Shina Peller’s New Political Roulette

If politics were a game of cards, Hon. Shina Abiola-Peller would probably be the sort of player who keeps a few aces discreetly tucked beneath the cuff of his designer shirt. Known in some circles as the man behind some of Lagos and Abuja’s biggest premium nightlife establishments and in others as the flamboyant former federal lawmaker with an appetite for political adventure, Peller has never exactly been allergic to ambition. In Peller’s world, ambition is not a visitor. It appears to have a permanent suite. The former member of the House of Representatives has tasted the intoxicating sweetness of political office, endured the bitterness of political disappointment and, like a man who refuses to let one bad night spoil the entire party, appears ready to return to the dance floor. One political night may have gone badly, but the party, it seems, is far from over. Society Watch gathered that Peller, who once nursed the rather audacious ambition of occupying the Agodi Government House in Ibadan, may have temporarily parked that dream while reaching for another political prize, the Senate. And if whispers making the rounds in political circles are anything to go by, the Oyo North Senatorial District could once again become the stage for another Peller political drama in 2027. Tongues are also wagging that his governorship dream has not been completely buried. Rather, it may simply have been placed on the political shelf, waiting for another season. And Peller, who has built a reputation for maintaining relationships across the political and social spectrum, is reportedly counting on his rapport with Governor Seyi Makinde and other influential figures in the state as he weighs his next move. Whether those relationships will translate into electoral magic is another story. After all, knowing the right people can open a door. It does not necessarily guarantee the keys to the house.