemi Awolowo had become the most progressive Government and the Pacesetter in Nigeria till now was because of the strong Opposition provided and led by the late Adegoke Adelabu of the “Peculiar Mess” fame in the defunct Western Region of Nigeria.
Pa Awolowo, “the best President Nigeria never had” as acknowledged by Odumegwu Ojukwu, once confessed this to me, in a private conversation, when I served as Secretary in 1974 to the Special Task Force on Student Financing in Nigeria that the elder statesman had presided over as Chairman while Shehu Shagari as Interior Minister and Shettima Ali Monguno as Trade Minister and Chief Wenike Briggs as Minister of Education have all served as members.
I rest my case.
Dr. Wumi Akintide.
