Date: 2014-08-18

While it is pertinent to always give credible reference to the outcome of the governorship election in Osun State where the incumbent Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressive Congress, (APC), defeated Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in a keen contest observed by virtually the entire world, it is high time Kwara PDP face the reality of the game.

If your collective interest is to free Kwarans from "Bondage" then, there is every need for PDP Chieftains to give less attention to the aftermath of the Ekiti gubernatorial poll where Chief Ayodele Fayose of the PDP defeated Governor Kayode Fayemi.

It is vexatious that the unfocused and unpatriotic elements/minds in the Kwara PDP have all calculated that the "Presidency will do it all". Gone are those days when elections were easily manipulated in favour of one party above others. With the One man, One Vote mantra, I am of the belief that Kwara PDP needed to get it and also set it right at this crucial period and disregard imposition of candidate as the formula to determine "Who gets what, when and how, then, their aspiration to wrestle power from current administration would be "dead on arrival".

Let the PDP family not repeat the mistake made during the appointment of Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, a University teacher from far away Abuja who was presented to represent Kwara State in Federal Executive Council by Hajia Muinat Shagaya and her lobby group after making cheap promises to the "Stakeholders" who attended the meeting in Abuja accept Senator Gbemisola Saraki whose position remained firm.

If Hajia Shagaya's desperate and inordinate interest of facilitating the Ilorin-West/ Asa legislative ticket for her son, Mr. Sheriff Shagaya, was what prompted her to venture into the selfish interest of making Dr. Abubakar our Minister, we make bold and stand-firm to inform her that she is only joking and deceiving herself.

I was fortunate to witness the way and manner the business mogul was humiliated during the PDP-Ajikobi Ward congress held at Ansaru Islam Primary School, Okekere. She was nearly attacked by aggressive youths who rejected her leadership in totality. She was later steered-away and smuggled from the venue of the exercise with the tear-gas released by security agents aimed at restoring orderliness. So sad, this is the same person boosting to be in-charge of party affairs in the state.

I know quite alright that Hajia Shagaya will also continue to live to regret the experience she had on that very day. Now, her major deal is that she is not damn concern about who emerge as the PDP governorship candidate, but that her son should get the desired ticket.

Let's therefore come to reality. Why must Mr. Sheriff be the candidate to represent the people of Ilorin-West/Asa in the federal house of representative in the next dispensation? Is it because his mother is rich or close to the Presidency or what? This is somebody that has never served in any public office in his life. This is somebody whose public relation to the people of Kwara state and even Shagaya family, is zero. Like mother, like son, Mr. Sheriff looks down on whoever comes his ways.

Kwarans must endeavour to do the needful by ensuring that Mr. Sheriff gets to no where. He should rather go and make adequate consultation and start from Councillorship or Honourable Member in the State House of Assembly. He is not older than his Uncle, Hon. Abdulfatai Salman, who is currently serving in the Kwara State House of Assembly.

If there is need to check-mate the enormous power and over riding influence of the Turaki of Ilorin, Senator Bukola Saraki, in Kwara State, then there is also urgent need to set a benchmark/standard and model to be adopted and curb the emergence of another Bukola Sakari-like leader whose major stock in trade is "me alone".

In a publication written by one of Hajia Muinat Shagaya's paid agent, it was said that the self acclaimed PDP leader established a business along Umaru Saro road but liquidated by poor management by the people of Kwara State. I stand to challenge the writer that he doesn't know anything. He should go back to his payer to explain to him how the said business crumbled. She's only trying to make case and defend her lack of love for the people of Kwara state especially the Ilorin Emirate.

If that is the way business crumbles, I'm very sure that KAMWIRE, TUYIL, HERITAGE Water, LUBCON, KINGSTONE, ROYAL SHEKINAH HOTELS, OLANREWAJU HOSPITAL, AL-HIKMAH UNIVERSITY, BAL ENGINEERING BOB SHEGE, among other private investments that are creating job opportunities to larger percent of Kwarans today would have also join suit.

The people of Kwara state are good managers if given chance. Why are you tagging us "fraudsters". I'm sure that Hajia Muinat will not want to tell anyone that she had a nice time with the current administration as the sole supplier of Fertilisers. What a ridiculous claim of championing the cause of freeing Kwarans from Bukola Saraki when she knows quite well that her major stake in this struggle is to see Mr. Sheriff emerge as Honourable member in the federal house of Representative.

Since respect is reciprocal, there is need for Hajia Shagaya to know and respect the sincere position and struggles of people like the Talba of Ilorin, Professor Oba Abdulraheem, Senator Gbemisola Sakari, and the son of Lawyer AGF Abdulrazaq SAN, the Mutawali of Ilorin and first Lawyer to wear the silk in the entire Northern Nigeria, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and stop deceiving herself by parading the corridor of power in Abuja.

Also, since elections are going to be held in Kwara for the people of Kwara by the people of Kwara, let all matters concerning the Kwara PDP be resolved in the Kwara State without coercion or intimidation with cheap promises and Presidency.

This is when the truth of the worth of Hajia Muinat Shagaya will be known and exposed to the people. She is nothing, but mother to her children, not leader to anyone in the party.

If Kwara PDP's target is magic from the Presidency during the forthcoming elections, then, that is too bad. You can only get set and prepared by getting it right by fielding in credible candidates who can stand test of time and deliver to the people in totality and be accessible after-all.

Kwarans, shine your eyes well, well. Long live Kwara State !!!

Abdulraheem Salman writes from Ilorin.