One year after Otoge: Kwara APC going extinct?

One year after the election of Governor Abdulrasaq Abdulrahman in Kwara state led to a crushing defeat of the Saraki Dynasty through the Otoge revolution things are falling apart in the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC). KEHINDE OSASONA writes.

For over four decades the late Dr. Olusola Saraki was in total control of the political arena of Kwara state through active involvement in political affairs and community services. However, the Saraki Dynasty succumbed to a crushing defeat in the hands of the Kwara masses in the 2015 general elections.

While the late sage’s political strangle hold lasted, the Kwara political firmament practically became the empire of the second Republic Senate Leader and the Waziri of Ilorin, who bestrode the landscape like a colossus installing five governors: Governors Adamu Attah; Cornelius Adebayo; Shaaba Lafiagi; Mohamed Lawal; as well as his son, Bukola Saraki; in straight feat.

Before his death, his son Bukola, a former governor and Senate President cut short his father’s reign and installed the immediate past former governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, against his father’s wish of his sister, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, being the governor.

Beginning of the end

Shortly after Governor Ahmed took over the mantle of leadership, the younger Saraki’s support base suffered disintegration. Before one could say Jack, hordes of his supporters and party faithful deserted and left his camp in droves. They opted to pitch their tents with the senior Saraki and his daughter, Gbemisola.

Things took a turn for the worse following the death of the senior Saraki as the masses appeal decreased drastically. The aftermath of that development was the Otoge uprising that reverberated beyond the state.

Part of the reasons that gave rise to the revolution was Bukola Saraki’s surrogate lack-lustre performance as governor leading to decay in infrastructure as well as the fact that dividends of democracy did not get to the grassroots as promised by the Ahmed-led administration.

Cracks in party formation

After successfully ousting the Saraki Dynasty the new leaders in the state appear to have failed in managing its victory successfully as internal squabbles have continued to plague the ruling party in Kwara state puncturing the euphoria of the hard-earned victory at the polls and the hard work invested to end a political era.

 This is as some stakeholders and political analysts hold the views that the unfolding development being witnessed presently could make or mar the APC’s chances in future elections.

Hon. Bashir Bolarinwa, who was at the helms of affair as the party chairman in the state when governor Abdulrahman was ushered into the Ahmadu Bello Way Government House, had accused the latter of abandoning the party after his electoral victory of last year.

According to Bolarinwa, every effort made to make the governor see reason had failed.

“At this juncture, we need to reiterate that contrary to the norm, there is disconnect between the governor and the party as well as between the governor and revered party elders.

“This scenario has been in place after the party primaries, during and indeed after the polls. We were also part of the success of the governor at the election petition tribunal, and we went to Government House to congratulate him and even took pictures with him, but these aggrieved party exco went back on the second day and told the governor that, they are for him and his support group called ‘AA’ support group, and since that time, they decided to exempt themselves from the main stream of the party exco in the state,” Bolarinwa had said.

Blueprint Weekend learnt that the ensuing fracas may have extended to Abuja as the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and Governor Abdulrahman were also alleged to have parted ways.

An insider told our correspondent that the duo had succeeded in splitting the party’s executive committee into two factions.

While the faction loyal to the governor consist of some aggrieved members led by the state the Deputy Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abdullahi Samari, the other faction loyal to the minister was being led by Bolarinwa.

The ego fights amongst Otoge gladiators became more pronounced when the state chairman loyal to minister was attacked by suspected hoodlums early this year in Shao in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara state.

After the attack, party faithful loyal to the chairman pointed accusing fingers at the governor, stating that he wanted to thwart the reconciliation mission embarked upon by Bolarinwa across the 16 local governments in the state.

However, the governor had issued a statement through his Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaiye where he condemned the act and called on the security agencies to fish out those behind the attack.

The statement read in part, “We condemn in strongest terms possible the alleged attack on the state chairman of the APC Hon. Bashiru Omolaja Bolarinwa in Moro local government.

“This is very disturbing. The governor is very proud of the peaceful atmosphere in the state and seriously frowns at any action that might heat up the polity under whatever guise.”

