The rivalry between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State on Saturday overshadowed activities at the Ilorin Central Eid prayer ground during the Sallah celebration.

Daily Trust reports that bigwigs of the rival parties stormed the Eid prayer ground even as politicians and aspirants pasted their posters and signboards at strategic places along Yidi road.
Prominent PDP stalwarts at the praying ground were Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, Chairman, Federal Character Commission (FCC), Professor Shuaib Abdulraheem, Mr. Dele Belgore, Alhaji Akeem Lawal, Yinka Aluko, among others.

The atmosphere at the praying ground was charged when former Governor Bukola Saraki and his entourage sauntered in. No sooner had Saraki arrived than the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Zulu Gambari's car drove in while the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, also drove in around 10: 00 am.

Shortly after the prayer, led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Mohammed Bashir, was observed, political jobbers took over proceedings, hailing leaders of APC in attendance.

At another end, some members of the PDP were shouting the party's slogan. The development shortened the post prayer sermon delivered by the chief imam.

The noise from each end of the prayer ground also affected the speech by the Emir of Ilorin. He however urged Nigerians to continue to live in peace to further attract infrastructural development. Delivering a lecture, a renowned Ilorin-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Abdullahi Salaty, admonished politicians in the emirate to see themselves as brothers.

He said they should not allow politics to create enmity among them, saying, "those who left one party for another and those who remain in one party should know that Ilorin is your home, you are members of the same family, so thread with caution."