Politics

2019: Kwara Speaker, 800 Magajis, Alanguas rally support for Atunwa 

 

By Mumini AbdulKareem

Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad has rallied support for the governorship candidate of Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Razak Atunwa in next year’s election.
The speaker’s support for Atunwa is coming on the heels of a significant endorsement by the Magaji and Alangua Forum in Ilorin.
The forum with a membership strength of over 800 community heads across the five local governments in the Emirate on Wednesday adopted Atunwa as its candidate in next year’s governorship election in Kwara.
The over 17 years old body in a statement jointly signed by its chairman, the Alajagusi of Ajagusi, Alhaji Abdulwahab Sanni and General Secretary, the Magaji Nda of Ilorin, Alhaji Soliu Woru-Muhammed rallied support for the PDP flag bearer and implored the people to vote for him during the election to accelerate more development in the state.
The statement described the gubernatorial primary of the party as a true democracy in the country and commended the party leader and Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki for ensuring peaceful conduct of the exercise.
“We also appreciated the party members for accepting the outcome of the primaries with good faith and charged them to be law abiding citizens before, during and after the forthcoming general elections”, it added.
The Speaker had in his welcome address at the plenary after resumption from the break for the conduct of primary election congratulated Atunwa and pledged support on behalf of his colleagues to his victory and that of the party in the 2019 general elections.
He said, “Let me specifically congratulate Hon Atunwa on his emergence as the governorship candidate of our party in the state and wish him well at the polls. On behalf of my colleagues, I pledged support to the realisation of victory for our party in the general elections. I also congratulate political parties, especially our dear party, the PDP, and the nation over the conclusion of our primaries and national convention”.
Ahmad however stated that in spite of the political activities now in full blown course, the members will not be distracted from “our collective resolve to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Kwara”.


…supporters condemn Lai Moh’d over alleged imposition

…tell Buhari, we’re not sure of victory with his leadership in Kwara

By Mumini AbdulKareem

Over 2,000 supporters and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to gubernatorial aspirant in the last party primary, Prof. Shuaib Oba AbdulRaheem on Monday in Ilorin protested the decision to declare, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the candidate of the party.
They described the leader of the faction in the state and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed of championing an unpopular decision which will affect the party in gubernatorial election next year.
They called on the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to announce Prof. Oba as the winner of the primary alleging that he polled the highest number of votes and 7,000 votes than the closest to him during the governorship primary.According to them, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was the brain behind such “sacrilegious and injustice of the highest order.They therefore called on the national leadership of the party to as a matter of urgency intervened in the matter so as to restore orderliness and promote good democratic process in the fold of APC in Kwara.Addressing newsmen in Ilorin, a chieftain of APC in the state, Hon. Olawale John Adegboye said what happened in Kwara APC was an injustice of highest order which he said is against the democratic norms.“It is very unfortunate that we can be claiming to be fighting corruption when right here in our faces corruption was being perpetrated against the good people of Kwara State.“In a situation where we have not even gotten to the general elections, we are already seeing cases of aspirants being substituted for people that did not even collect forms. It is unfair, unacceptable and a total sacrilegious atrocity against democratic norms.“We want to tell President Muhammadu Buhari to tell the APC Chairman that if APC want to win election in Kwara state, all these injustices must be addressed, but if left unaddressed, we are not sure of APC’s victory in Kwara state” he added.Similarly, the Director General of Prof. Oba Campaign Organisation, Barr. Sarafadeen, described what happened at the Kwara APC primary as a coup against collective decision of APC members in the state.
He added that Prof. Oba, as a law abiding citizen, had filed a petition at the national secretariat of APC, adding that up till now, no response from the nation secretariat of APC.Also speaking, Hon. Abdulganiyu Alabi, an aspirant that vied for the state House of Assembly seat from Ilorin West Local Government lamented that his mandate has been hijacked and substituted for another aspirant who did not win during the primary.


…as Oyedepo, Fagbemi line up for party’s dep. gov slot

By Kayode Adeoti

Former factional chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo and Prince Sunday Fagbemi are set to rekindle their rivalry following reports that the duo are being considered by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as running mate to the party’s flag bearer, Abdulrazaq Abdulramond in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
The two party chieftains were said to have intensified efforts to get the party’s nod to run for the seat.
However, when contacted last night, Oyedepo denied any knowledge of the development, saying he has not signified interest for the seat.
“Well, I don’t know about that yet, but if my party choose opted for me, then I will have to think about it, he said”.
When asked if he will turn down the offer, he reacted thus; “When we get to that bridge, we will cross it. The progress of the party is what matters; no individual interest can supersede that of the party.”
On reports that Oyedepo is angry over the choice of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, said the issue is a ‘family matter’ which has been resolved.
On his part, Fagbemi, equally denied knowledge of his consideration as Abdulrazaq’s running mate adding that, “I’m hearing that for the first time. The party has the right to do what is right and just,” he said.
He however added that if given the chance, he will have to reconsider it because winning Kwara is the target of the party.
“For now, I will not want to build any castle in the air,” Fagbemi stressed.
It would be recalled that in a controversial governorship primary conducted across 193 wards in the state, the leadership of the APC declared Abdulrazaq the governorship candidate of the party for the 2019 general elections, amidst protest from aspirants and loyalists of the party.

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