Crisis Hits Tinubu’s Political Group; SWAGA, Disowns Chairman

By Ayodele Oni

Founder and Chairman of the South West Agenda for Asiwaju 2023 (SWAGA), Dayo Adeyeye, has for three days been part of the team that toured South-west states of Ondo, Osun and Ekiti with the National leader of the All Progressive Congress, (APC) Bola Tinubu to sell his presidential ambition to leaders of thought in the region.

During the tour, Tinubu met with Traditional Rulers and urged them to support his ambition promising to effect changes that will make life better for Nigerians.

However, while on tour, the home based SWAGA of Adeyeye is angry with him to the extent that a vote of no confidence was passed on him by members of the group.

Adeyeye was described as someone that “lacks direction, vision and discipline to lead a successful campaign.”

At an emergency meeting chaired by the Ekiti State Chairman of SWAGA, Sen Tony Adeniyi, and the Coordinator, Prince Bamgboye Adegoroye, both allies of Adeyeye, berated the desperate approach of Adeyeye to the lingering crisis in the Ekiti State Governorship matters and his warped political alliances, considered to be at variance with the goals of the group.

At the events leading to the Governorship primaries of the APC in Ekiti state, Adeyeye was reported to have been advised by prominent leaders, including Tinubu, against contesting at the primary but failed to listen.

Now that he lost out, he is allegedly being accused of toiling with the idea of returning to the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), a party he dumped in 2018 after he lost the Governorship primary.

Another option for him, according to sources was his planned resolve to use SWAGA and team up with former Governor Segun Oni, now Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP) apparently to become his running mate.

Adeyeye was a Senator representing Ekiti South on the ticket of the APC, until the Court of Appeal annulled his election and was replaced by the PDP Biodun Olujinmi.

It was after he was removed that he formed SWAGA with some notable politicians within and outside Ekiti.

Rising from a meeting in Ado Ekiti, SWAGA leaders condemned the desperate tendencies in Adeyeye’s style of politics, which they posited will not be to the eventual benefit of the group.

“We need to state categorically here that the Ekiti State SWAGA has nothing to do with Prince Dayo Adeyeye in his misdirected political adventure.

“We disown a leader with no specified political direction. We here take exception to his deft political movements.

“The desperation has led to his rush to pick the APC nomination form, the failure and then the macabre dance to join a PDP aspirant, where he now take solace.

“We have been sufficiently told that, now at his wits end, Adeyeye’s resolve is to use SWAGA to curry political favour for himself in his current destination.

“We, therefore, state categorically that we seize to recognise Prince Dayo Adeyeye as a member of Ekiti SWAGA and we have notified the Deputy National Chairman, Senator Rilwan Akanbi, of our stance.

“Our movement, the SWAGA, will not associate with any group or political party with no link with the progressive politicians, of which our Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu champions.

“While we will not attempt to blame Adeyeye for choosing to go to where he feels his  political benefits are, we can only advise that he should stay calm with his political movement, Prince Adeyeye Movement, (PAM) and stop laying claims to owning SWAGA.”

Chairman of SWAGA Chairmen Forum, Arole Kayode Adetifa, denied association with Adeyeye and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), noting that the only political party known to the group in Ekiti is the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“The only potent third force recognised by us in SWAGA, as offshoot of the shenanigans in our former party is the ADC, led by Dr Wole Oluyede.

“That  is the party we all joined and plan to nurture to  bequeath the leadership of Ekiti to us come June 18, 2022.”