Kwara Councils Poll: Saraki's Shocker For PDP Aspirants

Date: 2013-07-07

It's no longer business as usual in Saraki political dynasty. Unlike the time of the patriarch of the Saraki political dynasty, the late Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki (Olooye) when aspiring political office holders were handpicked for elective offices, the new leader of the dynasty, Dr. Bukola Saraki has ruled that merit should take precedent in choosing candidates for the forth coming council polls in the state.

During the elder Saraki's reign which spanned over four decades, the only visible yardstick for selecting candidates for elective offices was loyalty but this time around, the new leader is insisting that all aspirants must go to the field and present their programmes to the party members who in turn will decide who should be fielded as chairmanship and councillorship candidates for the council polls billed to hold before the end of the year.

This development has thrown most aspirants, especially those currently holding political offices off balance, as the leader has asked such person to first resign their appointment before they can pursue their ambition.

At a stakeholders' meeting recently at Ilorin, the state capital, Senator Saraki took time to warn all PDP leaders across the state over imposition of candidates against the wish of the electorate.

The PDP leader in the state maintained that he has no anointed candidate and challenged party elders to ensure a level playing ground for the aspirants.

Also, Saraki told members to put all hands on deck and work towards ensuring victory for the ruling party in the forth coming local government election.

He said, everyone should go back to his or her zones, wards and local government to work towards the PDP's success in the coming election.

 As for me I have no anointed candidate and I have advised all party leaders, elders and party executive as well as political office holders to dissociate themselves from having a particular candidate. We want to pick credible and responsible candidate who will work for the betterment of his/her people,  he added.

 Any party leader and stake holder who present their anointed candidate for the election will be rejected, everyone must be given a level playing ground, we want those with experience in politics and had contributed to the party, and also the people's choices would be allowed to contest,  the senator added.

Corroborating Saraki, the state chairman of the party, Alh. Ishola Balogun Fulani said no anointed candidate would be accepted except those chosen by the people to represent them at the local government level.

Following this development, strong indications have emerged that incumbent political office holders aspiring for the council polls in the state, are now in dilemma over the quit order handed down to them by their leader, Senator Bukola Saraki.

The appointees include commissioners, Special Advisers, Special Assistants, Liaison Officers (LOs) and Youth Empowerment Coordinators (YECs), among others.

LEADERSHIP SUNDAY gathered that none of the aspiring appointees has resigned thereby leaving their chairmanship ambition hanging in the balance.

It was gathered that the appointees were not sure of their fate in clinching the party's tickets, concluding that an attempt to quit their offices could be suicidal.

 Who will resign among us?,  a highly placed source queried, noting that the directive by the leader was meant to test the aspiring appointees' loyalty to him because if anybody should resign his appointment now for the chairmanship ambition, do you know what that means? It means such person believes in his popularity and by extension he or she believes he can win the election without the leaders backing or support .

Another aspirant, but not an appointee, said that Saraki's decision was in good direction because, it would streamline the number of aspirants across the 16 local government areas.

 You know Oga (referring to Saraki) has asked them to resign, but none of them could resign and they cannot continue to incur Oga's wrath. So, we (aspirants) are now of limited numbers,  the source said.

A source at the PDP secretariat along Nupe road, GRA, Ilorin confided in the LEADERSHIP Sunday that Saraki's directive was aimed at bringing about the emergence of credible candidates who would fly the banner of the PDP in the council polls.

The source added that the party's leadership in the state had given all local government party elders/caucus the mandate to search for the best among the numerous aspirants eyeing the chairmanship seats across the 16 local councils.

The LEADERSHIP SUNDAY's investigation showed that over 120 aspirants are contending for the available 16 chairmanship seats in the state.

Source

 


Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Abdullahi Adisa Akodudu     Nigeria Computer Society     Veterinary Teaching Hospital     Kola Shittu     Funmilayo Isiaka Oniwa     Sayomi     National Information Technology Development Agency     Kehinde Baale     Illyasu Abdullahi     SDP     George Funsho Adebayo     Jimoh Olusola Imam     Shettima Of Ilorin     Abdulrasheed Na\'Allah     Kayode Ibrahim     Nigerian Correctional Service     Kwara State Geographic Information Service     Bolaji Aladie     Olajumoke Monsura Gafar     Balogun Gambari     Towobola Abdulrahman Toyin     Aliyu Alhassan     Abdulfatai Ahmed     Alaaya     Solomon Edoja     Muhammad Fawaz Abubakar     Kannike     Mohammed Khadijat Kubura     KFA     Asa     National Party Of Nigeria     Bahago     Folajimi Aleshinloye     Oko-Olowo     Alabi Lawal     Ahmad Fatima Bisola     Saad Belgore     Yoonus Kola Olatinwo     Oye Tinuoye     Femi Ogunsola     Ilorin     REO CAKES     Obuh     Volunteers Of Ilorin Community And The Emirate     Rotimi Oyedepo     Usman Alkali Baba     Iyabo Adisa Ibiyeye     Ganmo Electricity Sub-Station     Olabanji Orilonishe     Damilola Yusuf     Olatunde Jare     David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Muhammadu Buhari     James Ayeni     Oba David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Saad Omo Iya     Alfa Modibbo Belgore     Yakubu Danladi     Olatunji Moronfoye     Kolawole Akande     Olohungbebe     Abubakar Aliagan     Umar Ayinla Saro     Ilorin Likeminds Foundation     Ilorin South     Muhammed Akanbi     KWAFFA     Isiaka Rafiu Mope     Sunset Workers     Omupo     Erubu     ITEM 7     Park     Umar Danladi Shero     Senate President     Paul Odama     Centre For Digital Economy    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Moses Salami     Emir Of Shonga     Haruna Olawale Sulaiman     Ilorin Curfew     Olayinka Are     Oba Sulaiman Asude     Aishat Mohammed Lawal     Kabir Shagaya     Olatunji Bamgbola     Lanre Issa Onilu     Salaudeen Oyewale     Oloruntoyosi Thomas     Okanlawon Musa     Muideen Olaniyi Alalade     Shettima     AbdulRahman Saad     Taofik Abdulkareem Babaita     Sherif Shagaya     Colleges Of Education Academic Staff Union     Jimoh Akani     Solomon Edojah     Adebara     Nigeria Governors\' Forum     Ibrahim Bio     Abdullahi Dasilva Yussuf     Clara Nwachukwu     Rachael Obisesan     Idris Amosa Oladipo Saidu     Justina Oha     Bashiru Makama     Yusuf A. Usman     Lawal Arinola Kudirat     Shehu Salau     Earlyon Technologies     Mary Arinde     Kwara State Geographic Information Service     Olota Of Odo-Owa     Modupe Oluwole     Lai Mohammed     Moses Afolayan     Shuaibu Yaman     Saka Onimago     MMWG     Borgu     Sai Kayi     Wahab Abayawo     NSCIA     Ajibola Saliu Ajia     Millennium Development Goals     Laboratory-to-Product     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     Overland     Taofik Mustapha     Michael Ologundea     Aso-ofi     Abdulfatai Ahmed     Olokoba Sulyman     Nurudeen Muhammed     Goodluck Jonathan     Yoruba     Olumide Daniel Ibitoye     Osi     Musbau A. Akanji     AbdulKareem Yusuf Danhawa     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Aishatu Ahmed Gobir     Onilupeju Of Ilupeju     Moronfoye     Alagbado     Ayinde Oyepitan     Yakub Lai Gobir     Oro Grammar School Old Students Association     Naira Redesign     Olosi Of Osi     Usman Alkali Baba     School Of Nursing     Aminu Adisa Logun