BIOLA AZEEZ  of The Tribune writes on the subtle moves by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders to make further incursion into Kwara State.

TO many observers, a change in the political structure of Kwara State appears imminent, judging by some unfolding developments between the two camps involved in the battle for the soul of the ruling Peoples Democratic party (PDP). The battle has pitched Senator Bukola Saraki, who is one of the PDP leaders in the North-Central and indeed the country, against the national leadership of the party. He, together with the G7 governors who include the governor of the state, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, have engaged the PDP under the leadership of Alhaji Bamangar Tukur in a ceaseless battle of wits.

Since the political friction came to the fore, there have been different postulations on the likely impact and consequence of the power tussle. To some political watchers, Saraki had concluded all discussions with those people he intended to offer the political structure of Kwara, but was only bidding for time. Others are of the view that the political leader has no plan to abandon PDP, but was determined to weather the storm till the end. There are yet other pundits who believe that Saraki has positioned some of his allies in the All Progressive Congress (APC), ahead his possible movement into the opposition party.

Last week, a faction in APC in the state accused a former state chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr. Sola Iji, of parading himself as the interim state chairman of the APC. The development confirmed the simmering crisis in the opposition party. Iji, a native of Ondo State was drafted to lead the caretaker committee last year, following the intractable crisis in the party. Despite the merging of ACN with the Congress for Progressive Change [CPC] and the All Nigeria Peoples Party A[NPP] to form APC, the latter has been factionalised into two camps, ostensibly over the 2015 governorship race  in the state. Those members in the defunct ACN led by Mr. Iji are said to be working for the re- emergence of the former governorship candidate of the party in 2011 elections, Mr. Dele Belgore(SAN). The other two parties in the merger, CPC and ANPP, make up the second faction and are purportedly propping up a business mogul, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, as the governorship candidate of the APC in 2015.

At a news conference in Ilorin, the state capital, the two chairmen of the defunct CPC and ANPP, Alhaji Suleiman Buhari and Alhaji Taiwo Eleja respectively, who are now APC chieftains, called on APC national leadership to stop Mr. Iji from parading himself as the interim chairman of the party in the state. However, when contacted on the issue, Mr. Iji said he had never assumed or paraded himself as the interim chairman of APC in the state.

Worried by the seeming cold war in the opposition party in Kwara, APC national leaders decided to ‘storm’ the state on October 6, 2013, to lobby the PDP-led state administration and its structures with the sole aim of achieving collaboration towards wresting political power from its current holders at the national level. However, the PDP leadership in the state unequivocally told them that the state had a peculiar political structure bequeathed by Second Republic Senate Leader, late Dr. Olusola Saraki.

The APC team, which was led by the party’s interim national leader, Chief Bisi Akande, to Government House, Ilorin described Kwara a beautiful bride that could not be ignored by the progressives. He explained that his party was starting a revolution that would move the nation to the progressive fold, calling on everybody to join the struggle.

The visiting APC team included a former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari;  former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu; former Speaker, House of Representatives, Bello Masari; former governors of Edo and Benue , John Oyegun and George Akume, as well as former minister for Works, Hassan Lawal and the APC interim spokesperson, Chief Lai Mohammed, among other dignitaries.

Speaking during the visit, Chief Akande said, "I am at home and I don’t think I should have to perambulate, except to say that we have come to Kwara State through the governor to invite first,  you to our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and second, we are not limiting our visit to the members of the new PDP which they call the G-7. We are extending the visit to all the other governors and all the other members of PDP because we are starting a revolution that will make the country a country of the progressives. And that is what we have started just about a week ago and we hope to use Kwara State as clapboard to enter the heart of every Nigerian that it is better to live for the people."

On his part, Tinubu, said that APC was the appropriate political platform to confront the current situation in the country. his words, "To the people of Kwara State, I will say we have brought joy; joy for the change. We have brought hope and we have brought friendship, and we are introduce to you again formally the APC, the appropriate name, the appropriate movement and the appropriate political platform for the current situation in the country. The government is not challenged to be responsive to the people because there was no strong alternative platform. There is army of unemployment, our youths are frustrated. Even if we can manage our own hunger but could any graduate or non-graduate going to bed every night hungry think right of democracy? Can a woman in labour with pains, who has not been able to take proper care of the first child and having the second, think well of democracy if there is no proper medical care? Can we talk today of solid and good education that was given to us by our own fathers, because education is a weapon against poverty? Can we boast of that in the face of this unending crisis in the education sector? Can we continue to sit back, lament and complain about suffering, government and Nigeria going backward and drifting or do something; talk together; work together and challenge ourselves for the future of our children?

