Date: 2017-04-28

In a bid to ensure participation of members of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Kwara State chapter in the yet to be fixed local government election, an elder of the party in the state, Alhaji Ayinla Folorunsho has said that the political offices will be shared among the two factional groups.

Speaking with Pilot Politics yesterday, Folurunso maintained that the various contestable seats will be shared among the waring factions of Iyiola Oyodepo and Prince Sunday Fagbemi if the crisis rocking the party is not resolved before the election period.

According to him, if the election will take place, sharing the seat will make the factional chairmen work assiduously to ensure that the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) is dislodged in the race.

"It is most likely the local government political offices are shared among the warring factions, though that is my candid view, this will enable the factional chairmen to function well, we could give one faction to battle for the chairmen positions and the other for ward councillors" he said.

He also stressed that he is not convinced of the visibility of the poll in the state, saying the ruling government has the power to decide whether or not to conduct the election.

He said, after the expiration of the serving Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) chairmen across the state, the APC led-government could decide to extend their tenure with another three months.

He noted that they can even choose to appoint a sole administrator to manage the affairs of the council till they are ready to conduct the elections. Folorunsho further stated that the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) should not be allowed to conduct the poll, saying the commission is a tool in the hand of the ruling government to manipulate elections to their favour.

He said, "We are not sure the election will take place yet, even if they fix the date they can change their plans at anytime, this is because they are in control, in fact, they can decide to appoint a sole administrator, but our party is never in a hurry, we are ready for them whenever the coast is clear".

He however reiterated his support for the Fagbemi led faction of the party, saying it is the 'authentic' and that majority of the party members in the state are behind him in his bid to lead the party.

He said Oyedepo is only being stubborn and that he knew quite well that he can't lead the party to win any election in the state.