- As APC Kicks, Says It Is A Deceit
From Kayode Abdulazeez, Ilorin
Senate President and national leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Bukola Saraki and stakeholders of the party in the Kwara state on Sunday signed a pact with traditional and political leaders from the northern part of the state, agreed to a shift of power to the north by 2023. This is indicating that the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji AbdulRazaq Atunwa will spend only one term if the party wins the forthcoming election on March 2, 2018.
This was made known to journalists at a press briefing addressed by the party’s state chairman, Alhaji Kola Shittu and Director General of the PDP campaign council in the state, Professor Suleiman Abubakar.
Abubakar who read the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, indicated that traditional rulers from the zone as well as the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari witnessed and endorsed the Memorandum of Understanding(MoU).
It was also agreed at the meeting that Kwara north will produce the Secretary to the state government (SSG) and Speaker if the PDP wins the 2019 election in the state.
The communiqué reads thus: “About an hour ago, the PDP Kwara State Leadership just completed a meeting with Leaders of Thought from the Kwara North Senatorial District. The meeting was also attended by leaders of the party across the state.
“The sole purpose of the meeting was for us to have an understanding on specific terms on issues bordering on power shift, cohesion, giving sense of belonging and inclusiveness to our people across all the three Senatorial Districts.
“The conclusion of the meeting is that there will be power shift to Kwara North in 2023. Also, the positions of Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly and Secretary to Kwara State Government have been zoned to Kwara North in the post- May 2019 government.
“The understanding has been committed to writing and signed by all key stakeholders present.
“The stakeholders present at the meeting include National Leader of PDP, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed, gubernatorial candidate of the party, Rt. Hon. Rasak Atunwa, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dr. Alli Ahmed, Director General of the Mandate 2019, Prof. Abubakar Sulaimon, Chairman of the Party, Eng. Kola Shittu and other leaders of the party in the three Senatorial districts.
“Traditional rulers from Kwara North Senatorial District and Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari were consulted on the understanding and they gave their royal blessing to the terms and contents.
“In their speeches at the meeting, the traditional rulers expressed support for any move that will ensure equity, justice and unity among all the various zones in the state. They also noted that their decision to serve as witnesses is based on the need to ensure that political leaders honour and respect the contents of the understanding and work for peace and progress of the state before, during and after the general elections.
“Also, in return, the people of Kwara North have agreed to deliver the bloc vote from the zone to the Peoples Democractic Party (PDP) in the general elections.
“We believe this understanding aimed at re-enforcing the unity, harmony and even development of our dear state is definitely necessary for the continued progress of Kwara State now and in the future.”
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the power rotation pact agreement between People Democratic Party (PDP) and Kwara North stakeholders as deceit of highest order.
This is contained in a Press release signed by Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Tajudeen Folaranmi and made available to Time Nigeria describing the deal as a ruse, saying that “No one in his wildest imagination will believe such fairy tale being sponsored by Dr. Abubarkar Bukola Saraki, as it is nothing but a cheap attempt to pull wool over the eyes of many in a vain attempt to sustain his dominance on the state”
Folaranmi maintained that the Party PDP, headed by Senator Bukola Saraki on Sunday evening reached an agreement with the representative of Kwara North Senatorial district on power rotation that will give them opportunity to produce the governorship candidate under PDP and Saraki Political dynasty in 2023 and also avail them chance of presenting Secretary to the state government and speaker of state house of Assembly when the party wins the forthcoming 2019 governorship election and produced majority members of state assembly respectively.
To him, “Only those living in fool’s Paradise will believe that the signing of such ambitious pact amounts to a mandate already given by the people of Kwara North to the PDP. An area that has been neglected in the last 16 years under the political leadership of Saraki”
“Giving the sociopolitical antecedent of Saraki to keeping promises, it would be illogical to expect a fulfilment of this pact and we need to ask him why he jettisoned the ambitions of Rt.Hon Bio Ibrahim and many other competent Kwara Northeners before now”
“Unfortunately, this charlatan posing as saviour has in the recent past impoverished the Kwara North and Kwara in general with his maladministration during his tenure as Governor and subsequently ruling by proxy to ensure that the ruining status quo remains, albeit in another form”
“ It is however worrisome the ploy to drag our respected traditional rulers into this muddy type of politics by being part of this unholy alliance. The presence of the respected traditional rulers at such gathering is not only absurd but also a desperate attempt to coerce them to submission” he said.
