Kwara Bye-Election: APC chairman, Bolarinwa shuns Gov in congratulatory speech

By Mumini Abdulkareem

The last Kwara bye-election held to fill the vacant seat for Patigi constituency on Saturday might have come and gone with the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adam Rufai declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it however appeared to have opened another round of crisis in the leadership tussle rocking the party.
Although, both Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and Party chairman, Bashir Bolarinwa campaigned in Patigi before the election, there was reportedly no love lost between the duo during the electioneering which later led to online attacks between their supporters who accuse Bolarinwa of working with the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Minister of State for Transport, Gbemisola Saraki of collaborating to undermine the Governor for political reasons.
That Governor and Bolarinwa have refused to sheath their swords became apparent after party’s victory in Patigi on Saturday.
While reacting to the victory, Bolarinwa in a statement personally signed by him blackout the governor who reportedly campaigned throughout the ten wards in Patigi which sometimes lasted into the night.
According to Bolarinwa, “on behalf of the state exco and entire members of our great party, I congratulate Hon. Ahmed Adam Rufai on his resounding victory at the bye election to fill the vacant Patigi state constituency seat.
“l am particularly  delighted with the victory of Hon. Rufai at the elections. It is a reaffirmation of faith in our party and definite statement to our traducers that we are still the party to beat.
“I urge the assembly elect member to see his victory as an opportunity to continue the worthy legacies of his predecessor and brother. I commend him to the Almighty Allah to grant him wisdom, good health and the temperament to represent the good people of Patigi constituency well”, the embattled chairman added.
Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made strong representation during the exercise. The party garnered 4,623 while the APC had 10,354.
To this extent, the Nigeria Ambassador to Japan, Prof Yisa Gana floored the ruling party in his polling unit in Echiwada, 84 – 62 votes.
The exercise was however marred by low turnout of voters in many polling units as electorate called for creation of more polling units in the local government area.
The exercise, which held in just one local government area that made up the constituency, started around 8am with few electorates on queue waiting to exercise their franchise.
Gadazaba in Lade I, Dispensary center in Patigi III and Patigi central office in ward one however witnessed some improvement.
Reacting to the causes of the low turnout, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mallam Garba Attahiru Madami said it was not unusual as the election was not a major one.
“Low turnout was expected, because the election was not a major one and moreover, there was not enough time for preparation for it, we have to thank the National Orientation Agency, NOA, for their support in terms of sensitization campaign for the exercise”
In his reaction shortly after voting, the People Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mohammed Salihu Yahaya who voted in the same polling unit (Gadazaba) in Lade I with APC candidate, Hameed Adam Rufai, who confirmed they cousins, said “the large turnout of voters at our polling unit was a sign of love and excitement of producing the next representative from our people, irrespective of where the pendulum swings”.
He called for the creation of more polling units in the local government adding that his people always pass through a lot of physical distress during election as result of distance they have to trek
“We appeal to INEC to give us more polling unit in Patigi local government, our people trek as much as 14 kilometres before getting to their polling unit and this distance even discourage some people from coming out to vote”
Also addressing journalists after he cast his vote, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Adam Ahmed Rufai, who is the younger brother to the late lawmaker, Saidu Hameed Rufai, gave kudos to the security agencies and INEC for the peaceful election.
Reacting to the calls for the creation of more polling units, the INEC REC said the national body of the commission is working on creation of more polling units across the country in line with calls from the electorates.