"Kwara State is a beautiful bride, but go and powder yourself very well, freshen up with nice perfume and come and marry us; with that we will have stability and progress. That is our proposal and that is why we are here. We want that beautiful bride to be ours, so that you all will join hands together and rescue Nigeria from drifting. This is the time to do just that and if we miss this boat, our grandchildren will give us a poke in the nose. They will curse us. God forbid! We are capable of bailing Nigeria out of poverty. We have very progressive platforms in Lagos, Oyo states, go there and see what we are saying and if you collaborate, agriculture will be revived; farmers will be inspired and more industries will be established in Kwara. There will be progress, there will be employment. But if we are not collaborating, if we are not cooperating, if we are not putting our political act together, government will continue to take you for a ride and nothing will happen. Nobody can intimidate you if they see us united. But immediately they see us oscillating and uncertain, they will treat us as chickens for dinner. Help is here. APC is here.

Hope is here; APC is here. Change is here; APC has arrived. We invite you all to join us for the sake of our country," Tinubu, stressed.

In his contribution, General Buhari, said the attempt to form the movement started in 2005, when the leaders realised that the ruling party had become amorphous, hence the need for a viable alternative platform that could bring about a positive change in the land. "It became absolutely necessary for all the representatives of these parties at the National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly and even the local governments to come together and balance the equation. Another sacrifice began by the parties that have come together.

"That nothing has improved over the years shows the non- performance of the ruling PDP. The non-performance of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) popularly known as NEPA, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Pension Funds are enough, with my position and experience, to remove any government in power except in Nigeria. The PDP government has institutionalized corruption in Nigeria. There is no way Nigeria with our vast population, vast land can continue to entertain an army of unemployed youth without the resultant effect of kidnapping and Boko Haram. So, the fundamental objective of APC is to secure a hope for Nigerians," Buhari said.

However, in the first response by the Kwara PDP, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Razak Atunwa, said political parties had a final role to play in the democratic existence of nation. "It is indeed refreshing to see these titans of Nigerian politics from all walks of life, various ethnicities, different age groups, diverse political backgrounds come together to pursue a common goal and development of our dear nation, Nigeria. It is crystal clear that what is paramount on your mind is the progress of the nation.

"Political parties have a final role to play in the democratic existence of our nation. Parties must provide the platform by which people can express themselves. Parties must not subject their members to unwarranted persecution. In other words, political parties must have internal democracy. A party that ceases to have internal democracy cannot do this country a world of good. Avoid bad governance, avoid autocratic tendencies and practices. We must resist act of impunity, we must be tolerant of divergent views. We must see ourselves as one indivisible nation, as people with a common heritage.

"In Kwara State today, that is precisely what we practise. We see ourselves as one people. We see ourselves as our brother’s keeper. That is why there is great harmony not only in the various parts of government but also between the executive and the legislature.

"However, what is also unique in Kwara is that we have a unique political structure. In the state today, the one man that commands mother of votes. The one man that will deliver Kwara State in its entirety is Senator Bukola Saraki. Before you came to Kwara if I had known that is what you have come to do, I would have told you to sit at home. You only need one vote of one Dr Bukola Saraki. Once he speaks the entire Kwara has spoken. But I am particularly nonetheless, happy to see juggernauts of Nigeria politics here today", he said.

Responding to the invitation by APC, Governor  Ahmed said Nigerians were at turning point in the history of the country. He stated, "While not forgetting the fact that Nigeria has come of age. Nigeria like any other developing country is still basking in the residual superstition. The whole world is being driven in the comity of developed nations, but unfortunately, every country of gets the leadership it deserves. Whoever is leading this country today is a product of our choice. That means we have a choice to move along with the progressive countries or we sit behind. Today, as it is, APC has formed itself into a strong formidable platform.

"They are in Kwara on a marketing activity. What makes Kwara unique is simply because we have established a structure formed over a period of four decades of hard work and dedication to the people of Kwara state; selflessly delivered by our late political leader, Dr Olusola Saraki. This has led us into inheriting what we call an election wining machinery. This machinery has been directing every election in the state over the years.

"The same machinery has put in place all the 191 councilors and 16 local government chairmen in the state. The same has put all the members of the state House of Assembly and National Assembly in place and it has also put the governor in place. We here in Kwara are one family

"Dr Bukola Saraki has been carrying the mantle of leadership inherited in a way and manner that has given us dividends. That structure has demonstrated that it can lead us aright. That is why we will join hands with anybody out there to maintain peace, because that is where the strength of our people lies.

"I want to commend the leadership of the APC. You have come here to share with us your aspirations for Nigeria. You are aware we are still under the leadership of the PDP which is undergoing serious challenges today and reconciliations are still ongoing. Clear areas of differences are being critically reviewed. We hope that the interest of this country will take precedent over and above any self interest. Be assured that we will always have a common platform for growth and development. In Kwara we are one party, one family and that is what has kept us together. That will continue to sustain us.

The governor, who said the people of the state had a political structure formed more than 40 years ago with hardwork, zeal and commitment by late Dr. Olusola Saraki, added that the system had consistently produced elected political leaders like governors, members of state House of assembly and the National Assembly, council chairmen and councilors, among others.