Hammed Shittu writes that the two major political parties in Kwara State; the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party are bedeviled by internal crises, leading to the emergence of a splinter group in the APC called the Third Force

The political atmosphere in Kwara State, popularly called State of Harmony, has continued to thicken every day ahead of the 2023 general election despite the fact that the election is still far away. This is so in view of the current political calculations and maneuvering that continues to trail political events across the 16 local government councils of the state.

This development can be seen across the two major political parties, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while a new Third Force political group have emerged from APC towards seeking the support of the people of the state during the period so as to wrestle power from perceived oppressors.

In the ruling APC, things have fallen apart and the centre can no longer hold as various camps have made new moves to seek new platforms that would help them realise their political ambitions.

The party has been enmeshed in leadership crisis since it emerged victorious during the 2019 general election in the state. The stakeholders instead of consolidating on the electoral victory and working together as a team to set a new agenda for the socio and political development, became fragmented to the extent that, this has continued to take a serious toll on the growth of the party.

The party was so divided to the extent that, they could not form a common agenda that would have become a formidable team to help them work again as one entity to seek another four year in the political calculation like they did during the 2019 general election under the political movement called ‘O To Ge”(Enough is Enough) that wrestled power from the scion of late political leader of the state and former governor, Dr Bukola Saraki.

The feud however snowballed into two major camps in the party. One is believed to be led by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed while the other group called the AA group answers to the state governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Each group is working in different directions, trying to outwit each other ahead of the 2023 general election.

The development has led to accusations and counter accusations over the party’s electoral processes especially the recent party’s membership and revalidation exercise and appeal committee set up by the national leaders of the party.

Though, the incumbent governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is yet to comment on whether he is interested in a second term bid or not but his political calculations have shown moves for a second term bid. He has taken over the party leadership, and his real involvement in the just concluded party membership registration exercise among others are signs of his interest to seek another term in office.

Apart from this, the The governor and his group called Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (AA) group have allegedly taken over the control of the party based on the constitutional provisions of the party that allows state governors on the party’s platform to be the leader of the party and this has helped him to finally install his main man, Alhaji Abdullahi Samari as the new state chairman of the party against a well accepted state chairman of the party, Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa that is from Alhaji Lai Muhammed’s group.

The governor also recently welcomed the immediate past chairman of the PDP into APC at an event to mark the celebration of June 12 in the state. This was a clear demonstration that he has taken over the grassroots of the party.

However, the other group led by the Information Minister, Alhaji Lai Muhammed has been strategising on how their group would have its way when the time comes. Series of meetings, consultations and mobilisation have been going on in the group as a move to wrestle party leadership from the governor at the right time. The APC has postponed its congresses indefinitely. The national convention of the party would surely determine who is in charge of the party in Kwara State.

However, piqued by these irreconcilable differences, some members of the party recently decided to dump the APC and formed a political group under the name of Third Force Movement in the state.

The group according to THISDAY checks was formed to serve as a new front to bring new breed politicians together aimed at wrestling power from the APC.

These aggrieved people that formed the Third Force were those that worked together as a team to form the “O To Ge Movement (Enough is Enough) that wrestled power from the PDP during the 2019 general election.

Although, there were insinuations from certain quarters in the state that the group is being funded by APC leader and former party’s governorship aspirant, Alhaji Yakubu Gobir but some members of the force that spoke with journalists denied such allegation instead they said, “we were just begging him to join us in order to rescue us from the ongoing marginalisation in the state.”

Speaking at the unveiling of the group in Ilorin, the spokesman of the group who is also the former state APC senatorial chairman for Kwara central senatorial, Mallam Abdulfatai Abdulrahman, said that, “It is impossible to achieve the developmental goals we are aiming for Kwarans in the midst of chaotic situation we found ourselves in Kwara APC.”

Mallam Abdulrahman who accused the governor and the current leadership of their former party, APC of allegedly disfranchising many of them due to the power that be in the state added that, their new party would be unveiled in due course.

The defectors , who tore their APC membership cards and burnt their brooms-symbol of the party, at the event said that the plot to allegedly marginalize them was all about 2023 political permutations.

