Date: 2014-12-05

A Governorship Aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Kwara State, Alhaji Dele Belgore, SAN, has explained why he deliberately shunned other gubernatorial aspirants at the meeting convened by 13 of the party’s gubernatorial aspirants last week.

Reacting to the allegation by other aspirants that he deliberately shunned the meeting where a document was reportedly signed, Belgore said he cannot attend a meeting he was not invited to and as a senior lawyer, endorsing a document which authorship was done without consulting him.

In a text message from his Media Aide, Rafiu Ajakaiye, Belgore said, the allegation was first leveled against him by one of the aspirants at a recent meeting called by police to address PDP gubernatorial aspirants.

Ajakaiye said“And Belgore simply replied that he wasn't invited to the meeting where a particular document was arrived at and so it would be improper for him, a very senior lawyer for that matter, to endorse a document whose authorship was done without any consultation with him.

“Of course, it is improper for anyone to barge into a meeting to which he wasn't invited. Belgore is a decent man, a man of peace and advocate of justice and fairness.

“The competition for the PDP ticket notwithstanding, he remains a good sportsman who holds no grudges against anyone, be it within the PDP or outside the party. He's willing and ready to work for the progress of the party in all scenarios”, the statement added.

Belgore had earlier been alleged by some of the gubernatorial aspirants of deliberately shunning the meeting where an undertaken was reportedly signed to work with whoever emerged as the party’s candidate for the coming 2015 election.

Sources said while 12 of the aspirants signed the document, Belgore declined with some saying he had already distanced himself from the other aspirants.

According to a party source, “You know he is working at cross purposes with other aspirants and it will not be comfortable for him to be part of a process he does not believe will run against his interest and that of his sponsors”

Those who allegedly signed the document were Senators Simon Ajibola, Suleiman Ajadi, Gbemisola Saraki, Deacon John Dara, Arch Kale Belgore, Engr Sunday Babalola and Alhaji Jani Ibrahim.

Others were Prof Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, Hon. Bio Ibrahim, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, Mallam Sanusi Abdullahi and son of late Governor Mohammed Lawal, Akeem Lawal.

The signed agreement which was addressed to the PDP National Chairman, through the Senate President, reads in part: “We the 13 PDP gubernatorial aspirants express our confidence in the said presentation of the list for 15 LGAs as true and authentic.

“We therefore use this medium to pledge our individual and collective loyalty to the party and the eventual winner of the expected free and fair gubernatorial primary election of December 8.”

The aspirants, including Belgore, had reportedly organised a forum known as Kwara State PDP Gubernatorial Aspirants’ Forum (KWPDPGF) and had met on November 24, 2014.