The strong desire of the PDP to return the party to power in Kwara state come 2015, took centre stage at the recent prayer session held in honour of the recently appointed Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman. ABDULRAHMAN A. ABDULRAUF witnessed it all

There is certainly everything to suggest that the year 2015 will be a tough one for Nigeria, giving the strong desire by various political groups to either take over power or retain same. For President Goodluck Jonathan, bringing back Kwara into the fold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a task that must be done.

That was indeed the marching order given to the new Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman by the president when the latter was being sworn in last Wednesday. Jonathan’s reason is understandable, especially when viewed against the defection of the erstwhile PDP leader In the state, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki and his successor, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. The duos, alongside their supporters moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
To Sulaiman however, the defection is a fluke “because the people of Kwara knew what party they voted. The so-called defection is not one that can stand the test of time and God-willing this will be proven right in 2015.”

The minister made the declaration at a special prayer session in his honour at the Ansarul-Islam National Mosque, Utako, Abuja on Wednesday. His declaration came amidst strong assurance by the state chairman of the party, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo that Kwara is as good being taken over by PDP in 2015.
Speaking at the event, the minister said: “When we were being sworn-in this morning, Mr. President gave me two mandates. Specifically, he told me and said Dr. Sulaiman, this is injury time, you have a mandate of taking charge of your ministry and the second mandate is that you must deliver Kwara. He said repeatedly, you must deliver Kwara because Kwara is a PDP state and must be returned to PDP. The message from the senate president was also not different either.”
While consistently glorifying God intermittently amidst chorusing of Alhmadullillah(praise be to Allah) by the congregation, the minister said: “Today’s occasion is for God, appointment is for God. Just upon my appointment, two prominent APC members from the state have made up their mind to defect, one of them is a former senator. I will keep their names under wrap for now.
“We should learn something from this appointment. It is simply as a result of perseverance and faith in God that it is only Him who gives appointment to  whosoever He wishes.”

Turning to  his fellow PDP members, he beckoned on them to join him in achieving the realization of your mandate. The political science teacher who was particularly full of praises and appreciation to the Oyedepo-led PDP executive council and other notable party bigwigs from the state, reiterated that “PDP is one big united family. “We shall remain united and with unity, we shall deliver Kwara. I strongly believe this is doable. I can’t do it all alone, but by God’s grace and the support of you and the entire good people of the state, we shall deliver the state to Mr. President.

“APC is alien to Kwara and by God’s grace, with your support, in 2015, power would return to PDP.”
He told the gathering that as a demonstration of their resolve, both Muslims and Christians have been praying profusely for this anticipated success, recalling that the secretary, National Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Pastor John Keneedy-Opara, prayed fervently for him at the Villa.
Also in his remarks, the state chairman of the party, Akogun Oyedepo, vividly underscored the significance of the task ahead of the minister and other party leaders in 2015.

Describing Sulaiman’s appointment as divine, he urged all and sundry to support him with prayers. He said: “The only thing I want to tell the minister is that he has been chosen at a very difficult time when he has to prove some points. He has some challenges before him.
“Number one, he has been chosen at a time we are going towards an election period and our party wants to win in Kwara State. There must be a change of baton in Kwara State and he has been chosen as one of those people that would champion and actualize this change; that is a very big challenge before him.

“I want all of us to pray for him and also support him to effect a change in the governance of Kwara State. Mr. President said it when he was inaugurating the new ministers. He said they were chosen at an injury time when they must make some scores.
“Yes we must score so that PDP would be in Government House come 2015. So, you have been given your mandate, go and score and I believe he is going to make his scores”.

Delivering a lecture, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Alashe, the Chief Imam of Ansarul Islam National Mosque, urged the new Minister to be mindful of sycophants and deliver his mandate with fear of God.
In their separate lectures, Chief Imam,  Al-Mustofah Islamic organisation of Nigeria. Abuja, Alhaji Mustapha Maisuna, advised the  minister to distinguish himself from the  past ministers from  the state, saying this would encourage future governments to seek for his advice on issues of national importance.

While advising him to seek Allah’s advice and not limiting such to his advisers, he told him to sustain his relationship with old friends and  make himself accessible to the people whom he was appointed to serve.
In a similar lecture, the Chief Imam, Ansaru Islam Society of Nigeria,  Abuja branch, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman, urged the minister to make the people the centre of his service, irrespective of their position on his appointment.

This certainly is a tall order that Kwara PDP will aggressively seek to actualize. Beyond mere rhetoric, observers are however  of the view that more still need be done to further  firm the party in the state  If this is achieved and coupled with the seeming disenchantment of some sections of the state  with the APC-led government, the  ruling  party will need to brace up for a testy fight  in  2015.