He added, “As you are all aware, Kwara APC has been enmeshed in one crisis or the other almost immediately after the party’s primary, stretching into the campaign period and lingering up to date.

“The crisis reached its peak with the recent concluded APC membership revalidation and registration exercise in the state that was flawed with deliberate policies and grand orchestration to deregister and disenfranchise selected members of the party.

“The success of a political party is anchored on its popularity, intra party membership cohesion, integrity and sincere commitment to the service of the masses. All these are glaringly diminishing in Kwara APC as it is now.

“A grand design that denied majority of party members the opportunity to register and revalidate their membership across the state is a 2023 permutation agenda. We can never cross our fingers and watch the game from the sideline.

“The deliberate inaction to address the lingering crisis in Kwara APC has become obvious to all discerning minds that the agenda to deregister and refusal to revalidate thousands of members across the state was a grand plot that has the backing of the National Caretaker Committee of the party.”

Also speaking on the new development, a chieftain of APC who sought anonymity told our correspondent that, “We are the architect of our current situation in the party.”

He said that, “The number of those that dumped the party last week and formed a third force are the people that we worked with during the 2019 general election in the name of “O To Ge” and see what are facing now.”

The APC leader who accused some power that be behind the ugly development in the party said, “I dont know how we are going to do it again in Kwara because those that worked for the electoral victory of APC have dumped the party and some people are saying they do not matter.”

“We shall see the outcome of the defection of these people during the next elections in the state and I want to add that many people will also quit APC after the national convention if the ongoing attitude and perceived marginalisation are not stopped in the party.

“I believe that it is high time the govenror forgets the past and convenes a peace meeting of stakeholders including leaders, youths, women, among others because there is an adage that says a tree cannot make a forest and if the APC will win the 2023 general election, this is the time to bury our differences and come together as one entity like we did it during the 2019 general elections.”

Meanwhile, as this is going on in the ruling APC, the opposition PDP is also making its own political calculation ahead of the 2023 general election.

The party is also in turmoil as allegations and counter allegations continue to trail the suggestion on which zone will take the governorship position during the 2023 polls.

Although, no aspirant of the party has come out to signify his or her intention for the plum position but the event of the past few months over zoning has generated comments from the stakehoders in the party across the three senatorial districts.

Political observers believe that a senatorial area of the state that has the lowest voting strength has been clamouring to take the slot at the expense of senatorial districts that have the highest voting strength in the state in the name of.power shift. This particular senatorial district will surely still depend on the other two senatorial districts to enable it achieve its goal at the end of the day.

It is on this issue of power shift in the party that the party stakeholders have been engaging themselves on which zone would produce the next governorship position of the state and they have been making their position known at various occasions.

For example, PDP leaders in Kwara central senatorial have denied their support for the zoning of the governorship position to Kwara north senatorial as being rumoured in certain quarters.

In a statement signed by the Committee’s Chairman and Secretary, Hon. Abdulwahab Isa and Hon. Isiaka Mogaji respectively, and made available to journalists in Ilorin, Kwara central leaders of the party under the aegis of Unity Committee described the report as false, malicious and misleading.

The PDP leaders said that, “Be that as it may, the committee reiterated that at no time did we resolve on zoning the gubernatorial position to the north senatorial district or any other position for that matter.

“Therefore, the statement urged members of the public, particularly our party’s supporters to discountenance the report in its entirety.

The statement, however acknowledged the existing cordial relationship between the central and the two other senatorial districts, which must be sustained as members of the same family, especially for the good of Kwarans and residents of the state.

The issue of where the governorship position would be zoned to is a collective decision that must be taken by the leadership of the party at the appropriate time.

They enjoined all prospective contestants in the fold of the party to ensure that all hands are on deck to strengthen the party ahead of 2023 general election.

Also, a group in the party from Kwara central senatorial under the banner of Concerned Kwara Central PDP Stakeholders have dissociated themselves from the purported statement issued that they are behind the zoning of the governorship position to the Kwara North senatorial district ahead of the next general elections.

In a letter issued and addressed to the immediate senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, state party chairman, Hon. Kola Shittu, state chairman, Reconciliation committee of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje among others condemned the emerging conspiracy by the two other districts, Kwara North and South against Kwara Central on the issue of governorship in 2023.

