Barely one month after President Goodluck Jonathan attended the Peoples Democratic Party unit/freedom rally in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, the state’s chapter of the party is plunged in a crisis. At issue are the disparate interests of members and leaders of the party.
The rally that was supposed to serve as an impetus for the leadership of the PDP in the state has seemed to turn into its albatross.

Thank-you Visit
The leadership crisis in Kwara PDP is alleged to have started when the state chapter paid a thank-you visit to Jonathan at Aso Rock, in Abuja , following the president’s February 23 visit to the state. Some leaders of the party were said to be unfavourably disposed to the head of the delegation, a business magnate said to be close to the Aso Rock. They had, allegedly, preferred a politician conversant with the political structure of the state.
Some leaders, according to the party sources, viewed the headship of the team that visited Abuja by the businesswoman as a bad start for the party many whose members had only recently defected en masse to All Progressives Congress. They felt she was not a politician and could not be a leader of the party in the state.

PDP Leaders
The PDP leaders in the state include chairman, Federal Character Commission, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem; Mr. Mohammed Dele Belgore(SAN); former Minister of Transport, Hon. Issa Bio Ibrahim; Special Adviser to President Jonathan on National Assembly Matters, Senator Makanjuola Ajadi; Senator Gbemisola Saraki; Hajia Muinat Sagaya; Princess Bilikisu Gambari-Edewor; Architect Lola Ashiru; and Chief Rex Olaoye.
Others are Alhaji Abdulrasaq Abdulrahman, Hon. Moses Ibiyemi, Engineer Adebayo Babalola, and Chief John Dara.

Governorship Ambition
Besides the controversial visit to Aso Rock, there is also the issue of the governorship ambitions of some leaders of the party. Such ambitions have fueled unhealthy competition for control of the party in the state.
Even the recent party membership registration in the state was enmeshed in deep disagreements among party leaders, as each sought to have more of his supporters registered, as a way of facilitating his ambition.

Controversial Congresses
But the bickering over control of PDP in the state witnessed a dangerous dimension on April 7, when the party’s ward congresses resulted in the killing of persons.
The intense struggle at the ward congresses was not surprising because control of the ward executives is usually a good foundation for control of the party. Leaders of the party mobilised all necessary strategies to get control of the wards.
The bloody incident during the wards congresses, THISDAY learnt, happened at Sango area of Ilorin, when some supporters of the party believed to be political thugs engaged in sporadic shooting over an alleged plan by one of the leaders of the party to impose some ward executives.
Though, there was a large turnout of PDP members for the congress, the exercise was marred by violence in some areas.
It was gathered that the exercise turned violent in Sango area of Ilorin when a police man shot into the air in an attempt to control a rowdy situation but his gun fell down and was picked up by a group of suspected hoodlums who refused to release it to the police.
The police was said to have forcefully retrieved the AK-47 rifle from the hoodlums and in the process another policeman shot at the suspected hoodlums in possession of the gun, leading to pandemonium.
Some hoodlums also took advantage of the crisis to set up bonfire on road in the area, which obstructed traffic flow.
Similarly, at Ajikobi Central ward of Ilorin West local government, THISDAY learnt that the congress, which had started smoothly in the morning with a large turnout of members, also turned violent as it was disrupted mid-way.
Ajikobi ward is the ward of the former governor of the state and incumbent senator for Kwara Central senatorial district, Senator Bukola Saraki, his sister, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, and Abdulraheem.
It was gathered that officials of the party had insisted that members should present their party membership registration cards bearing the holders’ photographs before they could be allowed entrance into the Ansarul Islam Primary School, Okekere, venue of the congress. The situation degenerated to a rowdy session, leading to the firing of gunshots into the air.

Confirmation
Confirming the incident, the state police commissioner, Mr. Ambrose Aisabor, said seven persons had been arrested in connection with the violence. He said the arrested persons were alleged to be involved in the sporadic shooting that happened in Ilorin.
Aisabor confirmed the death of one person, saying the state police command would commence full investigations into the incident and any person found culpable would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Also speaking on the incident, the state publicity secretary of PDP, Alhaji  Muhammed Alhasan,  who confirmed the outbreak of violence during the congress, expressed disappointment at the way the ward congress was conducted in the state.
He, however, claimed that the report of killings at the PDP ward congress was aimed at distracting the attention of party members.
“We are bold to say that the cause of the death of the people is yet to be released, as the police is still investigating the matter,” Alhassan said.

Arrest
The state police command has arrested yet another four persons for alleged possession of illegal firearms over the PDP ward congress crisis in the state.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin over the arrest, the state Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zanna Ibrahim, said the suspects were arrested at the residence of the state caretaker chairman of PDP, Hon. Solomon Edoja.
According to Ibrahim, “Four suspects were arrested in Oyun area of the metropolis, in the house of the PDP chairman, on Tuesday (April 8, 2014) morning. One of the suspects, Olorunfemi Sola, was caught with a locally made gun and one live cartridge.”
The DCP, who said investigation on the matter was still going on, added that further investigations would categorically reveal the identities of other suspects.
It was gathered that a PDP member of the state House of Assembly was invited and interrogated by the state police command on Tuesday (April 8,2014) in connection with the allegation.
In his reaction, Edojah disclosed that the said lawmaker was invited by the police to explain what he knew about the matter.
He said, “Some hoodlums were sighted outside the premises of my lodge this morning and we discovered that about 90 per cent of them were people masquerading like PDP members whose mission was to foment trouble.
“When the police arrested one of them and searched him thoroughly, he was caught with life ammunition and you will agree with me that it is typical of hoodlums to mention names of prominent persons when arrested.”

APC's Reaction
Reacting to the ward congresses of PDP in the state that led to the killing of three people, the state chapter of All Progressives Congress condemned PDP for the spate of destructions of lives and property due to what it called the desperation and greed for political relevance among PDP members.
The party called on the state police command to probe the incident and bring the perpetrators to book.
The APC, in a statement issued in Ilorin and signed by the state interim publicity secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, said, “It is highly disturbing that PDP has extended its gangsterism to blood-letting and senseless killings in a state known for peace and harmony…
“The fracas, which took place at the PDP secretariat in Sango - Ilorin, between supporters of a former senator and the chairman of a federal commission at Ajikobi central ward in Ilorin, has once again brought to the fore the greed and selfishness of members of the PDP in the state.”
The statement said, “Ordinarily, the APC would not have bothered itself with happenings in the PDP, but because of our concern for innocent people of the state who might be affected by the fracas.
“While the APC calls on the Kwara State Police Command to probe the senseless killings at PDP secretariat with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice, we urge the law enforcement agencies to be at alert because the PDP has vowed to make Kwara State ungovernable.”

Crossroads
Generally, PDP in Kwara State at present seems to be at a crossroads, with hardly any effective rallying point for members. Any internal squabbling at this time would definitely worsen matters for the party ahead of the 2015 general elections.