Chief Olubamise Bakare, frontline politician, community leader, businessman, and philanthropist in this concluding interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf, shares fond memories of how Asiwaju Bola Tinubu became a factor in Lagos politics as well as other dramatis personae who shaped the polity during the General Sani Abacha junta vis-à-vis the prospects and challenges of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the build up to 2023. Excerpts:
So what exactly did Chief SM Afolabi say about his experience?
When we got to his house, it was filled up. There was a crowd of people from senators, House of Reps members and all what not from Osun State. He commanded a lot of respect in Osun, his state. They were all there. Of course, we went there as emissaries of Vice President Atiku Abubakar. He took us to his sitting room. You know he is a bearded person, but on this particular day, he looked clean-shaven. He got a newspaper, and tried to show us a report credited to him that he had gone to the Villa to beg President Obasanjo. He said he would never do such a thing. You will recall that he was slammed with a criminal charge of corruption by a Federal High Court in Abuja over the $242 million National Identity Card scam and subsequently put in detention. He said, he already told his lawyers to take Sunday Times to court. I was there with him, it’s not a question of I heard it. He said so we should know that he has not done anything wrong. That the contractor and everything was from the Villa that he didn’t know anything. He insisted that he didn’t know anything about the offence for which he was put in detention.
Are you saying that he said he was actually being blackmailed?
Yes, that’s what he seems to be saying. As we were speaking, he later went to call Olagunsoye Oyinlola that these are the members sent by the Vice President. Then we discussed briefly.
Does it mean that by that time, you belonged to the PDP?
Yes the PDP was the party that we formed. We formed it. In Lagos here, I was the State Organising Secretary of the party.
How did you reunite with Tinubu?
When Bola came back from exile, he sent for me. And I went there with a witness, a pastor from Agege. It was the face cap of the PDP I was putting on that day. When I got to his (Tinubu’s) house at Sunday Adigun Street, Alausa, Ikeja, there were some members that were sitting in the sitting room. As soon as they saw me shouts of “The chair! The chair!!” rented the air. Then I said jokingly, “Haha, you people have come to confuse Bola here again (laughs).” As I was saying that Bola (Asiwaju) heard my voice and came out and asked me to come inside. As I was coming I met Biodun, Tinubu’s sister, the late Iya Mogaji’s daughter. Biodun and I were very close. I recalled then that we were all involved in the campaign during Bola’s senatorial election. So the first thing I said when I met Bola, was, “How is your friend Abacha?” He grumbled, “Hmm, you don come.” And angrily, he said, “He is a…!” This is the way we relate (laughs).
He said if you know what I have gone through in the last four years, it’s all as a result of that mistake we made by believing that Abacha would easily relinquish power to Abiola. He said he suffered in exile and Abacha continued to hound him.
So I told him, “Look Bola, we have formed PDP. Why not come and join us there? That’s the place you belong.” But he said, he had suffered so much in respect of NADECO and all that. He said I should let him go through that and contest under the Alliance for Democracy (AD). And I said you know there are some people there already. But he countered that the people there are PRIMROSE members. He said, “They are my people. Or didn’t you see them when you came in here?” and that they would support him. That time, Aro Lambo was coordinating for him to become the governor. You know Aro Lambo later became the SSG. Till today, we’re still close, I mean with Asiwaju because we were very close when Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji was alive.
You mean you and Tinubu were still close despite the fact that you joined the PDP?
Yes, we were very close considering the background we had together.
How did Tinubu emerge as Senator?
It’s a very long story full of intrigues. If you know what happened when we went to do primary for him (Tinubu) to become a senator in Ojoo, you’ll marvel. That time, you can say that it was the PRIMROSE that was ruling in all local government areas in Lagos State and when Asiwaju was brought in to contest the senatorial position in Lagos West, he was in Agege with me. We got a place for him and erected a big banner with the inscription “Bola Ahmed Tinubu for Senate: The Assertive Voice in the Senate,” because that was what we wanted him to be in the Senate. I still have the vest we produced that time. We needed to go through the party screening. So we presented him as our candidate from Agege. We did the screening at Amuwo-Odofin, around Agboju, in one hotel belonging to Alhaji Badmus. The Lagos West at the time had seven local government areas. So we had two people each from the local government area to be at the panel. I was there with Chief Safari Adaranijo. In those days, Agege used to produce a lot of votes for whoever wins in Lagos West. So I told Rahman Owooniran to stay in the car with Bola Tinubu and when it gets to his turn we will call him in. There were lots of aspirants there.
