Date: 2018-08-17

A 2019 governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim Ajia, has warned against what he called "needless vilification" of the President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, over his defection into the party.

With the defection of Saraki into the opposition party, Ajia expressed optimism that the PDP stands a better chance to surmount all obstacles and comfortably win the 2019 general elections both at the state and the national level.

The gubernatorial hopeful said this while addressing PDP members and supporters at a special meeting held in his Campaign Office in Ilorin, the state capital.

Ajia, who is the founder of Mohammed Ajia Ibrahim Foundation (MAI Foundation), regretted that some chieftains dumped the PDP under the guise that they cannot survive on the same platform with the Senate President.

He disclosed that negotiations were ongoing to ensure that all interests are taken care of and allayed the fear of old members of the party that their struggles and commitments to make the party a formidable structure would go unrewarded.

Ajia stated that party supporters and loyalists must be tolerant, and accommodate new members coming into their fold, saying this would make the opposition party strong, viable and battle ready for the forthcoming polls.

The governorship aspirant urged PDP not to be despaired but work collectively to realise the goal of winning the 2019 general elections and added that the opposition party remains the only hope to rescue the country from the challenges bedevilling it.

Ajia recalled that there were pressures on him to decamp following the defection of some bigwigs but chose to remain in PDP because of his belief that it is the only party that can deliver electoral promises to the people.

The governorship aspirant, whose foundation has touched lives of many Kwarans, disclosed that his joining the race was to show that more can be done to improve the lives of the people.

Ajia commended members and supporters of the PDP for their steadfastness and assured of his readiness to set Kwara on a path of sustainable growth and development if given opportunity to serve the state. He, however, implored party supporters and Kwarans both home and in diaspora to continue to pray to Almighty God to deliver the Senate President from his current political travails and persecution.