The development actually put paid to months of speculation about planned defection of the Saraki political structure into another party away from the ruling APC.
The view of the political observers that the Saraki political structure would rejoin the PDP was made strong with the fact that all the senators and members of the House of Representatives who just defected to the PDP have all along been political office holders and loyal members of the Saraki political structure.
Among the senators that defected from the state is Senator Shabba Lafiagi. Lafiagi was a former governor of the state and an associate of the late strongman of Kwara politics, Dr Olusola Saraki. He is representing Kwara North senatorial district of the state for the second term, while Rafiu Ibrahim (representing Kwara South senatorial district), is serving his first term in the Senate but had represented his federal constituency in the House of Representatives before.
Abdulrazaq Atunwa, a spokesperson of the defected APC members in the House of Representatives, was a commissioner in the two-term administration of Bukola Saraki as Kwara state governor between 2007 and 2015. He later became Speaker of the state House of Assembly for two terms before being elected to represent his federal constituency in 2015. He is chairman, House Committee on Justice.
Other members of the House of Representatives from the state like Zakari Mohammed, Amuda Kannike, Funke Adedoyin, and Ahman Pategi are loyal members of the Saraki political structure.
Even with the leader of the structure, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who is yet to announce his defection to the PDP, observers believe that his men could not have publicly rejoined the PDP without a directive of their leader.
The leader of the defunct newPDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, had earlier said that members of the structure, or members of the APC, so to say, would leave the ruling party even if their leader refuses to leave with them.
Alhaji Baraje, who had described as desperation the move by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to woo the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and other aggrieved members of the party, said that media reports on plan by the presidency to offer the Senate President and others attractive positions to stop them from defecting to other political parties was surprising in that such offer could be coming after three years in office of the present administration of the APC under President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that the juicy positions being promised Saraki and others were rather too late, describing the present time as “eve of the 2019 general elections.”
“As far as I know, there is no juicy position that can (compensate for) the kind of embarrassment, debasement and horrifying experiences many of us have suffered and gone through in the hands of some few mischievous members of the APC. It’s quite unfortunate,” he said.
Baraje disclosed that as far as he and his supporters and followers are concerned, they have taken a decision and they are about to reach the final stage of such decision.
If the Senate president feels it is fit for him to stay back, all is well and good, he said, but the Senate president as a leader also has his supporters and followers and if they have decided to leave the party, I don’t know what he (Saraki) will still be doing behind.
“The followers of the Senate president, particularly from Kwara State and across the country, have already resolved to leave the APC with or without him. So it is now left for the Senate President to take a decision.
One may ask for the umpteenth time: what is the reason for the defection of the Saraki political structure, especially to the PDP out of all existing old or new parties in the country? This is especially since there has been insinuation and allegations in some quarters that the defection was occasioned by local politics or desperation informed by the need to seek automatic ticket for elective position.
Reacting to this, Abdulrazaq Atunwa said their defection was not about selfish interest or to seek automatic tickets.
“It’s about national interest. All reasons we adduced will be open to Nigerians soon. Suffice to say that the country is drifting under this government of President Muhammadu Buhari in almost all sectors of the nation’s development. The question is: “Is the country better than how President Muhammadu Buhari met it? The answer is no, and this is known to us all. The point here is that we are quite popular and relevant among our people,” he said.
Atunwa also explained the reason for rejoining the PDP and not a new party, saying that, “it’s not the same PDP we’re returning to. We have vibrant new and cerebral old members, new ideas. In the new PDP that we have now, there is no arrogance, and benefits therein will not be to a few like we have it in APC. APC is characterised by impunity. We couldn’t do anything tangible for our people because policies of President Muhammadu Buhari didn’t favour job creation or do you think what N-Power programme brings in anything to write home about?
Supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari in the state are, however, saying that the president met economic woes by past government, adding that the president had succeeded in locking the tap of looting, leakages.
They also accused some political enemies of the president, who they said had formed themselves into a Cabal of trying to make things difficult for him to succeed.
However, stakeholders in Kwara State seem to have had enough of the APC and the APC-controlled federal government, as the people, made up of artisans, market men and women, Okada riders, youth groups, among others, during the week, prevailed on Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to immediately dump the APC and take them to another party.
Following the calls from the stakeholders, Governor Ahmed hinted that he might be quitting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), just like his counterpart in Benue State, Samuel Ortom.
The governor insisted that the party had not met the expectations of the people of Kwara State.
He recalled how key stakeholders in the ruling APC in the state built the party in 2014, alongside other notable Nigerians, with high expectations but were disappointed about the failure of the government the national level to address insecurity, economy and unemployment challenges confronting the nation.
“We formed APC together in 2014 with the hope to meet the needs and aspirations of the people in critical areas of our national life,” the governor said.
He said the leadership of the APC had failed to intervene on critical issues affecting the party and its members, pointing out that injustice within the party is unbearable.
Governor Ahmed, who thanked the people of the state for their support, assured the stakeholders that he would consider their pleas and make public the new platform that would meet the aspirations of the people of the state.
He also promised that the administration would continue to run an inclusive process that would take care of all interests.
Various stakeholders who spoke at the Town Hall meeting called on the governor to take the state to another political party where their welfare would be guaranteed and expectations would be met.
In his remarks, the state president of the Kwara State Artisans Group, Alhaji Saad Alawaye, who commended Governor Ahmed for his numerous empowerment programmes to the informal sector, promised continuous support in moving the state forward.
