Date: 2015-03-03

Ahead of forthcoming general election, tension is now pervading the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State over the alleged move by the former senator representing Kwara central senatorial district, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, to leave the PDP for another party in the state.

Already, the leadership of the party in the state has reportedly been working day and night to beg the former senator not to dumping the party in  view of her political influence in the state.

THISDAY checks revealed that the alleged move by Gbemisola to dump the party for another party might not be unconnected with a recent interview granted by the state chairman of the PDP, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo, to a local medium in the state  where he was quoted as saying that Saraki is free to leave the party if she wants and also her alleged persecution in the party by one of the top chieftain of the party since the last governorship primaries of the party where she came third.

Gbemisola, it was gathered, was also said to have been disturbed by the way and manner she had been treated in the PDP despite her  financial contributions to the party and her efforts to take the party to greater heights in the state.

Sources close to the former senator  said  she suffered alleged persecution during the last presidential rally of the PDP  held in Ilorin, where her group was allegedly said to have been given 100 T-shirts for the rally and with just N50,000 to mobilise her supporters to the venue of the rally.

They added that though the former senator was not at the rally but she was said to have been disturbed by the way and manner the leadership of the party treated her and her supporters which led to the non attendance by her supporters.

However, one of the aides of the senator, who sought anonymity told THISDAY that “some leaders of the PDP have been calling and begging Senator Gbemisola Saraki on the phone  not to leave the party.

He  said: “Though, I cannot say whether the senator is leaving PDP or not but  the leadership of the PDP knows well that  if she dumps the party for another party, PDP is finished in Kwara in view of her political structure.”

But, sensing the danger ahead, in view of the influence of Senator Gbemisola Saraki in the PDP,  the leadership of the PDP in a statement issued in Ilorin stated: “We wish to appeal to a former senator, Gbemisola Saraki to shelve her rumoured bid to dump the PDP for another party”.

The PDP in a statement issued and signed by the State Secretary of the PDP, Alhaji Hassan Rasaq, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Ilorin said, “Although we are relieved by the assurance that the rumour of the possible defection of Senator Gbemi Saraki is false and unsubstantiated, nevertheless, we consider it expedient to implore Senator Saraki and her teeming supporters not to allow the voices of division to overwhelm them.

“At this critical time in the life of our party in Kwara State, we believe that all hands must be on deck to sustain the party and lead it to victory in the forthcoming polls.

“As a party, we believe Senator Gbemi Saraki has made invaluable contributions and sacrifices for the PDP in the state and beyond. We particularly noted her maturity and sportsmanship before, during and after the party primaries which produced distinguished Senator Simeon Ajibola as the party’s gubernatorial candidate for the April 11 gubernatorial election in the state.

“It would therefore be sad if such an individual, who has immensely uplifted the party in the state to abandon the house she has built at its time of need. This is Kwara PDP’s time of need and we urge Senator Saraki to remain in the party and see through the struggle for the liberation of Kwarans.”

The statement added, “Although it may not be impossible that there are areas of grievances, we believe it is not enough to allow such to derail our focus now ahead of the polls.

“We reiterate that all the genuinely aggrieved are being sorted and the leadership of the party shall do all its best to ensure that all cases of genuine grievances are addressed before the polls”.