The rivalry between the APC and PDP in Kwara State has intensified the struggle for the Kwara Central senatorial seat currently occupied by former governor Bukola Saraki.

Former Governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, recently dumped his presidential ambition and explained that he took the decision in the interest of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the country.

As Saraki withdrew from the race for the APC presidential ticket, the implication of that decision became obvious - that Saraki would seek re-election as senator representing Kwara Central in the National Assembly.

But since his defection to the APC late last year, there have been attempts to prove that his defection is of no consequence by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Hence, the current stiff opposition from PDP stalwarts in the state which have vowed to dislodge the APC in the state.

Three persons from the PDP have currently indicated interest in the Kwara Central senatorial seat; all vowing to send Saraki packing. They are Saraki's security adviser for eight years, Yinka Aluko, who was also Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed's security aide for two years before he was removed. Aluko refused to defect to APC with Saraki in October last year.

The other two aspirants are former Majority Leader in the House of Assembly, Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe, and Hajia Bilikisu Gambari. Both Oloriegbe and Gambari contested with Saraki in the last election in the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) respectively.

Daily Trust correspondent gathered that Aluko, Oloriegbe and Gambari have so far obtained the nomination forms to contest against Saraki.

While the trio have vowed to defeat Saraki, it remains to be seen how they intend to achieve the feat. The question many are asking is if any of them has the capacity to defeat the former governor and APC leader in the state. Given that the three aspirants would face one another in a primary election for a candidate to emerge, how far can they go in managing the contest and ultimately defeating Saraki?

Analysts say defeating Saraki would be a Herculean task for whoever emerges candidate of the PDP, given Saraki's clout and influence in the state as a former governor. On the reverse side, it is said that it would be a debilitating loss for Saraki to be defeated in the senatorial election.

Speaking with Daily Trust shortly after picking his form, Oloriegbe said he was determined to defeat Saraki to provide what he called, "a facilitative representation." He promised to fight poverty in Ilorin Emirate and the proliferation of area boys which he noted were alien to the community 20 years ago, saying these are indices that Ilorin Emirate has not been properly represented.

Oloriegbe said he was offering to serve as an alternate facilitative representative, noting that the present occupant of the seat has not performed. He said, "Dr. Bukola Saraki has not identified with the people of Ilorin. Dr. Bukola Saraki has not performed as a Senator because parliamentary representative is different from executive position. Representation is about service.

"The situation of Ilorin emirate is worse than it was before. We are witnessing in Ilorin what we didn’t have in Ilorin before. 15, 20 or 25 years ago, we didn't have area boys in Ilorin, we didn't have scavengers in Ilorin, we didn't have men and women begging. We have those things now and that means poverty has increased."

Oloriegbe, who contested against Saraki in 2011 on the CAN ticket, promised to implement a five-point agenda including employment for the youths, empowerment of women and artisans, quality education and health, among others.

On his part, Saraki's former aide stated boisterously that he has the strength to defeat his boss, while promising to contribute his own quota to the socio-economic development of the people of Kwara central district.

He said, "I am prepared to serve the people of Kwara central senatorial district so as to add value to their social wellbeing. There is no doubt that I possess all the neccessary exposures that will endear the people of my senatorial district to vote for me if I am given the mandate during the party's primary."

However, the Kwara Central APC Chairman, Alhaji Jimoh Adesina, stated that it is the wishful thinking of the aspirants to say they would defeat Saraki, adding that all the aspirants cannot point out anything they have done to uplift the standard of living of the people.

Speaking with Daily Trust correspondent, Adesina who is a well-known grassroots politician in the state insisted that none of the aspirants vowing to unseat Saraki in PDP have the capacity and the strength to defeat the APC leader.

He said, "Let me tell you that none of these aspirants is known to us in Kwara Central. You cannot lay your finger on any impact they have made in the local government because they don’t come around to identify with the people. This is the time you see them when election is around the corner and after their defeat by the grace of God in 2015, they would run back to where they came from until another election.

"So, we are not fools in Kwara Central, the electorate know those that are with them, those who identify with them, whether during election or after election. In the whole of Kwara Central, there is no ward or local government that Bukola's impact has not been felt, including Asa, Ilorin West, Ilorin East and Ilorin South.

"We are not in anyway bothered or threatened by the PDP. We are confident that 100 per cent of votes in Kwara Central would go to Bukola Saraki."

The race for the seat would be keenly contested for just like that of the governor if only to show who between the APC and the PDP controls the state since Saraki is the leader of the APC in the state.