The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) stakeholders in Kwara South are mounting pressures on the national leader of the party, Bukola Saraki and the state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed to cede the senatorial ticket of the zone to the Ibolo axis in the interest of fairness and equity in the distribution of political offices in the district.
According to sources close to key political figures in Kwara south, the lobby for the senatorial ticket to be ceded to Ibolo axis begun some weeks back.
Though, Governor Ahmed had emerged as the PDP senatorial candidate for the zone, the stakeholders were persuading him as a leader of the party in the state to grant their request.
Those involved in the lobbying include a former deputy governor of the state, Joel Ogundeji and a former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Babatunde Mohammed.
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These prominent PDP leaders and other stakeholders were of the opinion that Ibolo axis of Kwara south should be considered for a second short at the Senate as is traditional in Saraki political dynasty.
During their various consultative meetings with both Saraki and Governor Ahmed, the stakeholders reminded the party’s leaders that the Igbomina and Ekiti axis of zone had enjoyed the privilege of spending two terms each at the Senate.
” It’s therefore necessary to allow our people from Ibolo axis to enjoy the same benefit, ” a leader of the lobbying group who did not want his name mentioned volunteered.
It was gathered that the group between Thursday and Friday met Saraki and Ahmed at different times to persuade them to grant their demand.
It was also learnt that the meetings were fruitful as the two leaders were said to have expressed their readiness to do anything that would ensure total victory for the PDP in next year’s general elections.
The consultations, according to sources are expected to be concluded soon with the possibility of Governor Ahmed announcing “his voluntary withdrawal from the senatorial race”.
Muhideen Akorede, Governor Ahmed’s Senior Special Assistant On Media and Communications, confirmed that consultations had been going on within the political family to consider the request by the leadership of the Ibolo division of Kwara South, from where the current Senator, Rafiu Ibrahim hails from, for a second tenure at the Senate.
He clarified that the consultations and requests of the Ibolo leaders preceded the November 17 bye- election in Irepodun/ Isin/ Ekiti/ Oke- Ero federal constituency.
Akorede added that the ongoing consultation was based on the view that the Igbomina and Ekiti divisions had successfully served two terms in the Senate as opposed to the Ibolo division whose representative had served only one term in the Senate.
While describing the last by-election as a farcical exercise marked by voter intimidation, widespread disenfranchised and the use of security agencies against PDP supporters and members, Akorede quoted the governor to have said that the result of such a disputed election could, therefore, not have formed the basis of a review of his candidacy for the Kwara South Senatorial elections.
“Governor Ahmed assured that PDP will win the general elections in the state as the people of Kwara have resolved never to allow such harassment by security agents again,” he said.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
