Recent developments in the Kwara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) regarding former aides of the Senate President who did not defect with Dr Bukola Saraki to the `Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have again brought to question the electoral process of popular politicians in the state who have decided to contest political offices outside the structure. HEAD POLITICS, MUMINI ABDULKAREEM examines the issue.
When the Senate President and now National Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) decided to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for his former party, three prominent names among those who were his former aides featured prominently on the lips of many political observers who remained with the ruling party.
The reason for this was not farfetched following their long time relationship with the Senate President until recently when political differences separated them from their former boss.
Except for Yinka Aluko, the former security aide to Saraki during the latter’s tenure as governor of Kwara State who left his former boss before the 2015 general elections, the likes of Saraki’s former chief of staff and secretary to the State Government, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Cook Olododo and his ex Special Adviser on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Protocol and Special Duties on National Assembly Matters, Hon Moshood Mustapha only left the structure that had brought them fame and fortunes few months before the defection.
Although, Yinka Aluko, nicknamed the ‘Original Home Boy’ by his admirers, braced the odds to emerge the running mate to Senator Simeon Ajibola of the then PDP during the 2015 governorship primary, the first electoral contest for Olododo and Mustapha outside the very formidable Saraki’s dynasty has not really been palatable. If anything, it has been a tale of anguish and despair, despite priding themselves as the new messiah in the best position to lead what they call the liberation movement in the APC.
Whether by political calculation or sheer providence, the threesome in the ongoing political contest for 2019 decided to pull resources together and work in unison to emerge candidates of the APC in different elective positions. While Mustapha went for the governorship ticket, Aluko and Olododo were aspirants for the senatorial and House of Representatives respectively. Although they talked tough and launched their campaigns with fanfare to underscore their seriousness and readiness for the assignment ahead, the journey has however appeared too rough for them in the ruling APC.
During the declaration of his campaign bid at the Arca Santa Event centre, which had Aluko and Olododo present, Moshood Mustapha left many tongues wagging with one of the most elaborate campaigns by any of the APC aspirants yet. Those that attended the event, especially their apologists were already engaged in a narrative that the pedigrees of the three former Saraki acolytes will be a nightmare for the PDP in the 2019 race.
But the reality regarding that perception has been an anti-climax of sort for the trio. Since the APC held its primaries in Kwara State, Mustapha, Aluko and Olododo appeared to have been humbled and have suffered worst of whatever they have complained that made them dumped the Saraki’s camp. It is however, one of the greatest ironies that despite complaints of brazen injustice and blatant imposition allegedly perpetrated by certain influential individuals, especially the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed during the recently concluded APC primaries, they have surprisingly continued to rationalise the development in sharp contrast to their disposition prior to the exercise.
Moshood Mustapha, while reading his declaration speech in September last month, noted that “The Kwara Rejuvenation Project started two years ago and we are glad we have come this far. My decision to run for the office of the governor of Kwara state has been a source of nightmare… (to some people) because of my antagonism to imposition of candidates.
“My close associates can attest to the fact that I am a proponent of fairness and equity and I dislike INJUSTICE. I have always been an advocate of internal democracy within the party and when I discovered that my clamour for a fairer level playing ground within the then APC was ignored severally, I subsequently decided to sever all ties from my former political structure even resigned my appointment”.
It was however surprising that MM, as Mustapha is popularly called in the political circles has chosen to remain in the APC despite worst experiences that had attracted his open condemnation and cry for justice.
After his curious disqualification in the middle of the gubernatorial primary through a radio announcement, Mustapha has found it very difficult to get the leadership of the party to upturn the situation. A meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the leader of the party that was expected to bring succour has only succeeded in inflaming the already tensed situation.
In contrast to his earlier declaration speech, though the former federal lawmaker alleged that the presidential meeting was another plot to cover-up impunity and INJUSTICE (emphasis mine) happening in Kwara APC, he has however reacted to the two INJUSTICES differently one from the position of strength and the other from the position of weakness.
Addressing his supporters over the weekend at his campaign secretariat in Fate Road, Ilorin, MM noted that he “Uncovered moves by some selfish elements within the party hierarchy to ensure emergence of a particular aspirant”, adding that his “detractors within the party decided to issue the illegal disqualification statement on Harmony FM to stop my impending victory at the primary election”, but the “really sad and disheartening “situation has not warranted any movement. He has continued to remain in the APC and perhaps to suffer more INJUSTICES that is expected to be meted out to him in the coming weeks before the 2019 elections. What is certain, however, is that the “justice and equity” Mustapha sought for in the APC have not only eluded him, it has assumed a proportion in just very few days that has paled whatever were his complaints while still with the Senate President into nothingness. The turnout in the APC for him appears to be tougher and how strong he will continue to go remained to be seen and will be clearer in the weeks ahead.
In the case of Cook Olododo, before now, many of his supporters had attributed the few losses suffered by the then APC in Ilorin East during the last local government election in some councillorship seats to his influence. For this group of people, Olododo’s contest for the ticket of the House of Representatives in Ilorin South/East this time around was nothing to worry about and had even gone ahead to hand him the ticket before the election was conducted. The reverse has however been the case. Not only did he lose to a practically new kid on the block in grassroot politics in Kwara in his first major political contest since he left the Saraki dynasty, the decision by the party to replace the hitherto declared winner and a member of the famous Idiagbon family in Kwara State, Oluwashola (Jimmy) Idiagbon with Olododo is now a subject of legal fireworks between the latter, INEC and the party. When contacted to react to his initial loss despite the hype, Olododo had told Pilot Politics that he ‘would get back to you’.
Unlike the case of Olododo, which the party has temporarily succeeded to substitute the winner for that of the last among the trio who contested the senatorial ticket, Yinka Aluko has been a lost battle. He lost to Alhaji Yahaya Oloriegbe whose name has been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the APC. Although the party has up till November 17, 2018 to make final substitution, the indices on ground so far suggested nothing to the effect. Just like in the governorship race where MM appeared to have resigned to fate, his senatorial choice, Aluko who is the third leg of the tripod in the 2019 project of the trio appeared to have accepted his cross.