Despite the governor’s swift reaction and assurances, party members loyal to the other minister who are yet to come to terms with the embarrassment, dismissed the statement as mere political statement.

Speaking a press conference a month later, Bolarinwa’s loyalists alleged that the ruling party was being threatened as it has been hijacked by marauders in the state.

Represented by his deputy Chief Sunday Oyebiyi the APC chairman called on, “All genuine party members to join it in the tortuous task of saving the party from leeches and serial killer jobbers.”

He said: “The party would continue to remain resolute and focused on the task of party building and strengthening based on the principle of cohesiveness and oneness.

Bolarinwa who also used the opportunity to clear air on the minister’s involvement noted that: “Alhaji Lai Mohammed is not instigating crisis in the party. The same minister that was accused by these few, provided logistics and support towards the party’s electoral victory in the state,”

Speaking further he said,: “Their reference to a cabal within APC led by Mohammed is petty, childish and laughable. They are afraid of their own shadows, and in going down, they are willing to pull any strands with them. The APC will outlive many of them.

“If the memories of these aggrieved people are short, we cannot be accused of same. When the struggle to win election was fierce and challenging, it was only Mohammed that we saw. He sponsored the sensitization programme, provided logistics and other supports requested from him. He stood by us, and together, we navigated the rough roads to victory. This is not news to our traducers; they only choose the part of mischief.”

But despite pretence and attempt to ward off opposition from feasting on their travail, findings by this medium revealed that issues bordering on party affairs, sharing of political positions and other appointments as earlier envisaged by party members had already torn the party apart.

Feelers from the party secretariat also indicated that the Otoge gladiators in may have declared war against one another.

Crisis escalates

As the crisis escalates pundits and followers of political events in the state have insisted that things may have fallen apart beyond imagination.

Mallam Ibrahim Abdulahi, a party stalwart from Kwara Central, in a phone interview with our correspondent regretted that the fragile peace being currently witnessed in Kwara APC cannot be sustained for long.

Abdulahi, who describing the situation as messy, expressed fear that the crisis between the governor the minister on one hand, and governor and the state party chairman on the other hand, may likely consume the party and all involved.

“Imagine a situation where our party is in crisis and it is about to escalate and everyone was carrying on as if everything is alright forgetting that opposition party are watching us.

“Let me tell you, some of these problems are being discussed in hush tones as if it is a crime to openly discuss about party matters again.

“More worrisome is the fact that, Abuja that is supposed to wade into our crisis has joined the fight because now, I gathered that the presidency and our comrade Chairman have not done enough to salvage the situation,” he said.

While speaking in the same vein, another party stalwart who craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak for the party, said that the internal crisis rocking the party in Kwara state has festered beyond redemption.

He claimed that party faithful and aggrieved stalwarts in the party were already pitching tents with their preferred gladiator.

Speaking further the source, who traced the origin of the quarrel plaguing the party to post-election matters, faulted the governor for putting a ‘one man show’ and its national headquarters for aiding poor party management.

The new twist

Ahead of the planned local government council polls in the state new groups with different nomenclatures like Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq (AA) Support Group; Friends of Abdulrahmam Abdulrasaq (FAA) Support Group; and Iseya Support Group; have emerged across the 16 local government councils of the state in support of the state government further factionalising the party.

The development according to political pundits in the state may have further polarized the crisis plaguing the ruling party in the state.

However, while commenting on the development in a telephone interview, the Publicity Secretary, Kwara APC, Mr Tajudeen Aro, who confirmed the rumour making the rounds, said it was mere misunderstanding in the family and there was no cause for alarm.

According to Aro, the national headquarters of the party has set up a reconciliation committee led by Chief Bisi Akande and aggrieved persons have submitted their petitions.

“The governor has refused to make any comment on the issue you just raised. But, were it not for the coronavirus pandemic by now the issue would have been long resolved.

“I am confirming to you that our working governor has extended an olive branch to the aggrieved persons and I can assure you that what you called internal squabbling would be over soon,” he said.

Aro added that: “What the party will not condone is any form of anti-party from any party member. For us, it amounts to clear disloyalty. Imagine a situation where a party helmsman is comparing our working governor’s achievement to that of former governor Ahmed’s administration?”

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