Revealed: A A, Saliu Mustapha Allegedly Plot Sulaiman’s Removal As NILDS DG * Real reason Amana visits Kwara Governor 

By Omowumi Omotosho

National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies(NILDS) DG, Prof Abubakar Sulaiman’s recent meeting with the Kwara State governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq was done to save his job at NILDS, it has been revealed.

Authoritative sources privy to the development that led to the meeting disclosed to the National Pilot that Sulaiman was forced to bow to pressure mounted by the governor and the Senator representing the Kwara at National Assembly, Saliu Mustapha through the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to relieve him of his position at NILDS.

Sources also described the rumours making the rounds that Sulaiman’s meeting with Gov Abdulrasaq was a prelude to Bukola Saraki’s decamping to the All Progressives Congress(APC), as “24 karat falsehood ”

According to the sources, the President of the 8th Senate and two-term former governor of the state has no intention whatsoever to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). ” And he has absolutely nothing to do with the shenanigans going on between Amana and his political hounds”, one of the sources emphasized.

Amana’s problem, it was gathered, started when both Governor AbdulRazaq and Sen. Mustapha allegedly approached the Senate President to complain about the NILDS DG’s growing political influence in the state, fueled by the enormous resources at his disposal.

They reason with the Senate President that since Amana is opposition PDP member, it will not be fair to allow him use his position at NILDS, which is the privilege of ruling party, APC, for the political benefits of the opposition party in Kwara. Consequently, they advise that he should be removed from office.

The Senate President, it was gathered, concurred and invited the NILDS boss for discussion. At the meeting, Akpabio reportedly put his cards on the table and offered Sulaiman three options, namely: resignation, removal or decamp to the ruling APC.

Amana, sources disclosed, opted for the third condition.

” He chose to jump to the other side. That is, he cross over to the ruling party. He did that to save his job at NILDS. That’s all”, one of the sources affirmed.

It was learned further that since the position of the NILDS DG is supposedly non-partisan, Sulaiman is not expected to declare for any political party, hence his silence over the development. He however, reportedly directed his followers in PDP, some of whom were members of the party’s state executive, to move enmass to the ruling APC. The affected members officially resigned and other members declared for the ruling party over the weekend.

The meeting between Amana and Governor Abdulrazaq was done behind closed doors with neither party releasing official statement detailing the discussions. Only the photograph of the meeting showing Amana, dressed in light blue agbada and Abdulrazaq, in light brown agbada, both smiling to the camera, was released to the public.

With the meeting becoming public and attracting political insinuations, kwara PDP swiftly reacted and try to set the record straight.

In statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the party clarified the membership status of NILDS DG and denied any involvement of the former Senate President, Saraki in the political decision of Sulaiman.

Titled “OUR POSITION ON THE PURPORTED RESIGNATION OF PROFESSOR SULEIMAN AND HIS FOLLOWERS FROM THE PARTY –KWARA PDP”, the party statement reads in full:

The Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has received numerous inquiries regarding the political affiliation of Professor Abubakar Olanrewaju Suleiman fondly referred to as ‘Amana’, the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) – his followers and their political affiliation with PDP, which, for quite some times, has been shrouded in serious controversy. For record purposes, we wish to clarify the following:

That:

1. Professor Abubakar Suleiman ceased to be a member of the PDP in 2019 following his appointment as NILDS DG.

2. Although his appointment was facilitated by the then President of the 8th Senate and PDP leader, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (CON), Professor Suleiman publicly announced his withdrawal from active partisan politics in 2019 perhaps to protect his new office.

3. It’s worthy of note that this non-partisan stance was recently reaffirmed in a public statement by one of his aides, emphasizing Professor Suleiman’s apolitical status due to his current official position.

4. Given the above, it is erroneous to refer to Professor Suleiman as a chieftain of the PDP in Kwara State. He was a beneficiary of the party’s leader, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

5. Despite being a beneficiary of Dr. Saraki’s leadership, Professor Suleiman or anyone associated with him has not been compelled to remain in the PDP. Saraki, as a liberal democrat, has always respected the personal political decisions of individuals associated with him, including the NILDS’s DG.

6. Flowing from the above, Professor Suleiman’s political affiliation, whether to the APC or any other party, is a matter for him to explain to those he owes explanations. It will, therefore, amount to confusion for anyone to claim he is defecting from PDP to APC.

7. Our leader, H. E. Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki is not involved in whatever political decision taken by Professor Abubakar Suleiman and or any of his followers. To this end, claims that he and his followers are joining the APC as placeholders for Saraki are baseless and falsehood.

8. We wish Professor Suleiman and his supporters, including Risikatu Olohunoje, the former Assistant State PRO, who have resigned from their party’s positions, which were obtained through the 2018 merger agreement when we left the APC for the PDP, the best in their new political endeavours.

The PDP in Kwara State uses this medium to assure Kwarans and the general public that our Party remains preoccupied with our strong determination to rescue Kwara from the shackles of kleptomaniacs under Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq who have been holding the state backward and put our people in perpetual hardship since 2019″

However, ss the situation unfolds, the political landscape in Kwara State remains in a state of flux. Observers are keenly watching Sulaiman’s next moves, which could significantly impact the balance of power in the state. Whether these recent events signal a permanent shift in allegiance or are merely part of a broader strategy remains to be seen. For now, the speculation continues, with Kwarans eagerly awaiting further developments in this unfolding political drama.