Date: 2014-08-07

Ten Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains are jostling for the governorship ticket in Kwara State.

The aspirants include Mr. Sunday Adebayo Babalola, an engineer, Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters Senator Makanjuola Ajadi, Alhaji Jani Ibrahim, Senator Simeon Ajibola, and Deacon John Dara. Others are Senator Gbemisola Saraki, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq, Prof. Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN), and Alhaji Bio Ibrahim.

It is a challenging moment for the troubled chapter. Since its former leader, Senator Bukola Saraki, and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC), things have not been the same. Apart from the decimation of the party, the struggle for its governorship ticket has unleashed intra-party tension. The PDP national leadership is worried by the bitter struggle. Aspirants are working at cross purposes to outshine one another and the promotion of self-interest has displaced the defence of collective interest.

To triumph over the APC, at the poll there is the urgent need for the Kwara PDP to put its house in order. But, while a section of the party is leaving no stone unturned, in its bid to re-capture the State of Harmony, the obvious division in the fold is counter-productive. Instead of building the party structure, ahead of the election," aspirants are nurturing personal strictures.

The ruling APC is laying landmines. Unlike the PDP, it is a united fold, with old and new members forging ahead. The next election is expected to be laced with intrigues because the principal actors in the two parties had at different times worked closely with one another. Many of them had worked under former Governor Saraki. They were also part of the PDP family under the leadership of the strongman of Kwara politics, Waziri Olusola Saraki. The implication is that chieftains on both sides are not strangers to, which had characterised previous elections.

The image of the Saraki Dynasty may continue to rub off on the APC. The cordial relations between Saraki and Ahmed is a core advantage. However, the split in the Saraki bloc has also been noted by observers. To the PDP, the days of the Saraki Dynasty are numbered. Senator Gbemi, the daughter of the late elder statesman is one of the arrowheads of the PDP, which is plotting to halt the influence of the formidable political family, which brought her to the limelight. But, to the APC, the dynasty h as enlarged its coast.

According to analysts, Kwara PDP lacks a formidable leadership. In the APC, Saraki is held in high esteem as the leader. In the PDP, the governorship aspirants are leaders of their tiny cells. Therefore, they perceive one another as rivals to be pulled down. For example, the antagonistic groups and caucuses were locked in a war of attrition over the choice of a new minister to replace Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who was dropped as minister by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The scramble for the ministerial slot further divided the chapter. There was no leader to resolve the crisis and serve as a symbol of unity.

The dust stirred by the bitter struggle has not settled. It is now being carried over to the battle for the governorship ticket. Although only 10 aspirants have unfolded their ambition, sources said that more will join the race, following the release of nomination guidelines next month.

In the race are serious contenders and pretenders. However, some aspirants stand out. Also, among the veteran contenders,only two appear to stand out. They are Belgore, the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate in 2011 election, and the business mogul, Jani Ibrahim.

Remarkably, in the last election, Babalola was the runner up to Ahmed. Thus, he is positioning himself for the race. His supporters are wiping up sentiments, saying that he deserves political sympathy. He is popular in the party. But, he has some hurdles to cross.

Belgore is from an aristocrat background like Saraki. Although he defected to the PDP, there is no assurance that the party will give him the ticket on the platter of gold. He has been described as a new comer by rivals. Observers have predicted that the primaries may be tough for him.

The former university don, Oba, is working assiduously to get the ticket. he is the Chairman of Federal Character Commission (FCC). But, he is not perceived as a rallying point in the party.

Senator Ajadi is pushing for power shift to his district. But, he may not be able to garner enough support at the primaries.

The businessman, Jani, is believed to be be making waves. His influence as a captain of industry and philanthropist is overwhelming. He is the Chairman of LUBCON, a lubricant company in llorin, the state capital. He is believed to be the second largest employer of labour in the state, second only to the government.

Jani is an alumnus of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, Jos. He is the former National President of the NIPSS Alumni Association and Managing Director of the Nigeria Airways.

He is the former President of Kwara Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KWACCIMA) and former Chairman of the Conference of Northern States Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA).

The politician is also believed o be close to the grassroots. The focus of his campaign is derived from his name, JANI- for Jobs-Agriculture-Natural Resources- Infrastructural Development.

One of the factors that will shape the contest is zoning. Kwara South Senatorial District, which produced Ahmed in 2011, wants to retain the slot next year. Kwara Central, which has the largest population, is also agitating for the slot. Kwara North has not enjoyed the slot before. Thus, PDP chieftains from the zone are campaigning for power shift.

The question is: which district will produce the PDP flag bearer?