The state chairman, Association of the Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Mr. Joshua Adekanye, who spoke on behalf of all the 16 local government chairmen, their vice chairmen and 193 councillors, expressed readiness to dump the All Progressives Congress in the interest of the people.
On their part, the youth leader, Alhaji Mohammad Ali Baba, and the women leader, Hajia Rahmat Oganija, thanked the governor for his support to the youth and womenfolk in the state.
They, however, said that they were not comfortable to remain in the APC, citing injustices against Saraki and called for immediate defection to a better and safer political party.
Not to be seen as a loner or a defeated group, some supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari in the State, in a move described by political pundits as counter-attack, went round some streets of Ilorin a day after to drum support for his reelection in 2019.
The president’s sympathisers also urged the Senate president to publicly declare the political party he belongs, advising him to resign as the Senate president.
The spokesman of the solidarity group, George Towoju, while addressing his supporters at the Post Office roundabout said that, “The defection of some members of the National Assembly from the All Progressives Congress, is a desperate attempt.
The group, which said it passed a vote of no confidence on the present National Assembly, said that the attitude of some members was capable of initiating political disunity and derailing the executive arms of government from implementing masses-oriented policies/programmes.
Towoju, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to the values of democracy, freedom of choice as well as willingness to work with all members of the National Assembly, irrespective of their political party, for the benefit of the nation.
“We also declare our total support to President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid and we call on men and women of goodwill and conscience to rally round Mr. President in order to salvage the nation from the current political turbulence and always stand by the oppressed so that we can together build a virile and prosperous Nigeria,” he stressed.
Also, Kwara youths under the aegis of the Kwara Agenda, have warned those they called ‘seasonal politicians’ to stop attacking the Senate president.
The youths while addressing newsmen in Ilorin, the state capital particularly asked a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Yamman Abdullahi, to stop his campaign of calumny against the Senate president.
Abdullahi had on Wednesday led a group on procession around parts of Ilorin metropolis, asking Saraki to declare his stand on APC and resign his appointment as President of the Senate.
But, the coordinator of Kwara Agenda, Comrade Yaqub Kannike, called on people to be wary of antics of opposition elements in the state.
Kannike, who described the call for resignation of the Senate President as ill-conceived by political spent forces, said that Saraki was and still attending to the needs of the good people of Kwara State.
“Saraki has been tested and trusted by the good people of our dear Kwara State. In fact, our God-given leader does not need to be in any political party to win elections in the state. The people of the state have said it in many fora that our political party in Kwara is “Saraki”.
“The simple interpretation of this is that the people of the state are always ready to vote for any party that our leader belongs to at any point in time. There are so many instances to buttress this assertion. The 2015 election is still very fresh in our memory,” he said.
The youth group, which commended development efforts of the Senate president, said that he had mobilised both his personal and public resources to bring succour to many homes, youths, women, widows and even institutions across the state.
“The records of achievements our God-sent leader, Dr Bukola Saraki, speak volume. Our leader’s passion for the development of Kwara State and its people is uncommon and unequalled. Dr Bukola Saraki has used the instrumentality of his office to attract monumental federal projects, especially in the areas of health and education, to the state.
“The ongoing construction of the Federal Medical Centre at Foma-Ita-Nma area of Ilorin is a good example of these. The Senate President has also engaged in construction and reconstruction of many roads in the state in the last three years. Our leader has also facilitated federal civil service job opportunities for many Kwara youths and empowered women.
“Promotion of moral rejuvenation and religious programmes is also not left out in Dr Bukola Saraki’s support for the people of the state. The Senate president recently constituted a committeethat will handle sponsorship of Kwarans on holy pilgrimages to Israel and Saudi Arabia. Our leaders’ achievements are countless, but time will not permit us to list all of them.
“We are therefore using this forum to sensitise the people of the state to the antics of opposition elements and political spent forces like Yamman Abdullahi. They do not have anything to offer you as they will soon desert you as soon as they lose the 2019 general elections. Saraki is our God-chosen leader who is always around to share in our happiness and grief. He deserves our support and we shall never cease supporting him. One good turn definitely deserves another.”
Meanwhile, the coordinator of the Kwara State chapter of Buhari Support Group, Honourable Mashood Bakare, has formally resigned his appointment.
Honourable Bakare who is a second timer at the State House of Assembly, announced his resignation on Thursday at the floor of the House.
The former State Coordinator of Buhari Support Group, representing Omupo Constituency, said his decision was based on personal reason, pointing out that, he had already tendered his resignation letter to the group informing it of his decision to relinquish his position.
He disclosed that he assumed the position in 2014, stressing that he was no longer willing to be part of the organisation.
The Legislator explained that communal interest supersedes any parochial consideration, assuring that he would continue to be sensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of his people.
Reacting, the Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad, enquired if the decision to relinquish his post was willingly taken, and answered in the affirmative.
Dr Ahmad then enjoined politicians to always be sensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of their people, to further make democracy more meaningful to average Nigerians.
However, political observers in the state recalled that the recent APC congress held in Kwara state was adjudged by the national leadership of the party to have been won by the Saraki political structure, which is controlling the state government, while a faction of the party in the state proceeded to court to contest it.
While indigenes and residents of the state hold their breath to await the impending defection of the state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, as well as the Senate president to the PDP or any other registered political party in the country, many political observers believe that the eventual declaration would signal new vista in political atmosphere of the State of Harmony that would ultimately bring up new actors and actions that will form the future of the state.
and then