By Ola Ajayi
THE bail application filed by the embattled Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin who is currently being detained at the Agodi Prisons over alleged involvement in the killing of the ex-factional chairman of the national Union of Road Transport Workers, Oyo branch, Alhaji Lateef Salako will be heard today.

Since  Folarin and three others have been remanded in Agodi Prison, Ibadan, the penultimate week, over alleged felony and killing of the former factional leader of he National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Lateef Salako a.k.a  Eleweomo, the prison yard has been besieged by political associates and members of Olubadan-in-Council.

It has been hectic for armed security men at the prison controlling many admirers of the senator who   allege their mentor is being victimized for the offence he did not commit.

The bail application was supported by a 44-page affidavit. Akeredolu had said as a  stakeholder in Nigerian project would not jump bail nor do anything that could obstruct the course of justice.

Senators and Ibadan chiefs and other political associates of the senator had visited him at the prison.

Those who had visited him included Senator Iyiola Omisore,  Olorunnibe Mamora and Otun Olubadan ,High Chief Omowale Kuye and Chief Olufemi lanlehin, Dr. Adebayo Adewusi, Chief Lekan Alabi, Alhaji Adegboyega Arulogun, and the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola-Alao among others.

As at now,  those who have visited the senator in detention are Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, Senator Arinse and Senator Iyiola Omisore. Those from opposition parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria, are Chief Olufemi Lanlehin, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Dr. Adebayo Adewusi, governorship aspirants of ACN, and Senator Rashidi Ladoja, governorship candidate of the Accord Party.

Also some members of the Olubadan-in-Council paid solidarity visit to the detained senator. They included Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High chief Omowale Kuye, Senator Lekan Balogun, high chief Olaifa and many others.

The loyalists of the senator resume there as early as 7am and leave for their residences in the night. Their comments which are unprintable point to one fact-that the crisis has been taken beyond the ordinary.  They keep saying Senator Folarin is “too lily-livered as a politician to have initiated the killing of Eleweomo” who could be said to be Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala’s backbone.

Vanguard overheard a woman who shouted at the top of her voice that “we have been saying you are too soft-hearted for the kind of politics we play in the state. See what they have done to you now. How can a whole Senate Leader be detained for the killing of a mere thug whose hands were soiled with shedding of innocent blood?  You will learn lesson and this would make you sit up like a true Nigerian politician. Folarin, wake up, wake up.”
Dimensions to his  incarceration

There have been many dimensions to the incarceration of Senator Folarin. Many even believe, Senator Folarin is being victimized by President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala in connivance with the former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

While Chief Lanlehin described the detention and the travails of the senator as mere political intrigues, Ajimobi said it was part of the game of politics and that hooliganism, thuggery, intimidation and all sorts evil vices would continue until the right people were allowed to assume the mantle of leadership in the state.

Signals on April polls

The incarceration of the senator seems to be sending different signals about the April polls. One, it is apparent that thuggery, intimidation, maiming and any other anti democratic principles would be severely punished.  According to a playwright, If fire can consume tortoise with an iron coat, what will it not do to the fowl with a feathered gown? People of lower status who think they will feed fat on hooliganism in the election would surely have a rethink.

With the death of Eleweomo whose killing could be likened to that of a servant who cannot match his wicked master strength with strength, but maims his favourite goat, the drama has just started. The too-cold-for -comfort-role of the national secretariat of the party is worrisome.
Today’s bail bid
Today is the day for the hearing of the bail application filed by Senator Folarin. His counsel, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu and 14 others have put all legal arsenals together to get their client released from detention.

His detention could poison the minds of many indigenes and non-indigenes of Ibadan against the emergence of President Jonathan who they accuse of being clandestinely partisan in the crisis. Though, they claim the President is fully aware of the true status of the crisis and the yearnings of the opposition against Governor Akala’s second term bid, he wants to be very careful so that his own ambition is not negatively affected.

But, with the detention of Folarin who most people see as having political undertone, the anti-Akala second term forces are working day and night to ensure that PDP bites its fingers in regret for the political mistake it has committed by toying with the frontline position that Ibadan occupies in the political scene in the geo-political zone.

They believe, with the way it has handled the crisis, it would walk on a tight rope for it to win the state. Opposition party is said to be capitalizing on the crack and is busy putting resources together to show the ruling party the way out.

People in the state are waiting if Governor Alao-Akala would still use his police experience to win the state for the party in spite of the deluge of criticism against his re-election. If he succeeds the onslaught of the opponents against his second term ambition, his name deserves to be etched in gold in the Guinness book of record as a political giant of our time.

Nothing, they say, is not possible in politics. It, sometimes, defies all mathematical calculations. All residents in the state are itching to see who emerges as the winner of the communal and political battle.