…why Saheed Popoola lost out
Disquiet in Kwara Central over Ilorin West House leadership position
By Mumini AbdulKareem
The emergence of the new Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Salihu Yakubu Danladi and other principal officers of the House was a product of intense discussion between Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the party leadership and some political bigwigs in the All Progressive Congress (APC), National Pilot, learnt last night.
Danladi, representing Ilesha-Baruba/Gwanara constituency of Baruten Local Government Area emerged the Speaker of the House during the inauguration of the 9th legislature on Tuesday after his nomination by the only ranking lawmaker, Hon Saheed Popoola.
The action of Popoola, a former top contender for the speakership race, who had already announced his decision to step down few days to the ceremony didn’t come to many as a surprise. However, his failure to pick the deputy speakership position or any of the principal offices despite his experience after the conclusion of the programme has been a subject of hot debate among party leaders and stakeholders.
It was gathered that at the height of the lobbying for the top seat, the party summoned all the elected lawmakers to a meeting at Savannah hotel, Ajasa-Ipo road, Ilorin on Friday where Popoola was told to step down and endorse the Governor’s candidate and eventual Speaker, Danladi.
Sources who spoke with our reporter on the issue last night said Popoola was later “pacified and compensated” with the position of the deputy speaker but he rejected it.
One of the sources said after losing the top position, Popoola “became indifferent” to any other position being offered by the leadership of the party and decided to remain an ordinary member.
It was not clear whether Popoola will be willing to work as chairman of any of the House Committees that will be distributed when the House commence sitting from next week.
Asked what will now be the role of the ranking lawmaker, the source said, “he now prefers to assume the role of an elder.”
Another source who also spoke on the issue said part of what also worked against Popoola was the issue of religion in addition to zoning.
“What initially worked against Popoola was the issue of zoning because the APC has ceded the position to Kwara North. Although, the party has zoned the deputy speakership seat to Kwara South, the APC was sensitive to the issue of Muslim-Muslin ticket and that was why Hon Adetiba Olanrewaju Raphael (Oke-Ero constituency) emerged.
Meanwhile, the announcement by the Speaker of Hon Mogaji Abubakar Olawoyin as the House Leader jolted many lawmakers from Kwara Central during the event.
Lawmakers from Asa, Ilorin South and Ilorin East including some party supporters after the ceremony expressed their surprise at the development shortly after the plenary at the floor accusing Ilorin West of already having enough political patronage to the detriment of other local governments in the present administration.
Several calls to Hon Ali Oluwanilo, a lawmaker from Ilorin South to get his response on the issue was not successful as he did not pick his calls.
A source said the reaction of the lawmakers to the issue after the inauguration ceremony pointed to the fact that they only carried along on the issue of the speakership and his deputy and not on the position of other principal officers.
There were insinuations during the ceremony that the presence of the Chairman of the APC, Bashiru Omolaja Bolarinwa from the commencement till the end of the inauguration ceremony was to ensure the party’s decision didn’t suffer setback.
The speaker was unanimously elected by the other 23 members following his nomination by Hon Saheed Popoola and seconded by member representing Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe Constituency, Hon. Abdullahi Haliru Danbaba.
The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Adetiba Olanrewaju Raphael (Oke-Ero) was also elected Deputy Speaker following his nomination by member representing Malete/IPaiye Oloru Constituency Hon. Babatunde Abdulkareem Paku and seconded by Hon representing Share/Oke-Ode Constituency. Hon. AbdulRasaq Owolabi.
Other principal officers unanimously elected were Hon. Abubakar Olawoyin Magaji, House Leader, Hon. Olarewaju Bello Deputy House Leader, Hon. Musa Yusuf Atoyebi Chief Whip and Hon. Jimoh Amuda Aliyu, Deputy Whip.
