Kwara 2019: Moshood Mustapha in dilemma over coordinators’ demand to stay with Senate President

By Mumini AbdulKareem

Former member of House of Representatives, Moshood Mustapha is presently confused about his alleged 2019 gubernatorial ambition in Kwara State, National Pilot learnt, last night.
The latest development is not about whether he lacks the financial war chest to prosecute his aspiration for the top job in the state. Rather it is about the structure he aimed to use to actualise his long nursed alleged governorship dream.
According to impeccable sources who spoke on the issue on strict confidentiality because of the sensitive nature of the matter and fear of possible backlash, MM as Mustapha is fondly called by political admirers is in a dilemma.
His supporters and coordinators across the state for the “top project” seemed to be singing a new song that may ultimately alter the political calculation for him.
Although Mustapha reportedly denied any plans to leave Saraki or the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the height of online reports that went viral in the state at one of the “strategic meetings” with his supporters and coordinators at his GRA residence recently, a new twist seemed to have emerged over the issue.
It was garnered that while MM assured his “structure” during one of their meetings that “he may not work outside Saraki”, to actualise his ambition. However, many of his loyalists viewed it as “political statement” and have confronted him with their position on the way forward.
According to a top source who confided in this medium, last night, some of those who are “coordinating” things for him are core loyalists of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and “that is where the problem lies”.
It was however not clear last night before the paper went to bed whether MM will give way on the issue or come up with alternative plan.
A source said; “The issue at the moment seems to be a conflicting one for him. We told him that if he decides to leave Saraki at the end of the day to contest the governorship seat, we are not ready to go with him,
“Some of us believed we were working for Saraki and since he (MM) is also part of the structure, there is nothing wrong with having groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“But if he now decides to leave the structure, we already told him it will be difficult to leave Saraki for him because it’s like leaving certainty for uncertainty especially now that the Senate President has increased the pace of reaching out to us.
“For now, that is the logjam and we are yet to reach a compromise on the development”, the source added.
The latest development has added another twist to the gubernatorial ambition of Mustapha who apparently is one of the frontline aspirants for the coveted seat as he recently relocated to Ilorin.
There have been viral online reports that MM may contest for the ticket under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform following the “uncertainty” that has surrounded his status lately.
Although many of his aides have denied that he’s panning to dump APC, MM has refused to speak publicly on the issue.
The Mustapha has refused to pick calls made to his mobile phone in order to get his reaction on the matter.
He is however expected to slug it out with his sibling who is the Chairman of Sobi FM, Alhaji Lukman Mustapha who is reportedly a potential PDP aspirant.