Kwara South Senatorial Seat: I’m still consulting, yet to step down – Gov Ahmed
By Kayode Adeoti
Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, is yet to step down his ambition to represent the people of Kwara South at the Senate, National Pilot can report.
There have been reports that Governor Ahmed had conceded the ticket to the incumbent senator representing the Senatorial District, Dr Rafiu Ibrahim following agitations by the Ibolo people that they should be allowed to occupy the seat for another term.
According to the group, the Igbomina/Ekiti axis have held the position for about four terms hence Ibrahim should be allowed to continue in office for another term in the spirit of fairness.
However, speaking exclusively with our reporter, last night on the issue, Gov Ahmed said he is yet to withdraw his candidature in the forthcoming election adding that he is at the moment making consultations with party’s leadership, stalwarts and other stakeholders.
Governor Ahmed who spoke with our reporter through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr Muyideen Akorede stressed that the agitation for his principal to step down his senatorial ambition began when he played host to the leadership of Ibolo Division of Kwara South region, last week.
During the visit, Akorede said the Ibolo people pleaded with governor to demonstrate spirit of equity by ceding the ticket to their side.
“The Ibolo leader came to visit the governor and made him see reason to cede the Senatorial ticket to their region. They pleaded with the governor to demonstrate the spirit of equity and balancing by conceding the seat to them.
“While he understands their points, the governor said he will need to consult and get back to them. So, he’s still consulting, he never conceded the seat. The consultation is ongoing with the Senate President and other PDP stakeholders in the state,” Akorede maintained.
Earlier on Saturday, the Governor had denied claims that the Kwara South Senatorial ticket has been retrieved from him on account of penultimate Saturday’s House of Representatives bye-election results in the state.
Ahmed, in a statement by his media aide, Dr. Akorede, described as “politically motivated, rumours that he has been asked to step down due to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s loss in the Ekiti/Oke Ero/Irepodun/Isin bye-election.
The statement said: “Contrary to the claim, consultation had been going on before the November 17 election within the political family to consider the request by the leadership of the Ibolo division of Kwara South, from where the current Senator hails, for a second tenure at the Senate.
“Furthermore, he said that the ongoing consultation was based on the view that the Igbomina and Ekiti divisions had successfully served two terms in the Senate as opposed to the Ibolo division whose representative had served only one term in the Senate.”
While describing the last bye-election as a farcical exercise marked by voters’ intimidation, widespread disenfranchisement and the use of security agencies against PDP supporters and members, Ahmed said the result of such a disputed election could, therefore, not have formed the basis of a review of his candidacy for the Kwara South Senatorial elections.
He assured that PDP will win the general elections in the state as the people of Kwara have resolved never to allow such harassment by security agents again.
Similarly, a separate statement by the state Publicity Secretary of PDP, Tunde Ashaolu, confirmed that the party was weighing options on the demand of Ibolo people to give a second term ticket to the incumbent senator.
The statement said: “The attention of PDP in Kwara State has been drawn to a misleading media report insinuating that there is panic in the camp of Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki and that Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed is under pressure to withdraw from the Kwara South senatorial race as a result of the aftermath of last Saturday’s by-election in Ekiti/Oke-Ero/Isin/Irepodun federal constituency.
“This is totally untrue, ridiculous and a deliberate mischief orchestrated by some unscrupulous elements and political jobbers who are bent on causing confusion within the party and among our leaders. For the avoidance of doubt, there is no tension whatsoever within the fold of the PDP in Kwara State and there is no pressure on Governor Ahmed to drop his senatorial ambition because of the outcome of the recently held bye-election in the state.
“The party however, notes that there are ongoing consultations and pleas by leadership of the Ibolo axis of Kwara South, where the current senator representing the senatorial district, Dr Rafiu Ibrahim hails from, for the party’s senatorial ticket to be retained in the axis in the interest of fairness and equity in the distribution political offices within the district.
“It is instructive to note that these consultations and pleas preceded the November 17 by-election and are based on the understanding that the Igbomina and Ekiti divisions of Kwara South had produced senators who served two terms in the Senate as opposed to the Ibolo division whose representative had only served one term.
“This was the sole observation raised by the stakeholders during all their consultative meetings with the national leader of our party and Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and other leaders of the PDP in the state.
“It is, therefore, ridiculous for anybody to think that the outcome of an election that does not reflect the will of the people, as it was marred with widespread irregularities including intimidation of voters, ballot box snatching and illegal arrest of PDP members, could lead to the withdrawal of Governor Ahmed from the senatorial race.”
But reacting to the issue last night, the Senator representing Kwara South Senatorial district at the National Assembly, Dr Rafiu Ibrahim said he is still very much in the race adding that any report to the contrary is not true.
In a text message to our reporters late last night, Senator Ibrahim said, “It’s not true, please disregard.”
