By Mike Adeyemi
Mixes reactions have trailed the 30 per cent women inclusion, among others in the forth coming Wards and Local Government Congresses of the Kwara State People’s Democratic Party, PDP following the directive of the party’s chieftain, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
National Pilot gathered that the position of the party chieftain at the stakeholders meeting held in Ilorin the state capital last week did not go down well with some PDP members as they picked holes in the new rules.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State People’s Democratic Party, PDP has denied any rancour across the 16 Local Government of the State following the recent directive by the national leader of the party, Dr. Bukola Saraki asking for 30% women inclusion amongst other at the forth coming wards and local government congresses.
Speaking with our reporter through telephone call yesterday, Kwara State PDP Treasurer, Hon. Olatunji Gabriel said there is nothing wrong in the position of the party’s chieftain, Dr Bukola Saraki, describing his stand as being lenient against the 35 per cent women inclusion stated by the constitution.
“There is no any issue concerning want our leader has said. It is a known issue to all of us in the party and I have not gotten any report of grudges by party members across the state on the issue.
“The position of our leader, Dr. Bukola Saraki, is sacrosanct on this. All what he said at the stakeholders meeting are in tandem with the provision of the party constitution,” Olatunji said.
He added that the new principle by the party became imperative in order to dutifully reshape and rejig Kwara PDP and to bring about all encompassing inclusiveness.
“As national leader of the party, he knows what is rightful for us and he won’t flout party’s constitution. Even he was a bit lenient particularly on the 30 per cent women inclusion.
“The party constitution stated 35 per cent women inclusion as against what is in vogue here in Kwara. So there is no issue on it at all, it is a setting principle of our party,” the PDP Treasurer affirmed.
In his reaction, the former Youth Leader of Kwara State People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Haliru Dantosho Mahmud said there hasn’t been any diverse opinions contrary to what the leader of the party had rightly said, though it is normal for people to disagree with any ideology no matter how good it is.
“At any given point, no matter how good an ideology is, people are bound to contend it. There are some people in the party who are not happy about the new development.
“The former senate leader said a lot of things at the stakeholders meeting that would project our party in a limelight, but there was a misconception about what he said. We are okay with his position at Kaiama Local Government. The only leader we have in Kwara is Saraki and he decision bounds on us.
“Parts of his position was that 30 per cent position should be reserved for the youths, new faces should be given 20 per cent and that the Wards and Local Government Congress must be transparent.
“The grouses at some local government revolve around the fact that the 30 per cent women inclusion may not be tenable as a result of fewer women participation in politics at the locals.
“They argued that to even get 5 per cent of women in some local governments is difficult. But as far as Kaiama Local Government is concerned there is no atom of disagreement as to this,” Haliru said.