The letter which was signed by the Kwara central senatorial chairman, Alhaji Jimoh Adesina and made available to newsmen stated that, “We have watched with absolute patience, but with disappointment the campaign tainted and driven with undisguised conspiracy by some party members in the two other districts against the Kwara Central.”

The letter read, “The manner and approach with which this was being done call to question the commitment of this category of party members to the general progress and well-being of PDP in Kwara State.

“All the while, we have remained calm in the belief that common sense will prevail over time. More importantly, we have refused to respond to this obvious provocation because of the level of respect we have for our leader, Dr. Bukola Saraki. We also believe that it is important that we maintain decorum and not create any sort of problems within the party, especially in the face of what is going on in the ruling APC in the State.

” It is our conviction that politics is a game of number, and we are certain our district has the number. However, we are conscious of the fact that situations do arise that would necessitate the majority to concede power to other parts of the State.

“In this regard, Kwara Central has demonstrated good faith by conceding power for eight years to Kwara South through Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed. Having done that, we have demonstrated both the capability and the willingness to carry other people along. And for this, we deserve some respect.”

Alhaji Adesina added, “But this time, the way and manner some members of our party in Kwara South, under the banner of a group called “Efura’ (Be Watchful).has continued to instigate the Kwara North on this matter of 2023 governorship is a direct insult to all faithful PDP members in Kwara Central.

“Of particular note is a recent radio programme sponsored and anchored by the so-called ‘Efura Group’ within the party calling on the people of Kwara State to support any party that cedes its governorship ticket to the Kwara North.

“This Efura Group which is dominated by party members from Kwara South appear to be crying more than the bereaved, and their call for people to support any party that gives ticket to Kwara North revealed their true intentions. Or how else do we reconcile those who claim to be loyal PDP members calling on people to support any party that gives ticket to a particular district.

“In other words, the Efura Group is saying that if the opposition gives ticket to Kwara North and our party doesn’t, then the people should support the opposition. What other proof of anti-party do we need other than this? Or are they trying to blackmail the party into towing a predetermined path that would most likely weaken its chances at the polls?

“In any case, how does this call for zoning make sense at this time, considering that the sitting governor is from Kwara Central. Strategy wise, giving the PDP ticket to Kwara North in 2023 would be a heavy gamble, unless the incumbent who is from Central would not be on the ballot.

“It will be very difficult to convince the emirate people to support a candidate from another district against one of their own, no matter how bad we think he is performing. After all, they are first and foremost Emirate people before they are party members.”

He, however, said that, “it is our view that as a father figure, a leader within the Kwara Central PDP and a stakeholder that we all look up to, you have not done enough to rally our members within the central district against the activities of this agitators and conspirators.”

However, despite this agitations over zoning of governorship position, the party has been working round the clock to ensure all the skirmishes in the party are well resolved so as to set a move for a battle royale during the next general election.

In doing this, the former national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje was appointed by the party leadership to be the chairman of the reconciliation committee of the party.

Alhaji Baraje moved across the 16 local government councils and the efforts of his committee has been yielding positive results across the state in view of the commitment and loyalty of the members of the party.

Apart from this, the just concluded Ramadan period has afforded the leader of the party who is also immediate past senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki to interface with various stakeholders so as to woo them into the new planned agenda for the next general elections.

The interactive forum according to sources close to the PDP has yielded results as these stakeholders have seen the need to join hands again with Dr. Saraki in the building of a virile state.

With the current situation in the APC, PDP and the new Third Force from the APC, a new political realignment may soon crop up. In the opposition party, PDP, the issue of which zone to produce the governorship ticket of the party will be determined when the time comes. The real issue at the hand in the party remains how to mobilise members to embrace the ongoing reconciliation so as to make them more formidable ahead of the poll.

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As this is going on in the ruling APC, the opposition PDP is also making its own political calculation ahead of the 2023 general election. The party is also in turmoil as allegations and counter allegations continue to trail the suggestion on which zone will take the governorship position during the 2023 polls. Although, no aspirant of the party has come out to signify his or her intention for the plum position