Politics

Kwara 2019 Guber: Parties commence search for “untainted candidates”

 

After the early release of the 2019 election timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) few months ago, the race for who emerges the gubernatorial candidate for the governorship contest in Kwara state has assumed another dimension with the search for “untainted candidate” dominating discussion in the polity. HEAD POLITICS, MUMINI ABDULKAREEM writes on the issue.


The race for who gets to the seat of  power in the 2019 governorship election in the state will definitely be different this time around and the reason is not farfetched. For the first time in as many contests since the country and the state returned to democracy, the race for who emerge the right candidate has been dominated by the search for the “untainted candidate” across the spheres of political parties contesting for the top seat in the state.

For many reasons than one, the demand for a breakaway from the past and the search for a candidate that will bring freshness into the system come 2019 as the governor of the state has gained ground in the polity now more than ever before. From the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other fringe and upcoming parties like APDA, Labour and KOWA among other parties in the state, the talk for the anointed candidate seems to be the central theme of political discourse.

Interestingly, the APC and its leader and Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, set the tone of the discussion which has caught the other parties like a bug.

It would be recalled that Saraki issued the “no recycling directive”, which was then re-echoed by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed at the dawn of the present administration. According to both leaders, the state will no longer recycle politicians and political office holders then described by some political analysts as a defining moment in the political development of the state.

Saraki, at a meeting with various political caucuses and leaders of various local governments held at the ‘Great Hall’ of Late Dr Olusola Saraki’s residence in Ilorin, reportedly told the gathering that the era of ‘recycling politicians and political offices is gone for good’ and that the state need to inject fresh blood and new breed politicians into the system for effective service delivery.

Seen as a major paradigm shift in the governance of the state, the trend had been experimented at the State House of Assembly elections with only six lawmakers returning out of the 24 members who formed the 7th legislature. Expectedly, the issue has graduated to the realm of the governorship of the state and has raised many posers, including how far the issue will affect the pace of governance and whether the “greenhorn” coming is the right person to man the state at this time when it is in need of experienced hands to pull it out of financial doldrums.

Although the ruling APC has not officially announced its candidate for the election, some notable contestants from Kwara North and Central regions are reportedly highly interested in the race with the argument that Kwara South has had its time already following the two term tenure of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

Mentioned in a recent report of those interested were former minister and now APC National Spokesman, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, former acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and APC chieftain, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Senator representing Kwara North Senatorial District and former Governor, Alhaji Sha’aba Lafiagi, Special Adviser to the Senate President on Special Duties, Hon Moshood Mustapha, Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Ali Ahmad, member Representing Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency and Chairman of House Committee on Judiciary, Hon Razak  Atunwa and representative of Baruten/Kaiama at the House of Representatives, Hon Zakari Muhammed.

Also listed to have started the subtle campaign for the race included member representing Ilorin East/South federal constituency, Hon Abubakar Amuda Kanike, his counterparts for Edu/Moro/Patigi, Hon Ahman Patigi (Bahago) and Chief of staff, Government House, Ilorin, Alhaji Yusuf Abdulwahab among others.

According to political analysts in the state, while it will be a bit labouring to situate who qualifies or not as an untainted candidate, the party may come out with black sheep or a “rookie” to settle the matter that has reportedly gone diabolical among some interested aspirants.

While Kwara North has officially made case for their candidature during a stakeholders meeting held in Moro recently, Kwara Central is believed to be picking their time for the right moment to strike with the Ilorin factor expected to  play a dominant role in the discussion.

At the Kwara north event, which took place in the local government premises in Moro, were Deputy Speaker of Kwara state House of Assembly, Hon Matthew Okedare (Jebba), APC chairman, Ishola Balogun Fulani, Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Commerce and Cooperative, Hajia Funmilayo Oniwa, his Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, counterparts, Hajia Aminat Ahmed, Hon Aliyu Usman, Hon Shuaib AbdulKadir, senatorial chairmen for Kwara Central and Kwara South, Alhaji Jimoh Adesina and Jimoh Balogun respectively, Elder Wole Oke, members of the House of Representatives from the north, Hon. Ahman Patigi (Bahago), Hon Zakari Muhammed, former local government chairmen, past and present, TIC chairmen and party chairmen from the region, among others.

While reading the welcome address of the Kwara North Senatorial Elder’s on behalf of the region during the stakeholders meeting, Senator Ahmed Muhammed said the region are more united in the governorship struggle coming to the Kwara north.

“We are assuring the APC party chairman that the APC members in Kwara north are more united and ever ready to support our leaders in the struggle to have a governor of Kwara State from the zone come 2019.

“The Kwara Central has had it for 12 years and Kwara south has had it for eight years. So we the good people Kwara North are appealing to Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki to give necessary support for the next governor to come from Kwara north.

“We are especially happy with the success so far recorded by our political office holders at federal, states and local government levels in terms of youth employment, empowerment and developmental constituency projects across the senatorial district.

He said the leadership of Saraki and appointees from the region that came through the structure have stabilised and added value to the APC and urged members to continue to support and pray for the Senate President and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed to do more for the zone.

From the opposition PDP, the rhythm has not been different in the resolve to see that an untainted candidate flies its flag for the guber contest come 2019. For a party that has lost considerable mileage in the state after its disastrous defeat in 2015, its governorship candidate for the plum seat in 2019 is seen as the right deodorant the party can use to attract lost votes and new ones to come top in the contest.

Most supporters of the PDP still believed the party shot itself in the foot in the last election and during other opposition struggle in the state by the attitude of its leaders who refused to reach a compromise on the right candidate the party should field.

With the uncompromising and dogmatic stand of its leaders like Professor Shuaib AbdulRaheem (Oba), Dele Belgore, former Minister, Professor Suleiman Abubakar, former Minister for Sports, Bio Ibrahim, Senator Makanjuola Ajadi, Senator Simeon Ajibola, Hon Iliasu Ibrahim, Iyiola Oyedepo and Prince Sunday Fagbemi and Hakeem Lawal among others, despite the reconciliation efforts by the new caretaker committee led by Chief Tunde Akindehin, the party is said to be seriously searching for a “redeemer candidate” to sell the party to the electorate this time around after the failed attempt of Belgore. For now though, the issue of the Sobi FM boss, Lukman Mustapha, who some party sources said may be a surprising joker is still in the offing.

For the Advance Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), the “untainted candidate” is one of its best cards the party is keeping to its chest to be unveiled in 2019. Although the party said it will give everybody, male and female, the chance to vie for the seat, it said it will add the fresh edge and a newness of sort to the contest with its gubernatorial candidate.

According to its party chairman, Engr Yinusa Afolabi, the party remains a “viable alternative platform for Kwarans who have been longing for a fresh angle to the whole political scenario in the state. According to him “Kwarans are tired of that same (recycling) system and there is the possibility that many political parties may decide to join APDA because of our newness and what we have to offer”.

For Labour Party (LP), KOWA and most other parties in the state, the 2019 top seat may be defined by the candidate and not necessarily the party which was why the “political sermon” by the Chief Imam of Offa, Ustadh Muhyideen Salman Hussein advising the APC to be meticulous in picking its candidates for the 2019 elections in the state becomes very necessary.

Show More

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button