LEADERSHIP WEEKEND's ABDULLAHI OLESIN writes that history may be about to repeat itself in Kwara State if recent speculations of alleged rift between the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki and his protege Governor Abdul Fatah Ahmed is anything to go by.

Though many were quick to discard the rumours on the premise that it was broken by a publication loyal to a major opposition party in the state, the experiences of the recent past may not allow such hurried judgment to stand. It would be recalled that the two major political crises that almost thorn the state into shreds during the Second Republic and the inception of the Fourth Republic occurred about the same time the latest development is rearing its head.

The popular political war between the Second Republic governor of the state, Alh. Adamu Attah and his political mentor and Senate leader, Dr. Olusola Saraki (Olooyee) started about two years into the four-year tenure. Similarly, the fierce battle between the late Governor Mohammed Lawal who ruled the state between 1999 and 2003 and his political godfather, Olusola Saraki reared its head in March, 2001, just about two years into his own four-year tenure.

The two political wars which started like a rumour, just like the latest one between Ahmed and Saraki, later snowballed into major crises and in their wakes claimed lives of innocent citizens and provoked wanton destruction of properties of notable political gladiators of those periods.

Aside, a political school of thought also noted the desire of some 'retrogressive' elements in certain senatorial district of the state to cause disaffection between the incumbent governor Ahmed and his political leader, Saraki. "The calculation of these people including some elements in the media is that the governor will only perform if there is face-off between him and his leader. They also believe that it is through such crisis that they can eat fat from both Ahmed and Saraki as it happened during the senior Saraki/Lawal's feud.

However, Ahmed from all indications is not prepared to bite the finger that fed him. The governor had shouted it loud and clear at many fora that, "nothing will bring about a friction between me and my leader (Senator Saraki)".

At one of such fora when the former Acting National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) visited him at the Government House, Ilorin, the governor had alluded to, "being called names" by certain people because of his loyalty to Senator Saraki.

He then declared, "No amount of name calling will make me to engage our leader, Dr. BukolaSaraki in any face-off. The leader had made a lot of sacrifice to get us to where we are today. We shall continue to be loyal to him and improve on the legacies he bequeathed to our dear Kwara State".

As at the time the news of the rumoured rift between the duo broke out, both Ahmed and Saraki had traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah). But the media aides of the two political leaders have lived to the biddings by churning out appropriate responses to what they termed wild allegations.

Saraki's spokesman, Akintoba Fatigun and the Senior Special Assistant on media to Ahmed, Dr. Muideen Akorede, in their separate reactions to the development vehemently refuted the rift theory. Akintoba in his reaction said, "the rumour of rift between Senator Saraki and Governor fatah Ahmed is a beer parlour and low level gossip that need not to be dignified with a response. It's just a strategy of a sinking opposition in the state to stay afloat and be seen as relevant.

"The relationship between Senator Bukola Saraki and Governor Fatah Ahmed remains very cordial and no amount of sponsored and coordinated lies from the opposition can break the cordial relationship that exists between them. The opposition is advised to develop another strategy ahead 2015 instead of sponsoring falsehood and lies that will lead them to nowhere".

In his own reaction Governor Ahmed's media aide, Dr. MuideenAkorede insisted that the relationship between Ahmed and Saraki, rather than wane, remains cordial and strong based on their long association and shared vision of a prosperous Kwara State.

He dismissed the rumoured rift between the two distinguished Kwarans as a figment of the opposition's imagination. Quoting his boss, Akorede added, "ours is a unique partnership based on mutual respect, which grows stronger daily due to our long history and standing commitment to making Kwara a model for other states in terms of economic growth and prosperity for the people.

"We are like a tag-team in which we are pulling our strength together in a determined effort to build a greater Kwara for the benefit of prosperity. Senator Saraki is a man for whom I retain the highest regard and I am happy to state that the feeling is reciprocal".

Describing his administration as a government of continuity, the governor said the situation in Kwara was unique due to the peaceful transition from the previous administration to the current one, adding that his decision to up scale the laudable programs initiated by his predecessor was an eloquent testimony to the benefits of continuity".

This continuity, he said, continues to elude other states in the country and remains the bane of sustained development in Nigeria. The governor was quoted further that, "2015 is still far off, I remain focused on economically empowering Kwarans and growing the state's economy through my administration's robust Shared Prosperity Program".

Ahmed was quoted to have restated his determination not to be distracted by the antics of the feeble opposition in the state, and called on the people of Kwara State, at home and abroad, to ignore the parties' antics. "The rumours are designed to sow seeds of discord between me and my predecessor saying that, the development would not take the opposition to anywhere in the state."

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