Internal rifts rather than threats from the camp of the opposition — depending on which divide you are — may be the heels of Achilles of the Kwara State chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) respectively, ahead of the 2015 general elections.

But while the PDP members seem poised to resolve their differences, those in the ACN look to be digging in.

Even though none of the local officials of the PDP was willing to admit the existence of internal wrangling, sources disclosed in Ilorin that some of the ranking members are plotting to wrest their independence from the acclaimed ‘Leader’ of the party and former governor of the state, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

The development, comparable to a cauldron preparing for a ball of fire, is believed to be alien to the political style of the Saraki dynasty, often noted for its welfarist ideology but under the firm control of the pivotal figure, referred to as ‘The Leader’.

The political system made popular in the lifetime of the Turaki of Ilorin, Dr. Olusola Saraki, the biological father of Bukola, is still very popular with members of the political family, now headed by Bukola.

According to a party source: “Three members of the party in the state, who are using the quota of the state apart from a senator, who was voted into power, are working against the interest of Bukola, our leader and by implication, working against the interest of our great party.

“They are claiming that they got to their positions at the national level by other means outside Bukola’s influence; hence, they believe that they owe him or other members of the party no allegiance.

“This is a dangerous trend, especially with the concerned senator who believes that he, rather than our leader, is a more experienced politician and therefore can’t do the bidding of our leader.”

On two occasions in the past, the Saraki political dynasty was enmeshed in internal imbroglio, which almost tore it apart. The Second Republic governor of the state, Adamu Attah, had fallen out with the Turaki just as another ex-governor, Mohammed Lawal, did between 2001 and 2003.

The elder Saraki was eventually able to tame the roaring fire of “rebellion” and had both his say and his way. The rest is now history!

But the question on the lips of many political analysts in the state today is whether the new leader of the dynasty, like his late father, has enough muscles to weather the storm of internal crisis looming in the party.

Yet, one area that may timely eclipse the crisis is the non-involvement of the state government in it. The Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed-led PDP government has so far shunned politicking, facing instead the art of governance.

But it is doubtful if the government could sustain its “neutral role” till the end. Besides, if it decided to take a position, on whose side would it pitch its tent?

Approached for comments on the issue, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Femi Akorede, told The Guardian to beam its searchlight at the party structure, saying, “I know nothing about any wrangling within the PDP in Kwara; I am simply concerned with my assignments here. See the officials of the party, please.”

The Secretary of the PDP in the state, Yemi Afolayan denied the existence of any rift in the party. As an alternative, he warned, “rumour mongers to mind their own business rather than dabbling into(sic) other people’s affairs.”

In the same vein, the state’s Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission and an associate of Senator Saraki, Alhaji Kayode Suleiman, said he was not aware of any rumpus in the party.

He queried: “Crisis? I don’t know of any. We are focused, as a political party and our leader is in firm control of the party. We are a big and a happy family. That is all I can say.”

Notwithstanding the foregoing trend of reported fragments within the PDP circle, it may still be difficult for members of the opposition group to wrest power from the ruling party in the next general elections.

Indeed, the infighting at the state’s chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria seems protracted than the cold war in the PDP.

The ACN, since its presence in the 46-year-old state, has been playing the role of a leading opposition group. But the crisis of ego between the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, an Oro-born politician, in Irepodun local government council of the state and the governorship candidate of the party in the last elections, Dele Belgore (SAN), descendant of a prominent Islamic scholar in Ilorin, may have torn apart the party.

Although Mohammed and Belgore had denied the existence of any rift, the recent unfolding events in the leadership structure of the party may have confirmed the fears.

It is “talk of the town” in Kwara that Mohammed is nursing the ambition of having another chance at the governorship, having lost out in 1994 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). While the ambition may be a legitimate one, the alleged interest of Belgore again at the slot may have caused the rift.

Sources said the duo believe that the emergence of the APC, an alliance arrangement among the major opposition political parties in the country, may eventually bolster the chances of the governorship candidate in the next polls in the state; hence, the twosome’s resolve to get “at all costs” the sole ticket of the emerging party.

Already, attempts have been made by the aspirants to control the hierarchy of the party in the state.

Meanwhile, the crisis has gone beyond the two politicians, as many of their supporters have resolved to fight it to “a logical conclusion.”

An aide of Belgore said, “Do you know that till date ‘Oga’ (Belgore) does not believe that Mohammed is working against his ambition come 2015? I know ‘Oga’ wants to contest but he is not desperate about it. He has made his marks as a lawyer but he is only interested in liberating his people.”

But this appears not the general position of the Belgore loyalists, who contend that the Kayode Olawepo-led caretaker committee of the ACN in the state, which “they believe to be working for Mohammed,” should have been dissolved and replaced with properly constituted officials of the party. But Mohammed’s aides canvass the continuation of the committee in office.

However, Olawepo, in a chat with The Guardian, said, “any attempt to dissolve us at the state level is null and void because it was the national (headquarters) and not the state (chapter) that set us up.”

“He who does not have the power to appoint can’t dissolve; it is a simple matter. Nevertheless, we are one big family,” he said.

Who benefits from the stalemate in the two parties remains the next logical question, as Kwara, and indeed, the country inches towards 2015.