Nigeria, July 13 -- When it became clear that then PDP candidate Seyi Makinde was the ultimate shoo-in in the days leading to the last governorship election in Oyo state, a few analysts in Ibadan began to stretch narratives around the man's inevitable victory beyond the plausible limit. Then came this subtle claim that his state-wide support was borne out of the superiority of his ideas and vision for the state when compared to other candidates. Yet, even if we overlook Mr Makinde's below-par oratory prowess, it was obvious that the claim was a blatant lie.

At different informal fora, this writer argued at the time that Mr Makinde's soaring popularity was fuelled by former governor's Abiola Ajimobi's misdemeanors as much as it was define...