As much as actors in the unfolding drama try painting a different picture, political observers have described as uneasy calmness then recent happening in the political structure in Kwara state. This, the political observers have said may soon snowball into open confrontation if not nibbed in the bud.
All the political personalities in the unfolding drama have tried to hide the brewing love lost relationship among themselves be it as it may, however, their moves and actions have betrayed them in the public glare.
The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, is the recognised political leader in the state, especially among ruling APC. This recognition was bequeathed to him by the sagacity of his late father, Dr. Olusola Saraki, who was a respected and iconic political statesman. The political structure built by the late philanthropist had been producing political office holders such as state and federal legislators, governors and ministers from the state more than 40 years ago while the selection of these politicians had been done through consensus arrangement till date.
As democratic as this could seem whereby the political leader, in his political wisdom, select a candidate or ask for nomination from contending forces in a particular constituency, the Nigerian Tribune gathered that many members of the group now wanted an open contest.
Feelers from the fold have indicated that members are now calling for paradigm shift where aspirants, unlike before, would indicate their interest, paste posters, go into primaries and contest candidacy of the party which the structure belongs.
Political watchers in the state are eagerly looking forward to see how this would play out in the governorship primary election or selection this time around as gladiators are said to have poised for showdown with the leadership of the fold in the 2019 general elections.
However, some members of the fold wanted the status quo to remain. One of them is the House Leader in the state House of Assembly, Honourable Hassan Oyeleke, who said that the consensus arrangement is democratic, cost effective, encourages reconciliation, prevent legal tussle and promotes brotherliness in every political structure.
“There is a tendency for people to disrupt primaries because of level of competition, or poverty and destroy things and even kill. Consensus encourages reconciliation, it is cost effective and instead of wasting time and energy campaigning for position, at consensus level you disagree to agree. Consensus is not at variance with democracy. If you consent, it is okay, except if you impose candidates, and which is not right. It is peaceful and make process cost effective and it breeds understanding”, he said.
According to some political observers in the state, those that are likely to come out in the 2019 governorship race in the state in the Saraki political structure include the special adviser to the Senate president on special duties and interparliamentary, Hon. Moshood Mustapha, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Dr. Ali Ahmad, member of the House of Representatives, representing Kaiama/Baruten federal constituency, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, a member of APC Board of Trustees, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, to mention but a few.
Another contending issue brewing among members of the Saraki political structure is the issue of who becomes the next Senator from the Kwara South senatorial district. The incumbent governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed would be completing his second term in office come 2019. He may be going to the Senate. This ultimately would mean that he would unseat the senator presently occupying the position, Rafiu Ibrahim, if possible. This is a development which the present occupier of the seat may not take lying low. This unfolding scenario in the group is believed by political watchers in the state to be capable of rocking the group in the build up to 2019 elections in the state.
This is more so as a sociopolitical group, Kwara South Unity Forum, recently called for recall of the senator. Accordingly, the group said that it had dispatched letters to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Assembly to that effect.
In a twist to the development through a reaction by students under the auspices of National Association of Nigerian Students, the state branch, National Association of Kwara state students (NAKSS) passed vote of confidence on the senator.
Speaking with journalists in Ajase-Ipo, Irepodun Local Government Area, the state chairman of NANS, Comrade Abdulkadir Aliyu, said that the senator had been a man of the people and father of Nigerian students in the constituency. The Kwara South Forum had said that its decision was born out of the alleged under performance and poor representation of the Kwara South senatorial district under Senator Ibrahim.
Addressing reporters in Ijagbo, Oyun local government area of the state at the weekend, President of the forum Comrade John Adegboye said “the current system of representation we are experiencing under Senator Ibrahim is archaic, demeaning, dehumanizing and also unacceptable. We are no longer under the precolonial dispensation where there is indirect rule.
“We, the people of Kwara South are appalled by the fact that a man whom we unanimously elected as a senator to represent us in the eighth Assembly, has now openly declared that he has ‘boss’ other than we the good people of Kwara South, that he takes directives from us.
“We make bold to call your attention to the physical implications of this show of subservience. In almost three years. Where are the federal projects the senator has attracted to the district?”
Reacting to the group’s intention, students under the auspices of National Association of Nigerian Students, the state branch, National Association of Kwara state students (NAKSS) passed confidence vote on the senator. The state chair of NANS, Comrade Abdulkadir Aliyu, said that the senator’s leadership qualities and open door policy had endeared him to the students.
He said that could be attested to by the construction of relaxation centre for students of the University of Ilorin, students empowerment scheme, renovation of Offa Township Hall, free SSCE and JAMB registration, as well as sponsorship of students programmes, scholarships, and free vocational training. While this was raging on, students of the state polytechnic, Kwara polytechnic embarked on series of protest against alleged hike in their tuition fees on streets of the Ilorin metropolis. While both the state government and the authority of the institution insisted that there was no hike or that the protesting students were not students of the institution since the protest took place outside the campus, the students continued to take their protest to the state House of Assembly and to the hearing of the political leader of the ruling APC, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
Thus, through a Facebook reaction, which was made available to journalists by the state chapter of the APC, the Senate President frowned against purported recent hike in the tuition fee of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin. Saraki, who said that the increment, in the face of the prevailing economic hardship in the country, was not acceptable, however expressed hope that the state government would intervene to check the increment.
“Just this morning, (early last December) students from my constituency sent me the details of the school fees that the Registrar of the Kwara State Polytechnic released for the 2017/2018 academic session through Whatsapp. After reviewing it, I found out that there has been a deliberate attempt to confuse and mislead the state government and the general public.
