After the initial challenge of finding a replacement as the state's representative in the federal cabinet, the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP still has the onerous task of finding a competent candidate to face the presumptive nominee of the ruling party, that is Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed

The shape of things to come in 2015 general elections in Kwara State is already gathering momentum as political gladiators have started reaching out to the stakeholders to make their intentions known.

There are two major political parties in Kwara State, the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

The opposition party in the State of Harmony, PDP appears not to be leaving any stone unturned to take over the state from the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC).

Needless to say that the election battle in Kwara State in 2015 would be interesting and laced with intrigues, given that the principal actors and actresses in both political parties had at different times worked closely with one another.

Majority of the key players in PDP did not only work with the immediate past governor, Dr Bukola Saraki while he was at the helm of affairs for eights years, they also held various elective and appointed political offices when the late elder statesman, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki held sway as the political leader in the state for over four decades.

The implication is that members of both political parties are not strangers to themselves in terms of intrigues and political subterfuges with which they had in the past used to win elections and also stay in government.

But unlike the ruling APC which is continuing in the political tradition of the legacy of the late Dr Olusola Saraki as being currently led by the scion of the political dynasty, Senator Bukola Saraki in the ruling APC, the opposition PDP is charting an entirely different political pattern, which culminated into the political slogan of wrestling the state from the Saraki dynasty even though the daughter of the late elder statesman, Senator Gbemisola Saraki is interestingly one of the forerunners in the PDP, opposition camp in Kwara.

Central leader

The challenges for the PDP emanating from not having a central leader like Saraki in the APC were initially devastating for the opposition party, though the PDP is now gradually getting over the problem.

Indeed, the battle to replace Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi as minister caused serious division among interested stakeholders as there was no central political leader to guide the party on the issue.

Following that agitation to replace Abdullahi, the PDP in Kwara has now resorted to the more energetic battle of picking a gubernatorial candidate for the 2015 elections.

Among the major aspirants known to be jostling for contention are Engr. Sunday Adebayo Babalola, Senator Makanjuola Ajadi, Alh Jani Ibrahim, Senator Simeon Ajibola, Deacon John Dara, Alh Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq, Pro Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, Mohammed Dele Belgore, Alh Bio Ibrahim.

One of the distinguishing factors between the present contest and that of the one that led to the emergence of the present governor in 2011 is the emergence of some new faces. Two outstanding faces are Belgore who came over from the former Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN and the business mogul, Jani Ibrahim.

Remarkably, the 2011 contest had Babalola as runner up to the eventual winner and incumbent governor of the state.

Jani: Changing permutations

Babalola has already positioned himself for another run with the emergence of strong support groups cutting across the state and he has been involving himself in noticeable political and non-political ventures that would win him approval.

Business mogul

However, the emergence of the business mogul, Jani Ibrahim is believed to be shaking the political landscape given the alleged overwhelming influence he has won through his business and other non-governmental activities.

Jani who is also the Chairman of LUBCON, a lubricant company based in Illorin, the state capital, is believed to be the second largest employer of labour in the state, second only to the government.

Jani who is an alumnus of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, and a past national president of the Alumni, as the association of grandaunts of the school are called, is also a past managing director of Nigeria Airways.

Among the advantages Jani is bringing to his testimonial as an aspirant is his past engagements in the real sector. He is the past president of Kwara Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KWACCIMA) and past chairman Conference of Northern States Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA), and presently National Vice President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (NACCIMA), where he is the Chairman of the Power Sector Group of NACCIMA.

Business empire

One strength Jani is believed to be framing his campaign on is that he built his business empire in Kwara, that he lives among his people and is therefore in a good position to understand their needs and challenges.

The focus of his campaign is said to be derived from his name JANI standing for Jobs-Agriculture-Natural Resources- Infrastructural Development. Though he is yet to openly make a declaration, the unexpected entry of Jani into the race is believed to be reshaping political permutations of interest groups in the contest.

One of the major factors under consideration is zoning. Kwara South which is enjoying its first opportunity to produce a governor of the state under the present dispensation is agitating that it should serve out two terms. Kwara Central which has the largest population in the state is also craving to have its right place as the decider while Kwara North which has never produced a governor for the state is also bidding to have its man occupy the office.