Hammed Shittu writes that the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party Unity Rally in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital was a strong message to the ruling All Progressives Congress

The ancient city of Ilorin, Kwara State, on Monday witnessed an unusual gathering in the political history of the state as the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, stormed the city with his entourage to be part of what was tagged: "Unity/ Freedom rally to welcome defectors from other political parties. The rally was organised by the state chapter of the PDP.

Among the defectors were former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) during the 2011 general election, Mr. Muhammed Dele Belgore; former governorship candidate of defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Alhaji Abdluraham Abdulrasaq, Rev. Bunmi Olusonna, the son of a former governor of the state, Alhaji Hakeem Lawal; Kwara Central  senatorial candidate of the defunct CPC in the 2011 election, Bilikisu Gambari and former governorship candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Senator Gbemisola Saraki.

They all pledged to work hard to ensure victory for PDP in the state in next year’s elections. The event was held at the Ilorin Metropolitan Square, located along Asa dam road.

Prior to the coming of President Jonathan to Ilorin for the rally, the state chapter of the PDP led by its state caretaker chairman, Hon. Solomon Edoga had told the journalists that the party had constituted some special committees to ensure a hitch-free visit of the President and other leaders of the PDP to the state.

"We have seen that PDP is Kwara and Kwara is PDP," he said, adding that, "Apart from this, we hear that the ground that President Goodluck Jonathan is coming to cultivate on Monday next week is a politically very fertile and the harvest is going to be jumbo. The jumbo harvest when millions of Kwarans will identify themselves with the PDP."

Consequently, the state government too has called on politicians and their supporters to conduct themselves lawfully and avoid any action capable of disrupting the existing peace in the state.

A Government House statement issued in Ilorin last Friday and signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the governor, Dr. Muideen Akorede, said "Although the president is not on a state visit, we welcome him to our state of harmony. We will accord him all the courtesies and arrangements benefitting of his office.

However, as part of the preparations for the visit, various groups and supporters in the state chapter of the PDP had erected billboards, posters, flyers among others, across the major streets of the state. From the Ilorin International Airport where the president and his entourage were received by the party leadership in the state to the Emir of Ilorin palace, PDP supporters were all over to welcome the president and his team to the state.

The state chapter of the PDP also mobilised their supporters from the 16 local government council areas of the state to the venue of the rally. Indeed, the rally was a success in view of the large turnout of PDP supporters across the 16 council areas of the state.

At the emir of Ilorin palace, President Jonathan commended the foresight of the Emir, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari for the peaceful co-existence among people in the state. Jonathan, who was in company with his deputy, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, ministers and governors expressed happiness on the harmony and unity that Kwara is known for and also thanked the royal father for working with government agencies towards ensuring the sustenance of peace in the state.

He urged the Emir not to relent in the sustenance of peace so that the Boko Haram insurgency, Kidnapping and other anti-social vices would not find their way to the state. Jonathan told the Emir that he was in Kwara to encourage PDP members in the state ahead of elections and promised to return to the state for campaign proper.

Sulu-Gambari who had earlier told the president that peace, unity and love would continue to reign in the state, described Kwara as a gateway to the North and South of Nigeria and assured him that no stone would be left unturned towards ensuring peace in Kwara. He described the president’s victory in the last election as an act of God and prayed God to enable him achieve his next ambition in peace.

The Chief Imam of IIorin, Alhaji Mohammed Bashir offered a special prayer for peace, unity, love and understanding to continue to reign in Kwara in particular and the country as a whole. Some first class traditional rulers in the state were also at the palace to receive the President.

However, at the Metropolitan Square, venue of the rally, the whole of the Square was full to capacity as PDP supporters had thronged the place to witness the rally. The crowd was so choking that the president, Sambo, National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, governors of Niger, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, deputy governor of Sokoto and Kogi States came down from their vehicles and walked the distance to the venue.

