Although the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State is denying the existence of a crack in its rank and file, it is however glaring that there is a cold war within the party in the state as it is at the federal level.

Indication to this effect is the emergence of a New PDP, led by the party’s immediate past National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, while the former state governor who is now a senator representing Kwara Central, Bukola Saraki, is believed to be one of its leaders and major financiers.

Just recently the group walked out of a special national convention of the party in Abuja to form a parallel National Executive Committee (NEC) of the New PDP. Like a festering sore, the crisis at the national level may have extended to the state.

Until recently, there was the insinuation of a rift between Senator Saraki and the chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) and erstwhile Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem. Besides, rumour also has it that the author of the book, Ilorin: The Journey So Far, Alhaji L. A. K. Jimoh and Saraki’s rival on the PDP senatorial ticket are at logger heads, just as the pioneer members of the party equally have an axe to grind with the scion of the Saraki dynasty.

Former governor of the state who is now a senator representing Kwara North, Mohammed Sha’aba Lafiagi, recently met with PDP stakeholders in the state. Speaking to newsmen shortly after the meeting, Lafiagi debunked speculations that the presidency is plotting to hijack the PDP in the state.

Lafiagi who was flanked by Alhaji Jimoh Adesina, Alhaji Isiaka Oniwa and Alhaji S.O. Yusuf, party chairmen in Kwara Central, North and South respectively at the parley, said: “There have been speculations that the presidency is using Prof. AbdulRaheem to take over the PDP in Kwara which is in the firm grip of Senator Saraki.”

While denying the rumour that the FCC boss is being used by the presidency to hijack the state party structure, Lafiagi said: “I do not believe that Prof. AbdulRaheem can be part of any plot to either hijack or polarise the PDP’s structure in the state. I do not believe also that the PDP at the national level can do anything negative against its own in the state.”

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, shared the same view, denying the existence of any crisis in the party. According to him, members of the PDP in the state are pleased with the leadership of Senator Saraki. He therefore warned that “any attempt by anyone to either hijack or polarise the party would collapse like a pack of cards.”

Kwara is widely believed to be very peculiar, given the manner elected officials have emerged for over four decades. Unlike in other states where there are crises, those who became somebody in Kwara politics had in one way or the other received the blessings of the late Waziri of Ilorin, Dr. Olusola Saraki, thus preventing such squabbles.

Mohammed continued: “I want to make it abundantly clear that Kwara is different from every other state of the federation, because the state has a political structure that predates even some of us who are actors in the political scene. It is being handed over from one generation to the other. Majority of the politicians of note in Kwara today keyed into that family structure and it has been paying off.

“In Kwara, I don’t think we have any fears and we have a leader in the person of Senator Saraki in who we are pleased with; he is in charge of our political structure. We have no cause to doubt his ability and capability.”

The cold war between Saraki and Abdulraheem is said to be responsible for the suspicion among party members which was further aggravated by the recent re-appointment of Abdulraheem by President Goodluck Jonathan against the wish of Saraki.

It was further gathered that Saraki was not favourably disposed to the re-appointment of the FCC chairman as he reportedly wanted the appointment zoned to another senatorial district of the state in line with the internal zoning arrangement in the party.

Secretary to the Government of Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, announced the re-appointment of Abdulraheem vide a letter to him on the need to reappear before the Senate Committee on Federal Characters and Inter-Governmental Affairs for fresh screening in consonance with Part C, Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution which empowers the President to appoint chairman and members of the commission, subject to Senate’s confirmation.

Soon after the announcement, Saturday Newswatch learnt that a petition was forwarded to the Senate committee to the effect that the people of Kwara are not in support of Abdulraheem’s return.

Jimoh has vowed to fight the legal battle with Senator Saraki to a logical conclusion. Having lost at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, the Ilorin community leader has shifted his battle to the Supreme Court.

Jimoh, while speaking with Saturday Newswatch recently, alleged that the senator offered him money to induce him with a view to burying the hatchet. He, however, maintained that he would fight the battle to the end.

Another factor which is also threatening the PDP’s unity in Kwara State is the alleged arrangements made by the presidency to give the PDP machinery in the state to the pioneer members of the party, otherwise called the ‘old PDP.’

Just recently, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) played host to Senator Saraki. The anti-graft agency was reportedly investigating the immediate past state governor on issues that bother on the bond he took while in office.

Aside, unconfirmed report also has it that the EFCC queried the former executive vice chairman of the Societe General Bank of Nigeria (SGBN) on his role in the liquidation of the bank as well as the funds collected by his administration in eight years of being in the saddle in Kwara State.

Addressing a news conference penultimate week, the state Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Yemi Afolayan, denied knowledge of any faction in the party in the state.

He alleged that a former state chairman of the party (name withheld) was parading himself as a factional chairman in the state, urging party faithful to ignore those he described as ‘impostors.’

His words: “Our attention has been drawn to some people who are impersonating as executives of our party in the state. We want to state categorically that the PDP is one indivisible entity under the leadership of Alhaji Ishola Balogun Fulani.

“We queue behind Alhaji Baraje as our National Chairman and Senator Saraki as our leader. The impersonators are hungry politicians who can eat anything including poison.

“The state chapter of the party remains loyal to the national leadership of the PDP. Alhaji Bamanga Tukur has gone for good and has become part of history. What the immediate past National Chairman did contravened the party’s constitution with respect to the holding of a special convention in Abuja recently.

“The NEC of the party is the only organ saddled with the responsibility of fixing national conventions of the party. The quick intervention of stakeholders in the party is to salvage it from total collapse. PDP is a big family that should not be allowed to collapse.”

The secretary further called on members and supporters of the PDP to remain calm, adding that the party has a structure and winning machinery.

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, had on arrival from Abuja recently read the riot act to any splinters group in the party in the state.

“No group in the state should capitalise on what is going in the PDP at the national level as a way of causing division in the state. We have one indivisible party and we have winning machinery in the state. Therefore, I am warning any group which might want to influence anything negatively to think twice,” he warned.

Unarguably, the state PDP nay Saraki is fighting many battles at the same time, the cumulative effects of which may crumble his political fortunes both in the state and at the federal level.

Over the years, Kwara State has been known as a politically stable state with a distinct leadership track laid by the Saraki dynasty even though the opposition had vowed to sack the dynasty in the 2015.

Political analysts are quick to say that the internal wrangling in the state PDP, if not well managed, could snowball into an inferno that would be to the benefit of the opposition party that is waiting in the wing to take over the rein of governance in the 46-year-old state. Only time will tell as events unfold.