“It is obvious that a second year student in 2017/18 is now expected to pay N20,000 more than second year students paid in the 2016/17 session. This is contrary to the claim contained in the statement released by the institution just last week.
“With the present economic situation, this increment is unacceptable. I stand by my earlier position that education must be affordable for every willing citizen because it is the bedrock of development. Any increase in the school fees must be stopped now. I appeal to all concerned students and their families to remain calm. I am sure that the government will revisit this issue. Thank you to all the students who spoke with me on the phone this morning and helped to provide additional insight
“We, the people of Kwara South are appalled by the fact that a man whom we unanimously elected as a senator to represent us in the eighth Assembly, has now openly declared that he has ‘boss’ other than we the good people of Kwara South, that he takes directives from us.
“We make bold to call your attention to the physical implications of this show of subservience. In almost three years. Where are the federal projects the senator has attracted to the district?”
Reacting to the group’s intention, students under the auspices of National Association of Nigerian Students, the state branch, National Association of Kwara state students (NAKSS) passed confidence vote on the senator. The state chair of NANS, Comrade Abdulkadir Aliyu, said that the senator’s leadership qualities and open door policy had endeared him to the students.
He said that could be attested to by the construction of relaxation centre for students of the University of Ilorin, students empowerment scheme, renovation of Offa Township Hall, free SSCE and JAMB registration, as well as sponsorship of students programmes, scholarships, and free vocational training. While this was raging on, students of the state polytechnic, Kwara polytechnic embarked on series of protest against alleged hike in their tuition fees on streets of the Ilorin metropolis. While both the state government and the authority of the institution insisted that there was no hike or that the protesting students were not students of the institution since the protest took place outside the campus, the students continued to take their protest to the state House of Assembly and to the hearing of the political leader of the ruling APC, Dr. Bukola Saraki. Thus, through a Facebook reaction, which was made available to journalists by the state chapter of the APC, the Senate President frowned against purported recent hike in the tuition fee of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin. Saraki, who said that the increment, in the face of the prevailing economic hardship in the country, was not acceptable, however expressed hope that the state government would intervene to check the increment.
“Just this morning, (early last December) students from my constituency sent me the details of the school fees that the Registrar of the Kwara State Polytechnic released for the 2017/2018 academic session through Whatsapp. After reviewing it, I found out that there has been a deliberate attempt to confuse and mislead the state government and the general public.
“It is obvious that a second year student in 2017/18 is now expected to pay N20,000 more than second year students paid in the 2016/17 session. This is contrary to the claim contained in the statement released by the institution just last week.
“With the present economic situation, this increment is unacceptable. I stand by my earlier position that education must be affordable for every willing citizen because it is the bedrock of development. Any increase in the school fees must be stopped now. I appeal to all concerned students and their families to remain calm. I am sure that the government will revisit this issue. Thank you to all the students who spoke with me on the phone this morning and helped to provide additional insight on this issue”.
Following the intervention of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, the Kwara state government directed the management of the State Polytechnic, Ilorin to reduce its tuition fees by N5,000.00. Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who also gave the directive via a Facebook post, which was sent to journalists by the governor’s media team, however, said that the Kwara State Polytechnic relies on school fees to meet its obligations to students and staff.
Ahmed’s statement reads: “In recent days, our government has become aware of complaints by students, parents and stakeholders regarding the alleged increase in Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, fees.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Kwara State Polytechnic has not only maintained the fees charged in the 2016/2017 academic session, it has also effected a N500 reduction in the fees payable in the 2017/2018 session.
“Nevertheless, I have taken serious note of the concerns expressed by stakeholders in the state, including the Senate President, His Excellency, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, about students, guardians and parents’ capability to pay the specified fees. Having considered the above and recognizing the current economic challenges facing families in the country, I hereby urge the management of Kwara State Polytechnic to reduce its current fees by N5000.00.
“While thanking those who intervened in this misunderstanding with a view to an amicable solution, the public is hereby invited to note that the Kwara State Polytechnic relies on school fees to meet its obligations to students and staff.”
Many political watchers in the state, however, saw the drama as arm-twisting, which they added may lead to other happenings in the nearest future.
Meanwhile, the governor’s senior special assistant on Media, Dr. Muyideen Femi Akorede, has described debate on the 2019 Kwara South Senatorial District Senate ticket as premature, saying that the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kwara State has established procedures for producing ticket bearers in all elections.
“We emphasize that Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed is focussed on fulfilling his mandate as Governor of Kwara State and has not declared an interest in contesting for the position or any other”, he said.
He also dismissed as false and baseless, claim in some political circles in the state that Governor Ahmed has misunderstandings with his predecessor and current Senate president, His Excellency, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
“To be clear, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed continues to enjoy a warm and highly-cordial relationship with Dr. Bukola Saraki whom he regards as political leader and a respected stakeholder being a former governor of the state.
“The failed attempt to label Governor Ahmed as disloyal to Saraki in the ties in with a long-standing desire nursed by those frustrated by their closeness despite the tradition in other states where incumbent governors hardly see eye to eye with their predecessors.
“For the records, Dr. Saraki and Alhaji Ahmed’s relationship dates back several decades and it is driven by love, respect and a mutual interest in the advancement of Kwara State. Therefore, no campaign from any quarters, within and outside our political system in Kwara State, by those who think that the close relationship between the two leaders threatens their ambition, will succeed.
“It is also patently false to claim that Dr. Saraki interferes with governance in the state, other than offering counsel when consulted, like others, as a former governor of the state and a major stakeholder in Kwara State and indeed Nigeria. Governor Ahmed has established himself as trustworthy by fulfilling his pre-election pledge to ensure continuity by completing and sustaining inherited projects as well as ground-breaking new ones”, he said.
and then