Obasanjo made this known while speaking at the formal
launching of the 140-page book, titled ‘Amazing Grace’, authored by Alao-Akala.
The event took place on Thursday at the Trenchard Hall,
University of Ibadan.
The book launch was to celebrate the former governor’s 70th
birthday anniversary but was earlier postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, Obasanjo, who was the chairman of the occasion,
explained why he took the decision that led to the criticism he received from
Alao-Akala on page 139 of the book.
Obasanjo said: “I wonder how you come on page 139 of your
book to blame or criticize me for dividing the Ibadan-Ilorin Road into three
sections for reconstruction during my second term so that it could be
expeditiously completed.
“As an Ogbomoso man, I can understand how important that
road is to you. But when I took the steps which I took for the road to be
expeditiously handled, it was not for your interest as an Ogbomosho man for the
economic life of Nigeria, and it is tragic that the artery road is in the sorry
state it is today.”
Obasanjo also corrected the aspect of the book where Akala
claimed that Atiku backed down before the primary poll.
He said the alliance of his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar
with late Dr Alex Ekwueme during the 2003 presidential primary election of the
Peoples Democratic Party collapsed after Ekwueme was defeated at the poll.
He said, “Again, Atiku did not back down as you claimed
until Alex Ekwueme was defeated at the primary of PDP in 2003, as Atiku’s
agreement with Ekwueme was to be Ekwueme’s running mate and Ekwueme, as
President, spending three years and resigning for Atiku to complete the fourth
year and then for Atiku to contest election in his own right in 2007.
“It was after the result of the primary that Atiku backed
down. If you put it that way, it was when there was no other choice.”
Obasanjo also faulted the roles played by Alao-Akala in the
failure of the South-West to produce the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, which Aminu Tambuwal eventually won.
He said Alao-Akala first proposed Ajibola Muraina and he (Obasanjo)
and others accepted him, adding that Alao-Akala later began to lobby for
Mulikat Akande, who was eventually defeated by Tambuwal.
Meanwhile, some dignitaries in the Nigerian political class
who were present eulogized the virtues of Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala at 70,
describing ‘Amazing Grace’, his official biography as a worthy addition to the
literary world.
In his review, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, who
launched the book, said it was worth having in the library.
He lauded Alao-Akala’s efforts in contributing to the
literary world through the book.
He said that the book was worth having by every student and
practitioner of politics as well as every general reader in the country.
“So, what I’m going to do is that I’m not launching the book
but make it possible for the wider audience to get to read this book. I’m going
to put a copy in every library in our universities,” Fayemi said.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi lll appreciated Chief
Obasanjo for the role he played mediating between him and Alao-Akala during his
tenure as Governor of Oyo State.
Responding, Akala recounted the performance of his
administration as the governor of Oyo state, saying “Our administration
concentrated on the welfare of the people in addition to the need for
development in every step we took.
“In writing the book, I was faced with the challenge of
writing some of the events with innuendos, window dressing and some of the
issues of life spoiled by myth, especially within the period when I was on the
driver’s seat of Oyo State administration”, he said.
The book launch was graced by prominent Nigerians, including
Gov. Seyi Makinde of the state, who was represented by his deputy, Rauf
Olaniyan, and the Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare.
Others included the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu
Adetunji; Chief Bayo Adelabu, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, Dr. Gbade Ojo, Dr. Saka
Balogun among others.
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