APC and the battle for Kwara
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to make a critical decision on its governorship ticket. Where would Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq pick the candidate for next year’s poll? His
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to make a critical decision on its governorship ticket. Where would Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq pick the candidate for next year’s poll?
His preferred candidate is said to be House of Assembly Speaker Danladi Yakubu from the North Senatorial District. An engineer, he is very loyal to him.
But the clamour for the retention of the seat by Kwara Central is intense. Sources said APC is readjusting to the political reality. The thinking is that zoning to the North may backfire if another political party that has the backing of former Senate President Bukola Saraki begins a strategic mobilisation.
Since 1999, Kwara North has not produced the governor. It is made up of five local governments - Baruti, Edu, Nuru, Kaiyama and Patigi. The Speaker hails from the North, which is complaining about marginalisation.
Kwara South has produced a governor, Ahmed Abdulfatah. It has seven local governments - Oyun, Offa, Ifelodun, Irepodun, Isin, Ekiti and Oke-Ero.
Kwara Central, which produced Akanbi Lawal, Saraki and AbdulRasaq, has four - Asa, Ilorin West, Ilorin East and Ilorin South.
Recently, the zoning campaign took a different turn. Agitators started pointing their fingers towards the South when Bashir Bolarinwa, for chairman of the party entered the race. A loyalist of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he was chairman of Mainland Council before serving as a member of the House of Representatives. But Bolarinwa and the governor are not friends.
Now that attention has shifted to the Central, five candidates are warming up. They are Senator Salihu Mustapha, Ambassador Yaya Seriku, Dele Belgore (SAN), Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, and Femi Sanni.
If consensus fails, direct primary may be adopted for picking the flagbearer
Mustapha is a party man. Why he and the governor could not go along well is confounding to many stakeholders. The senator has mounted an aggressive campaign. But without the governor’s backing, he faces a major hurdle.
A group, the Ilorin Emirate Political Advisory Council (IEPAC) has endorsed him.
Addressing reporters at Ilorin, the state capital, Dr. Yakub Yahaya Oloriegbe, National Coordinator of the Council, and Lt. Col Abubakar Edun, it’s Secretay, alluded to what it described as his “wide acceptability, maturity, experience and exposure”.
IEPAC said the lawmaker has the capacity not only to win the election but also to govern the state “justly, fairly and competently”.
The council, however, said its position does not preclude other aspirants from contesting.
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“This endorsement does not in any way preclude other aspirants from exercising their legitimate rights,” it should not be construed as an attempt to shut out other sons and daughters of Kwara State or the Ilorin Emirate who may choose to pursue their aspirations.”
IEPAC called on political actors across the state, particularly major political parties, to align with its position in the interest of “unity, stability and progress”.
It also reiterated that the Ilorin Emirate remains inclusive and should continue to occupy a frontline position in the political structure of Kwara State.
Seriki is an Independent-minded person; always neutral in political conflict. He is loved by the people. Nobody can oppose his ambition in Ilorin.
A spender, he always supports the governor’s policies and programmes.
Belgore hails from an illustrious family like the governor. He is very competent. A legal luminary, he cannot be controlled by anyone. There is rapport between him and the governor.
Anybody that emerges at the primary as candidate is winner. The Central District is also a winner. It has produced the governor for two decades.
The losers are Kwara North, which is missing another opportunity, and Yakubu who is gazing at the Kwara State House with optimism. A new accommodation may have to be found for him.
The Kwara South agenda also collapses.
