Last week Saturday, electorate in Kwara State like in other states of Nigeria, went to the poll to elect presidential and National Assembly candidates. Since the announcement of the result by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that saw the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) clinching the nine seats, there have been perceived atmosphere of uncertainty on where the governorship poll would swing come next Saturday in the state. HEAD POLITICS, MUMINI ABDULKAREEM writes on the development.
On Saturday in Kwara State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost both the Presidential and National Assembly elections to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Following the outcome of the poll, there have been permutations and analysis from political observers about how the outcome of the exercise will likely impact on the governorship and Houses of Assembly election scheduled for upper Saturday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
While the APC is expected to cash in on the results of the last polls to further solicit for votes to sell its governorship and other candidates to the masses, the PDP will no doubt mobilise human and material resources to make a final push for Hon Razak Atunwa to emerge the governor of the state come next week Saturday.
But in all of these, is there any hope for Hon Razak Atunwa with the situation on ground for the becoming Kwara governor race? The question has dominated discussions and debates in political circles in the state quite alright, but with the political trend in our contemporary environment and capacity of the dynasty to mobilise support to rally party members to do the needful, the bandwagon voting against the PDP might not be hold sway in the coming polls at the end of the day.
Pillars of Hope: Already, if the word of the national leader of the party and Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki is anything to go by that he will work with the party leaders to sell the candidates of the PDP, then the coming election holds huge promise for PDP despite the result of the presidential and NASS polls.
Saraki’s Plea: According to Saraki, in his first official reaction to the outcome of the Presidential/National Assembly poll said, “As we prepare for the March 9th, 2019 Governorship and House of Assembly elections, let me reiterate my position that the candidates of the PDP in the election represent the best materials for our dear State, Kwara. Therefore, I enjoin our people to come out en masse on Election Day and vote for them. I am going to work with our party leaders to further sell the PDP candidates to the general public”.
More than parties: Although, the opposition APC will hope that the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly election will activate a bandwagon effect on the part of the electorate to vote for the party, such expectation might not be the case at the end of the day. Unlike the first round of elections which has more to do with party than the candidates, there is the tendency that Kwara electorate will look deeper at the larger picture this time around to elect a candidate that will best benefit the state and the community in this given circumstance rather than the need to just elect a party.
Local Politics/Asa Connection: Unlike the Presidential and National Assembly elections which the APC won in Asa, with over four thousand votes, the gubernatorial contest between Atunwa and APC’s AbdulRahman will be influenced by local politics in Asa where the PDP candidate hails from. This is the first time that an indigene of Asa will be gunning for the governorship seat in the state and the over 73,000 registered voters in the local government might rally round their Kinsman this time around. Over 27, 000 voters voted during the last election splitting the numbers 15,932 to 11,252 between APC and PDP respectively.
N30,000 Minimum Wage: For Atunwa, the promise to pay N30,000 minimum wage if elected is expected to swing more votes for the party than the last time especially since no such commitment is coming from the APC or its candidate. This arrangement should be able to appeal to civil servants, retirees and pensioners in the state who have clamoured for better welfare package from the incoming administration in the state.
Organisations/Associations commitment: After his emergence as the party’s candidate, Atunwa has met with numerous associations, professional bodies and organisations that cut across the formal and informal sectors in the state on plans and partnership for better governance and inclusivity if he is elected. Such moves were not made with the APC or its candidate and may convince these sectors to give their votes to Atunwa.
MoU with Kwara North: The recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the PDP signed with Kwara North is expected to play a huge role in choice of the candidate that the people will cast their vote for. Apart from the decision to shift the governorship to the region in 2023, the PDP also ceded the post of the SSG and Speaker of the House of Assembly among other ‘juicy’ position to the North. With the governorship coming to the region after one term of Atunwa if elected, the non committal of the APC on the issue of power shift may swing votes in PDP’s favour where some indigenes have reportedly started indicating interest. For the region that has waited for eight years, another possible eight years that cannot even guarantee power to the region at the end of the day may convince stakeholders and electorate on the need to vote for the PDP. Furthermore, this time around, the Buhari factor in some part of Kwara North will no longer be there.
Experience: The PDP candidate, Atunwa’s long time experience in governance compared to the APC’s contestant who has never had any experience at governmental level before should convince electorate to go for the best among the two using such criteria. From executive, legislative and the judiciary as a lawyer, Atunwa will hit the ground running and save the state from greenhorn trying to learn to ropes.
Availability of Senate President: While the last campaigns lasted, Saraki as the Director-General of the Atiku/Obi Campaign Council, he was on and off from the state which limited his time to be on ground and strategise for the victory of the party and the candidates. But after the announcement of the results of the Presidential election, the Senate President is expected to be more involved in the activities at home to coordinate things. Despite the result of the last elections, Saraki will swing additional votes for the party more than it got last time if he operated from home.
