Towards 2019 governorship elections, many political watchers believe it will be a tough fight for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to the Government House.
The political structure of Kwara State may face turbulence during the 2019 general elections as political actors have begun serious permutation to “liberate” the state.
The local government elections conducted in November last year was a litmus test for what should be expected in next year’s polls because the Kwara people may be working towards “rescuing” the state from total collapse.
Kwara State, according to political watchers needed to be liberated from those they term “oppressors” which some of believed is the cause of the backwardness being experienced in the state.
A lot interesting political activities and drama are already taking place, one was the a statement credited to Muhammed Dele Belgore (SAN) who has been contesting for the governorship since 2011 likely come back in 2019.
Belgore was quoted urging one Moshood Mustapha to join hands with them to change political situation in the state but declined.
Although, there are rumours that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who is from Kwara State may be eyeing the seat of president and that he will endorse one of his disciples for contest for the Kwara Central Senatorial District.
For members of the Saraki school of politics, no politician dares shows interest as some of them always say that they cannot appear to be desperate or choose positions they are interested in unless the leader decides and assigns position he feels should be contested for.
The outcome of last November local government election in has also caused disaffection and disunity between Saraki and some of his disciples whom they said betrayed him because the election result showed they are not protecting his interest in the state.
Some of these people, Daily Trust learnt, may be have caucuses or forming groups which may be working against the senate president in the coming elections.
As it is currently in the state, while the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will always say that there is no opposition party in the state, the leadership and members of the opposition are working hard to put the ruling party and government on their toes.
However, there is a big huddle ahead. According to political observers, the dream of a good showing in 2019 elections may be a mirage for the opposition party if the party could not settle perceived internal friction within its fold.
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congress which produced Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo as the state chairman is yet to unite all factions that had hitherto been in the fold. It has not been a one house since inauguration of the new executive in November last year. A leader of one of the factions, Chief Sunday Fagbemi, took the outcome of the congress to the party’s election appeal tribunal, calling for its cancellation. Besides, the squabble started and led to the factionalisation even before the congress.
But despite its internal crises, Oyedepo, alleged the low level of development in the state pointing out that the PDP is determined to return to power come next election. He urged members and supporters of the party to come together to forge a common cause to dislodge the APC-led government from the Government House.
Aside from efforts to unite the PDP, political analysts also believed that selection of governorship candidate could further polarize the party. Members of the faction that produced the incumbent party chairman are said to be working towards producing the next governorship candidate, while other faction are already spoiling for war. It is recalled that the same scenario purportedly led to the poor showing of the party during 2015 governorship elections in the state, where the party’s candidate, Chief Simeon Ajibola lost.
Some members of the party who were said to be nursing the ambition to contest for the PDP governorship include son of late governor in the state, Alhaji Akeem Lawal. Alhaji Akeem, who is trying to use his father’s popularity in the state 12 years after the death, came out in 2015 and could not get the party’s flag. People are expecting a more impressive outing this time around.
Alhaji Suleiman Abubakar, a former Minister of National Planning in the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, is also said to be gearing up for the governorship contest.
Also, Dele Brlgore (SAN) had contested governorship election in 2011 under Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) where he placed second behind the incumbent governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed. He also contested the governorship primaries under the PDP in 2015 and lost to Chief Simeon Ajibola. PDP members in the state attest to it that he remained a staunch member of the opposition and that he is eyeing the governorship seat again.
A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Abdulraheem Oba, is a stalwart of the PDP in the state. He was Chairman, Transition Implementation Committee during Bukola Saraki administration as governor of the state. He was also PDP governorship aspirant in 2011 when Abdulfatah Ahmed clinched the ticket. In 2015, when the Saraki “structure” left the PDP for APC, Professor Oba also contested the PDP governorship primaries and lost to Chief Ajibola.
Oba, a former chairman, Federal Character Commission, with verse knowledge in politics, is said to be interested in governorship race, as he plans to test his political astuteness among the electorate for 2019 polls.
Also another personality rumoured to likely indicate interest in Kwara State governorship race, though not known to be a card carrying member of PDP is chairman of a new private radio station, Sobi FM, Ilorin, Alhaji Lukman Mustapha. He is a new entrant to politics.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on whether he intends to aspire for the governorship, Alhaji Mustapha, a brother to Special Adviser on Inter-Parliamentary affairs to the Senate president, Alhaji Moshood Mustapha, did not give a definite answer.
Mustapha, a banker, only said that those spreading such speculation must have seen some qualities in him for which they believe he was good for the job. However, many people in the state are expecting his declaration of intention soonest, just as others believed that he established his radio station for political ambition.
He also debunked insinuations that some opposition politicians were behind the establishment of the radio station to pursue certain political interests ahead of 2019, arguing that plying opposition role was good for democracy.
With the present political situation in the state, political pundits are unanimous in their views that the Kwara State chapter of the PDP has what it takes to truly challenge the APC for the 2019 governorship contest. Some of the favourable factors highlighted by the pundits include political awareness among electorate, impressive showing in the last local government elections in the state and expected campaign strategy among the aspirants and the party leadership. They, however, said that the issue of unity and common front should be worked on to cause an upset.
