2015 governorship: Big battle in Kwara

Date: 2015-01-04

With the 2015 governorship election just about 40 days away, Remi Adelowo in this report takes a look at the chances of the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and factors that would likely determine the outcome of the polls in Kwara state

KWARA 2015: Ahmed looks sure bet for second term Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has one major hurdle to cross in his quest for a second term in office.

Stating that the 2015 governorship election in Kwara State would be a straight contest between Ahmed, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP candidate, Senator Simeon Ajibola, is like reiterating the obvious.

Ajibola's emergence as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was as shocking as it was unexpected.

In the run-up to the PDP governorship primaries, the third term senator was not in the reckoning as a major contender for the ticket. Though an experienced political gladiator in the state who cut his tutelage under the revered strongman of Kwara politics, late Dr. Olusola Saraki, only very few people believed he could defeat other formidable aspirants boasting alleged strong backing from high quarters.

This category of aspirants including Prof. Abdulrahman Oba, the Chairman of Federal Character Commission (FCC), former Presidential Adviser, Senator Suleiman Ajadi, wealthy businessman, Jani Ibrahim, Senator Gbemisola Saraki and Mr. Dele Belgore, believed to be the favoured aspirant of Hajia Bola Shagaya, an influential player in the corridors of power.

Days before the primaries held, Belgore was seen as the man to beat, even as many of the aspirants reportedly faulting the process put in place to conduct the election, which they alleged, was skewed to arrive at a pre-determined outcome.

But after much hue and cry, the primaries finally held, with Ajibola beating all comers for the ticket.

Factors that would shape 2015 contest

With the election just about 40 days away, there are indications that factors, including incumbency, religion, party platform, popularity and achievements of the two major contestants would largely determine who emerges victorious on February 21.

How the three senatorial zones may vote

In Kwara South where Ahmed and Ajibola both hail from, it is not unlikely that there could be a split of votes between the two candidates in the area.

Another likely scenario is a slim victory for the PDP candidate due to religious factor as many people in the area are predominantly Christians.

Another school of thought is, however, of the belief that the incumbent governor will win the zone with a large margin due to the alleged poor performance of Ajibola, whose aspiration for a third term in the Senate was allegedly opposed by many political stakeholders in the zone until the intervention of the governor and the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Senator Bukola Saraki.

In Kwara Central and Kwara North, both dominated by Muslims, Ahmed appears the favourite to win the two zones.

The Central zone, which constitutes about 52 percent of the state's voting strength, would very likely pitch its tent with the APC candidate in solidarity with Saraki, (an Ilorin indigene), who has effectively taken over his late father's political empire.

Added to this is the influence of the traditional institution in the zone, which from historical references, had always queued behind the Saraki political dynasty in the battle for the soul of the politics of the state.

Sources also posit that the 2015 election scenario in Kwara North would follow the voting pattern in the Central zone.

Would this election prognosis remain unchanged by the time the election gets under way on February 21? Time would tell.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Ajibike Katibi     KWIRS     Ishaq Oloyede     National Broadcasting Commission     Dapo Teni Nig Enterprise     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Simeon Sayomi     Omu-aran     Kolawole Bashirat     Forgo Battery     National Union Of Road Transport Workers     Segun Abifarin     Maigida     Matthew Okedare     Oba Abdulrahim     Olaiya Victor Mobolaji     Yaru     Bello Oyedepo     Abubakar Aliagan     Victor Gbenga Yusuf     Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency     Markaz Arabic And Islamic Training Institute, Agege     Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye     Durosinlohun Kawu     Quranic Recitation Competition     Zainab Abass     Elekoyangan     Sulu Babaita Isiaka     Sambo Murtala     Abiodun Oyedepo     Muhammed Mahe Abdulkadir     Babaloja-General     Bisi Oyeleke     Olanrewju Okanlawon Musa     Okoolowo     Saduki Lafiagi     Shehu Jimoh     Lithium     Segun Olawoyin     Ramat Oganija     New Naira Notes     Tayo Alao     07039448763     Balogun Ajikobi     NSCIA     Kwara Teaching Service Commission     KWSIEC     Earlyon Technologies     Iyiola Oyedepo     Olatomiwa Williams     Zulu Gambari     Jalala     Joseph Alex Offorjama     Oba Of Jebba     Aliyu Kora Sabi     Bola Tinubu     Aliyu U. Tilde     Femtech     Sarafadeen Kayode Akorede     Bashirat Bola Bello     Quareeb Islamic Association     Abdulmajeed Wahab     Siddiq Adebayo Idowu Salawu     Ramadhan     Abubakar Ndakene     AGF Abdulrazaq     Toun Okewale-Sonaiya     Paul Odama     Olusola Saraki     Raliat AbdulRazaq     Eleyele     Kwara State Branch Of The National Library     NULGE     Apata Ajele Secondary School     Saka Aleshinloye     Aishat Sulu-Gambari     National Party Of Nigeria    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Matthew Babaoye     Mukhtar Shagaya     Opobiyi     Idris Garba     Olatunde Jare     11th Galadima     Yakubu Danladi     Habeeb Saidu     Suleiman Idris     Aisha Gobir     Ashiru     Henry Olaosebikan     Kwara Apc     Jawondo     Saliu Ajibola Ajia     Abraham Ojo     Susan Modupe Oluwole     Al-Ilory     Deji Ajani     Mahe Abdulkadir     Ahmed Mohammed Rifun     Ibrahim Taiwo Road     Vishvas KOZ Tractors     Photo News     Eghe Igbinehin     Abubakar Olusola Saraki     Habeeb Abdullahi Al-Ilory     Muslim Cementary     IFK     Oluwatoyin Lukman     Olugbense     Funmilayo Mohammed     IHS     Imodoye Writer’s Enclave     Hamidu Olowo     Tafidan Kaiama     Yomi Adeboye     Hassan A. Saliu     Olatunde Michaels     Adedeji Onimago     ITEM 7     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Bola Tinubu     Muslim Media Watch Group Of Nigeria     Balogin Alanamu     Solomon Edojah     Lithium     Alore     07039448763     Manzuma     Lasiele Alabi Yahaya     College Of Arabic And Islamic Legal Studies     Nigeria Foundation For Artificial Intelligence     Savannah Centre For Diplomacy, Democracy And Development     Ajibike Katibi     Lukman Adeloyin     JAAC     Overland     Oko     Kwara Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations     Boko Haram     KwaraLearn     Standard Organization Of Nigeria     Isiaka Gold     Saliu Ajia     Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia     Sunday Otokiti     Abubakar Ndakene     Gbemisola Oguntimehin     NSCIA     Kwara Hotel     Sola Saraki Educational Foundation     CCB     Kulende     Modibo Kawu     Offa Descendants Union     Ahman Pategi University