FOLLOWING the recent defection of some politicians from People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, the onus of providing a stiff opposition to the ruling APC during Saturday’s governorship election may have shifted to Labour Party (LP).
Gbemisola Saraki, the daughter of late political icon of the state, Olusola Saraki-led the team of the defectors who also include, Dele Belgore SAN and Segun Olawoyin among others.

The development may have depleted the camp of the local PDP by about 30 percent ahead of the election, where the incumbent Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed is seeking a re-election for second term.

The party PDP had posted a good result in the last Presidential polls churning in over 30 per cent votes of the total votes cast in the state for President Goodluck Jonathan during his botched attempt at returning to power.

Spokesman of the PDP in Kwara Rex Olawoye said the defection though “a surprise one to us” has no doubt afforded the party the opportunity of those “we can refer to as faithful members.” Olawoye added that it would not affect the chances of the party at the polls “because people of Kwara are seriously yearning for a change of political ideology.”

Besides, the PDP governorship candidate Simeon Ajibola said the defectors would allegedly find it difficult to direct all their supporters to cast their votes in the same direction during the elections adding, “We are very hopeful of victories.”

Meanwhile, many voters in the state, especially the youth seem to be routing for the LP governorship candidate Mike Omotosho, citing his robust campaign promises and party’s manifestoes. Omotosho had pledged only a single term in office without salaries, youth employment, low cost housing scheme for the masses, free health policy, industrial drives among others for the people of the state if voted to power.

He told The Guardian in Ilorin, “we heard the people referring to us as a more serious party due to our consistency. They are holding us in high esteem due to the fact that even before aspiring for political office we had used our foundation to turn around for good the fortunes of many people.

“This election has nothing to do with ego. We just want to show our people that what they taught was impossible is very possible. We want to show them resource management skill for optimal results. We will do it only for a single term. We need to move away from archaic ideology to a modern one. Kwara is very viable, we are ready to show them the way.”

Media coordinator of the PDP campaign organisation in the state Kayode Omotose said the recent developments have boosted the already positive chances of the party for the polls adding, “it will be a massive victory for us.”