The Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party is in a fix. The bitter struggle for the governorship ticket by chieftains has polarised the fold. As the gladiators work at cross-purposes, ahead of the next election, the party's efforts to regain power may hit the rock. The Nation Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU reports.

Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not recovered from the tragedy of mass defection that hit the chapter last year. Since Senator Bukola Saraki and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed left the troubled chapter, the party has been seized by crisis. Now, the crisis has escalated, following the struggle for the governorship ticket by aspirants.

The chapter has set two objectives for members since last year. The first is to draw the curtains on the Ahmed Administration next year. Ahmed is an All Progressives Congress (APC) governor. He was elected on the platform of the PDP in 2011.The second is to halt the influence of the Saraki Dynasty. The PDP chieftains are emboldened to achieve the two objectives, with the active backing of an insider, Senator Gbemi Saraki.

To achieve the goals, the chapter also relies on the federal might. President Goodluck Jonathan has been assured by the chapter that power shift is possible in Kwara, if the national leadership can make it a priority. The President, who is the PDP National Leader, has also promised to lend the support to the chapter to recapture the seat of government.

However, the chapter is suffering from self-inflicted wounds. As the race to the Kwara Government House gathers momentum, PDP appears to be in disarray. The clogs in the wheel of progress are mutual suspicion, distrust, politics of blackmail and bitterness and character assassination. In an atmosphere of strife and rancour, Kwara PDP's predicament is compounded by lack of a formidable leadership capable of effecting crisis resolution and reconciliation among the warring chieftains.

The chapter is factionalised. Although the chairman, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, who emerged at the rancorous congress held in February, has denied this, the facts on ground suggest otherwise. Oyedepo has said that his executive committee has succeeded in maintaining party supremacy and discipline, but he has not been able to nip the activities of antagonistic caucuses in the bud.

Today, Kwara PDP does not have an arrowhead. There is an executive committee in place, but the members perceive themselves as representatives of caucuses that nominated them. Therefore, their obligations go to the factional groups. There is little that Oyedepo, former Chief Whip of the House of Assembly, can do to whip them into line.

Party chieftains have attributed the inability of the President to appoint another minister to replace sacked Sports Minister Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi to the internal crisis. Although a section of the party said that the lack of representation at the federal cabinet was due to presidential prerogative, the delay in appointing a minister has to do more with the tussle over leadership among key leaders of the chapter.

For instance, Hajia Bola Shagaya has emerged a significant factor, owing to her close relationship with the Presidency. But, the fact that she has not been active politically in the state is a major reason other party leaders refuse to accept their leadership. Across the three Muslim-dominated districts, party chieftains are not ready to accept a woman's leadership. Yet, from all indications, it appears that the national leadership is rooting for her candidature for the ministerial slot.

Senator Gbemi Saraki, a former governorship candidate, is also interested in the position. Sources said that she has started to work against Mrs. Shagaya to reduce her chance of being picked by the President. Thus, the disagreement between the two strong women may affect the party.

According to sources, Senator Gbemi Saraki is coveting a ministerial job, having acknowledged the futility of insisting on her governorship ambition. GRS, as the former senator is fondly called, dumped her ambition because of her 2011 experience. She was rejected by voters at the poll due to gender reasons, despite the fact that she had the backing of her illustrious father and Kwara kingpin, the late Dr. Olusola Saraki. She was also said to have rejected an ambassadorial position so that she could monitor her constituency. Thus, the only option for her is the ministerial appointment. Sources said that the position had been promised her by her brother's close friend and the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Amadu Adamu Mua'zu. But, the obstacle now is the Shagaya factor.

Another reason why decided to jettison her governorship ambition is that she cannot conveniently campaign against her father’s at the next year’s election. She had expressed reservations at the way some party leaders had criticised her father during the rally held at the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority field. Speakers at the rally described her father’s time as a period of political slavery.

As the two amazons bicker over the ministerial slot, the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Suleiman Makanjuola Ajadi decided to remove the lid over what many party leaders have been concealing. He told reporters that his Southern Senatorial District must produce the next PDP governorship candidate. He said this is necessary to boost the chance of the party. Ajadi explained that, if the PDP want to succeed in its quest for power shift, the Central District should allow the South to enjoy the slot for eight years. Already, the governor, who is from the district, would have enjoyed the slot for four years by next year.

Many chieftains tend to agree with this suggestion by the presidential adviser. The thinking is that, if the Central District is allowed to produce the governor in 2015, the new governor will want to spend eight years and later, the slot will go to the North, which will also hold it for eight years. The implication is that the South may not taste it for 16 years.

However, some people believe that Ajayi made the suggestion because the odd may favour him. He is a veteran governorship contender. It is believed that the choice of the flag bearer from the Central District may nullify his ambition to rule the Northcentral state. But Ajadi is not alone in the equation in the Kwara South. The former President of the Nigerian Youth Council and delegate to the National Conference, Ben Duntoye, is in the governorship race. He is relying on his connection with the Presidency to have a shot at the Government House.

But, the proposal by Ajadi and Duntoye is creating bad blood in the Central District, particularly among supporters of Mr. Dele Belgore (SAN), who left the APC for the PDP to realise his governorship ambition.

Four more years for the South and North will affect his aspiration. Also, if this route is taken, it will be a major slap on Mrs. Shagaya, who according to sources, has become the major campaigner for a Belgore ticket.

It was gathered that she had personally led the former ACN candidate to President Jonathan for an endorsement. Many believe that the recent suggestion by Ajadi was a sort of protest and warning to the party's national leadership over the consequence of the endorsement.

The Belgore factor is also a sour grape to the aspiration of Professor Shuiab Abdullahi Oba, who has set up campaign structures. Oba is the former University of Ilorin Vice Chancellor. He is the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission. He is bold, brave and fearless. He was the first member of the Saraki camp to openly challenge the strongman and withstand the storm it generated. Perhaps, this may also become his undoing. Party members are saying in hush tones that it may be difficult to control him, if he becomes the governor.

However, chieftains rooting for his candidature have said that he is a loyal party man, who had sacrificed for the party, unlike Belgore who recently defected to the fold from the APC. Indeed, many supporters of Oba are unhappy that the same issue that chased Belgore out of the APC is what he has come to the PDP to preach. In the APC, Belgore had said that the party structure should not be handed over to people who had just joined the party at the expense of those who had laboured to build the structures for years.

Analysts have predicted post-primary crisis. This can only be averted if the cracks in the party are mended, ahead of the election. But, will the gladiators sheathe their swords, shun personal interests and promote the collective interest of the party? Time will tell.