2019: Governorship ambition causes rift between brothers in Ilorin

2019 governorship ambition of two brothers of same father is currently causing a rift in the popular Mustapha family in the Ilorin emirate, Kwara state, as the two brothers engage in a game of wits to outsmart each other.

One of the brothers is an astute politician and immediate past aide of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on interparliamentary affairs/ special duties, Alhaji Moshood Mustapha. He is older between the brothers and he is gunning for All Progressives Congress (APC) 2019 governorship ticket in the state.

The younger brother is a professional banker and a proprietor of a popular private radio station in the Ilorin emirate, Sobi FM. He is Alhaji Lukman Mustapha, who is making efforts to get the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2019 governorship ticket in the party’s primaries.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the political camp of the elder brother went to town during the week, claiming that their father, who is an associate of a late political icon in the state, Chief Olusola Saraki, Alhaji Usman Mustapha, had endorsed Moshood Mustapha to become a preferred governorship aspirant between the two brothers.

The supporters had claimed that the father cited the reason that Moshood Mustapha had more political experience and long-standing political ambition of becoming Kwara state governor.

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Also, the younger brother, Alhaji Lukman Mustapha, had to issue a press statement to denounce the purported and widely spread speculation, stating that their father had at no time met with the two of them to discuss or endorse a particular person between the two of them.

On Friday morning, members of a political movement, Lukman Mustapha Freedom Squad, comprising of indigenes of Isale Aluko area of the metropolis, being the family house of the Mustapha, trooped to the GRA, Flower Garden residence of the father, Alhaji Usman Mustapha, to ask him to endorse Alhaji Lukman Mustapha as a preferred aspirant for the governorship position between the two of his sons aspiring for the governorship position.

The people, who came to meet the elder statesman in more than 10 buses amidst singing and dancing, carried placards with various inscriptions pleading with the father to endorse Alhaji Lukman Mustapha.

Speaking at the meeting, the coordinator of the political movement, Kayode Onikanhun, said that the people believed that endorsement of Alhaji Lukman by the father would pave way for his success.

The people who said that the state needed a change in governance, lamented rate of youth unemployment, low level of development and crushing socioeconomic challenges.

In his reaction, the octogenarian expressed joy and happiness over the visit to his residence on their mission, saying that everything belongs to Almighty God.

Alhaji Usman Mustapha asked the people to exercise restraint, patience and be prayerful for God to make their desire come true.

He also told them to put their aspiration on Alhaji Lukman before God, saying that it is easy for God to do for them if it is the wish of God.

Members of the political movement later moved to the Isale Aluko family house of the Mustapha to ask for support of people of the state to complement their efforts in the actualization of their aspiration.