The Sarakis and Kwara: Sibling rivalry

Date: 2014-05-30

Senator Bukola Saraki had until recently reigned supreme on the political landscape in his native Kwara State, easily shifting the political machine of the state from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Now, his immediate younger sister, Senator Gbemisola Saraki has taken control of the rival PDP in an unfolding game that will amaze many.

Senator Bukola Saraki's political dominance had become indisputable after the demise of his father, Senator Abubakar Olusola Saraki, the only Nigerian to have raised two senators from his household.

Senator Gbemi Saraki who lost the 2011 governorship to the candidate handpicked by his brother had following the election taken a leave from the political field until recently when Bro. Bukola and his supporters including the governor decamped from the PDP.

Since then, Gbemi who is said to have the ears of the national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu and some in the presidency, is believed to be strategising on means and methods to overthrow her brother's political machine in the state.

The ministerial appointment for Kwara which insiders claimed was initially slated for Gbemi was reportedly scuttled by other stakeholders in PDP who, it was learnt, did not feel comfortable with Gbemi getting the plum position just weeks after re-joining them in the party.

Other stakeholders who are reportedly being considered for the slot include the Chairman, Federal Character Commission, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulrahaman , Deacon John Dara, and Engineer Sunday Adebayo Babalola among many others.

The grouse of those opposed to giving Gbemi a ministerial appointment and with it the leadership of the PDP in the state was that they could not after serving the late Oloye, serve his son and proceed now to serve his daughter.

But with the political horse trading and intrigues that dogged the state congress of PDP held on April 14, 2014 which produced the current state executive under the chairmanship of Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, a renowned lawyer, its has become clearer who is in charge of PDP in Kwara State.

Gbemi who was a member of House of Representatives for eight years and Senator for four years gave a political master stroke in that congress underlying correct tutelage under her late father.

Gbemi according to impeccable sources was able to get the majority of the executive including the chairman, Oyedepo, the secretary, Alhaji Alhassan Bamu and the state woman leader, Hajia Nimota Suleiman Oba Wankasi in an election the elder statesman Chief Barnabas Gemade and his team from the national headquarters of PDP supervised and declared as free and fair.

Though a rival group in the party had proposed Mr. Bode Ojomu for the chairmanship under the aegis of what they dubbed the Freedom Group, the group, however, came to submission and pledge loyalty to the winners after some little protest about alleged irregularities.

Oyedepo has since moved to assert the determination of the PDP to reclaim the state.

Briefing newsmen recently, he said issues that had in the past divided the stakeholders including the recent congress have been put behind.

"The great assignment of the rebranded PDP is to democratically capture political power in the state in year 2015 general election" he said.

"We are on a rescue mission and the vision is to provide good governance for the depressed and oppressed people of Kwara State".

"We equally have a mission to use the instrument of government to provide a platform of unity, love, fairness and justice in heterogeneous community of Kwara State" he stressed.

But in a swift reaction, the Kwara State chapter of the APC dismissed the PDP and its plans saying that a party that 'lacks capacity' to conduct successful congresses cannot govern a state successfully.

The APC in a statement by its publicity secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari berated the PDP for displaying a glaring dearth of capacity to comprehend government achievements, including comprehensive welfare packages for workers in the state. It described the much talked about re-branding of the state PDP as a failed attempt to deceive the people of the state.

"For the unlucky PDP, the people of Kwara State who PDP intends to hoodwink by claims of re-branding, do not need Mr Iyiola Oyedepo (the state chairman of PDP) to address any press conference before they know the true state of PDP.

"Kwarans are well informed, no amount of non-existing claims or distorted figures or both can deceive them.

As the two political parties buckle under the eagle eyes of the Sarakis,the electorates again will decide where the pendulum will swing when the time comes.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Muhammadu Gobir     Bamikole Omishore     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb     Gbemi Saraki     Bayo Lawal     Abdulhakeem Adelaja Amao     AbdulRazaq Jiddah     Umar Ayinla Saro     Abdulrahman Iliasu     New Nigeria People’s Party     Oniwa     Salihu Ajia     Dapo Teni Nig Enterprise     Taofik Mustapha     Hauwa Nuru     Ahmed Mohammed Rifun     ARMTI     Ophthalmological Society Of Nigeria     Kwara     Galland Marcias     Olabode Towoju     Oko-Erin     Aminat Ahmed     Baba Isale     Post-utme     Aasiyat Bello Oyedepo     National Party Of Nigeria     Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     Titus Suberu-Ajibola     Unilorin     Ibrahim Jawondo     Charles Ibitoye     Bilikisu Gambari     Just Event Online     Ethical College     KWASAA     Ileloke     Trader Moni     Moshood Kashimawo Abiola     Abubakar Baba Sulaiman     Aso-ofi     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants     Senior Ibrahim Suleiman     Abdulmumini Jawondo     Olupako     Awodun     Marafan Shonga     Toyin Falola     Opolo Global Innovation Limited     Alabe     New Model Police Station     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     Busari Toyin Isiaka     Kale Ayo     Mohammed Ibrahim     Alabi Lawal     Sa\'adu Gambari     Bello Abubakar     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     A.E. Afolabi     Tsaragi/Share     Gobir Organization Foundation     Abubakar Baba     Government Girls’ Day Secondary School Pakata     Alapado     Kisra     Mansurat Amuda-Kannike     Kwara United     Fatai Olodo     Bayo Ajia     Femi Agbaje     Simeon Sule Ajibola     Sunday Otokiti     Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq     Adebayo Salami     Yahaya Seriki Gambari     Christian Association Of Nigeria    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Oye Tinuoye     University Road     Abdulmalik Bashir Mopelola Risikatullahi     Musa Alhassan Buge     Kayode Ibrahim     Ahmad Uthman     Idi-Ape     Crystal Corner Shops     Muhammadu Gobir     Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency     Umar Gunu     Christopher Ayeni     Shuaib Olarongbe     Muyiwa Oladipo Kanu     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb     Adamu Ibrahim Sabi     KWASAA     Alfa Yahaya Road     Ilorin     Alumni Association Of The Federal Polytechnic Offa     James Ayeni     Elelu     Galadima     Pacify Labs     Salake     Lithium     Florence Saraki     Adijat Adebiyi     Tunde Idiagbon Road     Benin Republic     Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu     Code Of Conduct     Alagbado     Bank Of Industry     Oloyede     Oke-Ode     Bamidele Adegoke Oladimeji     Ileloke     Kwara 2015     Abubakar Lah     Chief Of Staff     Budo-Egba     Durbar Festival     ER-KANG     Kamaldeen Ajibade     Principal Private Secretary     Akeem Olatunji     Al-Adaby     Emir Of Shonga     Elerin Of Erin-Ile     Oba Mogaji Abdulkadir     Pakata     COVID-19 Palliatives     Mohammed Khadijat Kubura     Abdulquowiyu Olododo     Emmanuel Bello     Charles Ibitoye     Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa     Jimoh Olusola Imam     Gbenga Adebayo     Temitope Ogunbanke     Bukola Saraki     Ella Supreme Tissue Paper     Mamman Saba Jibril     Elese Of Igbaja     Abubakar Abdullahi Bata     Federal Road Maintenance Agency     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Idris Garba     Just Event Online     Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     Asa     Ibrahim Abiodun     Muritala Olarewaju     Olumide Daniel Ibitoye     Kayode Laro     Abdulraufu Mustapha