In Kwara, the status quo remains

DESPITE the build up to the recently concluded gubernatorial election in Kwara, described as “State of Harmony”, nothing has changed in its political landscape.

According to the Returning Officer of the election in the state, Professor Musbau Akanji, while collating results brought by Collating Officers from the 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs), Governor Abdufatai Ahmed of the All Progressive Congress (APC) led in all the areas.

The APC candidate won the contest with a total of 295, 832 votes to defeat Senator Simeon Ajibola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 115, 220 votes and Dr. Mike Omotosho of Labour Party (LP) who scored 2, 973 votes.

As usual, politicians at the receiving end of the stick are licking their wounds, and probably regretting some of the steps they took before and during the polls.

Already, many of them may have finally concluded that no man born via natural means can dismantle the political structure meticulously built by late Olusola Saraki some 38 years ago.

They indeed embarked on rugged campaigns, rallies and provisions of ‘stomach infrastructure’ but met their match in the seeming invincible political Rock of Gibraltar of Saraki, now under the firm control of his son, Bukola, a national chieftain of the APC.

But Chief Iyiola Oyedepo, the state Chairman of the PDP who said the victories of the APC could not be divorced from “heavy presence of moles within our party”, is in disagreement. He said, “we sensed it, but it was rather too late.”

The state Chairman of the APC Ishola Balogun-Fulani described his party’s victory in all the available electable positions, as a hurricane powered by Saraki’s political structure under the tutelage of “our leader, Bukola Saraki.”

Dr Femi Akorede the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media to the governor said the holistic victories were simply the sign of total acceptability of the political leadership of Saraki by “all the lovers of democracy and peace in Kwara.”

For Raheem Adedoyin, the SSA Communications to Ahmed, “the gang up against the ruling APC in Kwara simply failed and for long it will continue that way. Kudos however to our opponents for conducting their botched attempts at unseating the people’s governor peacefully. It is indeed sweet victories for Kwarans.”

In the same vein, Tunji Morounfoye, an Ira,  Oyun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kwara-born Information Commissioner, “we told some of our opponents before the elections to join Saraki’s political camp, building a Kwara of our dream rather than embarking on invective campaigns, they failed to listen. But I think today, they have learnt their lessons.”

Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, encapsulated the “secret” of the “total victories” of the APC in the state thus: “you don’t need to change a wining team because no wining side worth its salts will stop the adoption of its wining strategies. It was simply a sweeping victory engendered by general acceptability of our people.”

Already, the two main contenders with the incumbent, Ajibola of the PDP and Omotosho of the LP had sent their congratulatory messages to the victor. Ajibola, according to Akorede in a telephone conversation with Ahmed at about 10:30 pm on Sunday shortly after the official announcement of the results, congratulated the governor.

Omotosho during a press briefing on Monday expressed dismay about the “betrayal of trusts of the people they warned me against but who I felt were simply being maligned by their detractors. We are however taking home some lessons out of this.”

Besides, he stated that he had no regret attempting the political liberation of his people, irrespective of the enormous resources he might have committed into the project, believing however that “liberation of Kwarans will surely occur one day.”

For the Deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in the poll, Mallam Ahmed Yinka Aluko, “despite the outcome of the poll, the freedom struggle would not be negotiated”.

Speaking on the victories, an elated Saraki, said to be the favourite candidate for the exalted seat of the Senate Presidency told reporters of the readiness of the political dynasty to continually give the people of the state a good sense of political direction.

He said there is no opposition in Kwaran politics adding, “apart from Dele Belgore (SAN) there is no living politician in this state today who did not pass through the political school of the Sarakis. So who are the opposition members you are referring to? They said Gbemisola my biological sister was a mole in the PDP, who among them did not originally come from here?”

Although the electoral battles are finally over, the spate of defection to the winning APC is enormous. Gbemisola Saraki, Segun Olawoyin and the former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Benjamin Ezekiel Yissa had all dumped the PDP for the APC. The rumour in the state is also linking Belgore with “imminent defection” as well.

The pertinent question now is “could there ever be a room for credible opposition in Kwaran politics?” If no, then what version of democracy is in operation in such a state?