Soon it was time for the primaries. That was a very tough exercise indeed, because Alhaji Lateef Jakande was still bitter that members of PRIMROSE were still holding sway and as such he was going to take his pound of flesh. He picked about five people to oppose Bola (Tinubu). Then I told Prince Demola Adeniji-Adele, who was Chairman of Lagos Island at the time to bring his Gold Service air-conditioned buses in the morning so that we can move the delegates who already had their packs of food. I joined them in another car. By the time we got to the place Chief Dapo Sarumi was already there, it was like a sort of carnival. Everywhere was so colourful. As soon as Bola mounted the desk, shouts of “Tinubu straight! Tinubu straight!!” was all over the place.
What later became of Alhaji Jakande?
We still regard him as our father. We only had political differences. That’s why I am comfortable having series of meetings, I gained that from Alhaji Jakande. Many things I learned from him when we were together. He’s a disciplined man, he can sit down from morning till evening holding meetings and he won’t take anything. So later on we started reconciling because of the general election coming then. Even in Mushin, all the ward chairmen were solidly behind Jakande and later we appealed to them and told them about the readiness of Tinubu to take care of the party and give effective representation. We convinced them, we started around 12 midnight and in the morning we’ve finished touching the necessary base. So when Alhaji Jakande called them to a meeting, they started having a rethink and joined us and that’s why the vote was massive. He polled the highest votes in the whole country as a senator at the time.
What form and manner did the supremacy battle between Alhaji Jakande and PRIMROSE take?
It was really tough. I can tell you what led to the takeover of the whole Executive Council by PRIMROSE. That time the National Republican Convention (NRC) produced the former Governor Michael Otedola and we had the majority, and it was because of this problem I think they took revenge on what we did to them. Among the three senators, we had two and they had one. Anthony Adefuye, Bola Tinubu and Kofoworola Bucknor were our senators at the time. Before then Bucknor was not with us, she was floating but because we had Wahab Dosunmu as our candidate to become Lagos Central Senator but unfortunately he was disqualified. But when they were doing the election despite that Kofo had seven votes, she stayed on the line and was counted, and that’s how she became a senator by winning with just seven votes. That’s how the trio of Tinubu, Adefuye and Bucknor went to Senate. When Babangida was there he never disrupted the political structure. When later Ernest Shonekan also came, he didn’t do it until when General Sani Abacha came. I recalled that it was Shehu Musa Yar’Adua that put Chief Dapo Sarumi on the list for him that they should help Chief Shonekan and that one also caused further strain in our relationship with the Justice Forum with PRIMROSE. They said that Sarumi should have brought the slot home in order to give it to the person they want. That was the day I saw Chief Dapo Sarumi shedding tears. He said he didn’t pick himself it was General Musa Yar’Adua that picked him. When Abacha came on board and there were talks about the need to get politicians to participate in the government, the search of prospective politicians began. I recalled that Sarumi had vowed not to serve under military government but General Yar’Adua insisted that he should.
You mean Yar’Adua informed Sarumi that he was going to be involved in the Interim Government before that decision was announced?
Yes at that time IBB believed that he had not offended anybody neither was he against any rule of law. Everybody was still praising him when Sarumi hit him hard that he was the cause of the crisis in the country and he (IBB) replied Sarumi that “This Ijangbon man I will leave for you o.” And that’s why Shonekan was very close to Sarumi when the Interim Government was put in place. Some of our people, those that I called Justice Forum, were not happy that Sarumi never brought it back for them to pick someone else. Even someone like Otunba Dele Ajomale played a prominent role at PRIMROSE.
You talked about Ajomale’s involvement…
Yes, Ajomale also sponsored PRIMROSE. He was part of us, he was financially buoyant. And he was a leader in charge of Oshodi/Isolo. But when I became a Caretaker Chairman we went through a special Congress. We saw that unless we adopt that, and we went to the Secretariat of Alhaji Jakande group, which was SDP secretariat and held the Congress there, our claim to power won’t survive. We mobilised throughout Lagos State. For instance, Oba Ogunji Road was shut down, that place used to be the SDP secretariat. There were three members from each ward in attendance because that’s what the constitution said as such the crowd was massive. Then one (the late) Alhaji Bello was also a leader from Mushin and he was the Congress Chairman.
What’s your relationship with Chief S.O Bakare of the Oluwalogbon Motors fame? Are you related in any way?
