SDP to APC: Kwarans have moved from fry pan to fire

By Mumini AbdulKareem

The Kwara State chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) last
night took a swipe at the ruing All Progressives Congress (APC) in the
state even as it said Kwarans have become wiser now.
Chairman of the SPD, Lekan Alabi while appraising the state of affairs
since inauguration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, noted that
Kwarans’ romance with the APC will soon be over, adding that things
have become worse after the general election.
SDP was one of the parties that fielded candidate for the last
gubernatorial election in the state but lost to the APC.
The party also went all out for the election with its candidate, Dr
Olajide Adebola and refused to adopt the then APC candidate as done by
others.
Speaking in a telephone chat with this medium, Alabi said the APC did
not win the gubernatorial election but profited from the decision of
Kwarans to have a change of the status quo.
According to him, the APC did not win the gubernatorial election in
Kwara State, but rather the people wanted a change and in that wise,
picked the ruling party to salvage the situation.
“But (it has been) like we moved from fry pan to fire. Things are no
longer at ease and the centre can no longer hold for the ruling APC.
When you look at what is happening in the ruling party today, the
centre is not holding for APC in Kwara State.
“It’s like when you first marry a new wife, there is always a
gestation period that you never see any fault in her until later when
you can now see clearly. The people of the state are now asking
whether they have been blindfolded. That is exactly what is happening.
The ruling party itself is not one and the people of the state are now
seeing where they have made mistake.
“Unfortunately again, we have a one hundred percent assembly that
belongs to the ruling party and there is nothing anybody can do. We
have to tolerate them for the next four years and by then, Kwarans
will make a better choice”, he added.
On the state of SDP in Kwara State, Lekan said the seeming lull in the
party’s activities is synonymous with post election period which is
not peculiar to the party.
“Immediately after an election, there is always a lull or inactivity.
That is exactly what has happened which is reflected in all parties.
Election is a serious business and we know how much we have expended
on it. When you have lost an election, you have to take stock of the
situation which is what we are doing. The party is very active, in
control of the situation and preparing for next year Local Government
elections”, he added.
On the Kogi election slated for November 16 by the Independent
National Electoral Commission, the SDP chair  said the ruling APC in
the state under Governor Yahaya Bello has disappointed the people.
“It is an open secret that the ruling party in Kogi State has
disappointed the people and the only alternative is the SDP as
represented by Natasha Akpoti. They have seen that she is a threat to
the ruling party and the only way to stop SDP from winning the state
is by disqualifying our candidate. We are in court and we believe the
court is going to remedy the situation,” he added .