Date: 2015-02-03

There is disquiet in the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over alleged maltreatment of Senator Gbemisola Rukayyat Saraki, it was learnt. 

Senator Saraki had contested the PDP governorship primary with others and lost to Senator Simeon Sule Ajibola.

The alleged frustration was voiced out by her supporters from a forum known as Gbemisola Rukayyat Saraki (GRS), which has members across the 16 local government areas of the state.

Gbemisola, who was the 2011 governorship candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), defected to PDP, while her brother Senator Bukola Saraki joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, Gbemi has been conspicuously absent in most PDP events in the state including last Monday’s rally of President Goodluck Jonathan and Thursday’s flag off of PDP campaign at Bode Saadu in Moro.

One of her closest aides and PDP secretary for Ilorin West Local Government, Alhaji Toyin Olosasa, confirmed the ill-treatment of Gbemi Saraki in PDP, saying, “We Sarakites in the PDP are not happy with the development.”

He said out of N80 million that was mobilised for the presidential rally, only N50, 000 and 100 T-shirts were given to the GRS group, which they rejected.

He said: “I just want to make our views known to Mr. President and the National Secretariat of the PDP on the way and manner in which the PDP in Kwara State is treating us. They have neglected us. We were not involved in all the activities going on as par the ongoing campaign of PDP.”

But the state PDP chairman, Chief Iyiola Akogun, in an interview with Daily Trust denied the allegation, saying he was unaware of the complaint by the Saraki’s group.

He said the complainants should have taken the path of discipline by channelling their grievances to the appropriate organ of the party instead of talking to the press.

Besides, he said, Gbemi is not behaving like a member of PDP, saying she travelled abroad as soon as the primary was concluded.

Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman who was asked to comment on Gbemi’s absence at the presidential rally said it is a non-issue, adding that she is still a member of PDP.