Security was tight as the police, soldiers, SSS, Civil Defence Corps among others were on hand to maintain law and order.
In his welcome address, Edoja said "the large turnout at the rally by the PDP supporters showed their commitment to free themselves from perceived political bondage of the state. It has shown that PDP is Kwara and Kwara is PDP".

He thanked Jonathan for appointing sons and daughters of the state into various positions and promised that "the party would do everything possible to reciprocate by voting en masse for the PDP during next year’s elections in the state."

The Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Akwa Ibom, Godswill Akpabio said they were in the state to give solidarity to the people of Kwara who are yearning for freedom, noting that Kwara has always supported the power at the centre and must remain in PDP for permanent freedom in the state.

Sambo noted the federal government has done a lot for the people of Kwara especially in the area of education and agriculture, among others, adding that the large turnout showed that the transformation agenda of the present government was working.
President of the Senate, Senator David Mark said "the coming out of the people of Kwara to the rally showed that the people here still believe in PDP" It is a clear indication that Kwara is for PDP and Let me confess,  we have gone round, like Imo State, the turnout in Kwara today  is the  biggest."

Muazu, on his part, said "Today marks the beginning of good things for the people of Kwara state. The programme of today is to formally receive those who defected to the party based on the need for freedom in the state."

Crowning all the speeches up, Jonathan noted that the era of imposition or godfatherism in the PDP has passed and promised to assist all the elected representatives to serve the people diligently. He said every stakeholder in the party irrespective of his or her status would be given free hand to serve the people without being controlled from any quarters.
"PDP is not for dictator because it encompasses all Nigerians irrespective of his or her status and also has every voting unit across the country.

“PDP is not for individuals; it is not for dictator; there is no more godfatherism and no more imposition in the party in order to allow the people enjoy the dividends of democracy. It is the people that matter in politics and not individuals because when you get into politics, you have to think of people who voted for you and not thinking about yourself.

"People who think about the people follow the people’s party and PDP is the only people’s party. PDP is the party that even if you go outside Nigeria, you ask which are the political parties you have in Nigeria, you will say PDP and others because it is only in PDP that every polling unit not just wards that you have PDP members.

"It is only the PDP that can take this country to where we want to be and I say it without fear of any contradiction because it is only in PDP that people like me can come from nowhere, stand up and become president of this country. PDP is not owned by any individual or group of individuals. We don’t have dictators in PDP. We have people who believe in the people and that is why in PDP, we talk about one man, one vote. No more imposition, no more godfatherism," he noted.

Jonathan noted further that, "It is only PDP that can give people freedom. We are here for the freedom of our people. We were here in 2011 for the campaign for the general election and we are here today and we have seen the crowd, the turnouts are the same if not more. It only means that everybody that matters is in PDP.

"We have heard from those who have spoken. Kwara state is a PDP state, the Kwara people believe in PDP because for now, it is only PDP that can meet up their aspirations," he added.

Others who attended the unity are the deputy governor of Kogi State, Hon. Yomi Awoniyi, deputy governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Mukthar Shagari, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisah Metuh, the immediate past Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, chairman, PDP Boards of Trustees, Chief Tonny Annenih, former national chairman of PDP, Senator Barnabas Gemade, Senator Ahmadu Ali, all the members of the national working committee of PDP and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro,

From the Kwara PDP were the Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters to President, Senator Ajadi Makanjuola; state chairman of SURE-P, Chief Moses Ibiyemi; Colonel Theophilus Bamigboye (rtd.), chairman Federal Character Commission, Prof. Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem and Dr. Femi Ogunsola, among others.

There is no doubt that the rally was a success. Indeed, if the turnout of people at a political rally usually determines the victory of the party during elections, then the APC would have to work harder to maintain its current leadership in the state. But whatever the permutations, the APC remains the party to beat in view of the fact that, the real political structure of the state is with the party and it will be difficult for any party to beat. But the outcome of next year’s election will either confirm or disprove this assertion.