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By all standards of responsible public discourse, political commentary should be anchored on facts, verifiable evidence and fairness.
Opinions are legitimate in a democracy, but when they are presented as established facts without proof, they risk misleading the public and diminishing the quality of political debate.
The article titled “Alleged Feud Between Makinde and Olopoeyan: Will the Leopard Ever Change Its Spots?” by APC member Sola Abegunde raises a number of allegations against Governor Seyi Makinde.
However, a careful reading reveals that many of its conclusions are based more on assumptions, personal beliefs and political conjecture than on verifiable facts.
The opening paragraphs set the tone for the entire piece. While the writer claims there is a “fresh tempest” between Governor Makinde and Alhaji Bisi Olopoeyan, he simultaneously admits that neither of the two principal actors has publicly confirmed the existence of any disagreement. Yet, the article proceeds as though the alleged crisis has already been established as fact.
This contradiction is however too significant. Public commentary demands that claims be supported by evidence, not assumptions.
Throughout the article, phrases such as “I am sure,” “I have a feeling,” “according to reports,” “perhaps,” and “I think” appear repeatedly.
These are expressions of personal opinion. They cannot reasonably be treated as proof of political conflict.
One of the central accusations is that Governor Makinde has a habit of “using and dumping” political allies.
This is a serious allegation, yet no concrete examples backed by verifiable evidence are presented.
Politics is, by its nature, fluid. Alliances evolve, interests change, and appointments are limited.
The fact that some individuals who once worked closely with a governor are no longer in the same political camp does not automatically amount to betrayal.
Indeed, if Governor Makinde were incapable of sustaining political relationships, it would be difficult to explain why several members of his administration, political associates and supporters have remained with him throughout his years in office till date.
Like every successful politician, he has experienced both departures and new alliances. That reality is not unique to Oyo State; it is a feature of democratic politics across Nigeria.
The article also refers to an unnamed Ibadan High Chief who allegedly promised financial rewards to persuade politicians to join Governor Makinde’s camp.
It mentions voice notes and dollar amounts but provides no evidence, no publicly available recordings, no identities and no official confirmation.
Allegations of inducement are far too serious to rest on anonymous claims and hearsay, this again, betrays the essence of the article.
Similarly, the claim that loyalists of Alhaji Bisi Olopoeyan are being deliberately sidelined in the selection of local government candidates remains unsubstantiated. This is not to disregard any personal disagreement between two politicians of their standing. After all, politics is a game of interests.
Political parties across Nigeria often experience disagreements during candidate selection and such disagreements are common because many qualified aspirants compete for a limited number of positions.
Internal contestation should not automatically be interpreted as persecution without credible evidence to support such a conclusion so, this argument also falls flat in the eye of logic and reality of politics.
The article further claims that parallel primary elections have taken place and that Governor Makinde has been appealing to Olopoeyan to remain calm pending his return from Abuja. Again, no official statement from the Governor, Olopoeyan, or the party leadership is presented to validate these assertions.
Public commentators should therefore, clearly distinguish between rumours circulating within political circles and facts that have been independently confirmed.
Another striking example of speculation is the claim that the APM governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanbi, is having “sleepless nights” because of the alleged disagreement.
Such an assertion ventures into guessing another person’s emotions without any supporting statement from the individual concerned.
Political analysis should focus on verifiable developments rather than presumed private feelings.
The article goes further by predicting that Governor Makinde will eventually pacify Olopoeyan with promises of vice-chairmanship, councillorship, secretaryship and supervisory appointments, only to conclude that none of those promises would ever be fulfilled.
This is speculation layered upon speculation. The writer first imagines what negotiations may occur and then confidently predicts the outcome of negotiations that have not even been confirmed to exist in the first place.
Perhaps the most damning allegation in the article is that Governor Makinde possesses an inherent character flaw that makes him incapable of sustaining relationships and that betrayal is simply “who he is.”
Such a conclusion is neither objective nor supported by evidence and could certainly not have emanated from a place of sound sense of judgement or logical reasoning.
Political disagreements occur in every administration every now and then, but reducing complex political developments to psychological character assessments is unfair and does little to enrich public understanding.
The claim that Governor Makinde enjoys being “worshipped” because some people allegedly address him as “His Excellency” or “Oga wa” also falls flat before any evidential standards.
Across Nigeria, governors are routinely addressed by their official titles as a matter of protocol and courtesy. There is no credible public evidence that Governor Makinde demands excessive reverence or insists on particular forms of address from political associates as being mischievously ascribed by the writer.
The article concludes by warning politicians against joining Governor Makinde’s political movement, predicting only disappointment and “heartache” for anyone who does so.
While every citizen is entitled to express political preferences, readers should remember that the author is a known individual that clearly and openly identifies himself as a member of the APC.
His conclusions should therefore be viewed within the context of partisan political advocacy rather than objective political analysis.
It is also important to place Governor Makinde’s political career in a broader context or rather perspective. Since assuming office, his administration has consistently attracted politicians, professionals, traditional leaders, labour groups and community stakeholders from different political backgrounds.
Such sustained support would be difficult to explain if the Governor’s political style were defined solely by betrayal and broken relationships, as suggested in the article by the writer.
No democratic leader is immune from criticism, and Governor Makinde should continue to be held accountable by citizens, opposition parties and the media.
However, accountability is strengthened, not weakened, especially when criticism is rooted in facts, supported by evidence and tested against objective standards.
Democracy benefits when public debate or commentaries are informed by verified information rather than speculations and emotion based.
Ultimately, politics should be judged by measurable performance, transparent decision-making, respect for democratic institutions and service to the people.
Allegations should be investigated, disagreements should be reported accurately, and public officials should always be open to scrutiny.
But where evidence is absent, opinion should remain opinion and should not be elevated to the status of fact.
As Oyo State and Nigeria continue to navigate an increasingly competitive political landscape, citizens no doubt deserve political conversations that illuminate rather than inflame, inform rather than speculate, and challenge leaders with facts instead of assumptions.
That is the standard to which both public office holders and their critics should be held.
Credit: Ibrahim Adekola
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