No, we are not related. He is from Ilara in Epe, Lagos State. But he is a very honest man, disciplined and straight forward. However, it is the way and manner that I organised things that sort of endeared me to him. Many times I went to him to help the party and to help promote Chief Sarumi’s profile. In terms of financial backing he’s one of the strongest men to lean on then. He used to assist us greatly then at PRIMROSE.
The APC came under the slogan of change, winning the first term and for the second for the next four years. Still not a lot of people are happy with the kind of change that has happened if you consider the sorry state of the economy and all. Do you think the APC still stands any chance in subsequent elections, say in 2023?
Yes, the APC still stands a good chance. But one thing you must know is that different parties formed the APC so they are bound to have crisis. I expect Asiwaju to play a big role there. You know I told you sycophants have surrounded Buhari now. But I tell you the APC will still triumph. You know what is going on at the national level. I just want the president to be strict. He is the only solace we have now who can correct lots of things in the country. Even in the fight against corruption, I still believe he can do it. If he is going to be reckless in the fight against corruption let him be reckless provided the country is alright. Thankfully, I have seen some signs.
Already the jostle for 2023 has begun with a lot of names being bandied about like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kayode Fayemi, Nasir el-Rufai and a host of others. Do you think any of these people stand a chance?
You know the irony of life is that in this part of the world if you bring people up, it is the same people that will be seeking your downfall. Many of these people agitating now they are all from Bola’s camp. One way or the other, they have gained some things from. So I’m not always interested in some of these games. In my place they say, you don’t do that to anyone that is your benefactor. It’s an act of betrayal. We call such people odale (a betrayer).
Although Asiwaju has not come out openly to say he wants to contest but in your own estimation now do you think he stands any chance?
Yes, if he decides to run because I can tell you, many problems Bola had in the past, he has always come out victorious. There are some people like that. I have a cousin that if he doesn’t have a job and he applies they will come and meet him at home. He has a special grace. Bola is generous even to a fault. I know that. But I can tell you Iya Mogaji did lots of prayers for him and that’s still working for him.
Don’t you think the religious card may work against Tinubu this time around?
If that is the case Abiola wouldn’t have won. Although he was not given the mandate but he won. He had a Muslim-Muslim ticket. When people are ready to follow you, no matter what happens, they are going to do so. I know el-Rufai. I use to call him “small man with big engine.” (laughs). He is good as well. But if the north is still given the chance, el-Rufai will not stand the chance against Atiku Abubakar. There are things you need to watch. But if it comes to Southwest and Asiwaju is interested, he will get it. I know he is a fighter. He never fails. He has been so blessed. If he wants to go for something he doesn’t mind. One thing is that God has a way of deciding man’s fate. If God gives you an opportunity no matter what people will say you’re going to get there.
Following the problem of insecurity across the country, governors in the Southwest formed a security initiative codenamed Operation Amotekun, which has generated heated debates from all quarters. Do you think the animosity over Amotekun is necessary?
What these governors are doing is still in order. Everything they are doing is to protect lives and properties. What these governors are doing is to protect their people. It is still in order but I know the undercurrent is there. The security outfit the governors have put up is going to save a lot of things and I know the north and other places will copy it in places like Kano and across the north they have their own. Even Plateau is even saying that they are going ahead with their own. Even when Babatunde Fashola was there, I presented a paper to them. I said, look Lagos is in the best position to operate the security outfit.
Would you say you have benefitted materially from politics?
I have not benefitted materially but I am satisfied because there is no place you mention my name in Lagos State, even in the villages, they will say that’s my chairman.
So far do you have any regrets in politics?
No I don’t have any regrets participating in politics because I enjoy it. There is no place you see where we are planning they listen to me. That’s where the name Baba Eto (a good organiser) came about. Chief Sarumi gave me that nickname and it has since stuck. Even when PDP was formed, I was there. I was the first State Organising Secretary of the PDP under Chief Olorunfunmi Bashorun as chairman. There is nowhere, when they want to form a party they will look for somebody who can organise. Of course, there were ups and downs and challenges must come up. Some of the challenges you contend with is that when you make sacrifice for somebody and he doesn’t look back to say thank you for being there for me. But all in all I feel happy that I have helped, not what he wants to give me. That’s the reason why I am still standing in politics today. I feel fulfilled.
Giving your wealth of experience in politics, don’t you think you should write a book?
I agree there is really a lot to talk about. And yes, I’m already working on my memoir and it promises to be revealing. There I hope to provide further details of my political journey and service to humanity in the past five decades or so.
