Intrigues as Gbemisola Saraki Eyes Kwara Ministerial Slot

Date: 2019-05-21

If feelers seeping out from the Kwara State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress is anything to go, there is a titanic battle currently ongoing between two of the state's prominent people in what amounts to a straight shoot-out for control of the local chapter of the APC. Both camps have started beating the war drums ahead of the impending inauguration of the new administration.

In one corner with her followers stands Gbemisola Saraki, daughter of the late strongman of Kwara politics and second republic lawmaker Olusola Saraki. In the other corner is long-serving APC stalwart and former national Publicity Secretary of the party Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Like two elites athletes who have set their sights firmly on the finish line, Gbemi Saraki and Lai Mohammed are eyeing the ministerial slot for Kwara in President Muhammadu Buhari's second term. While Gbemi is aiming to take her first bite of the ministerial apple, Lai Mohammed, the current minister of information and culture, is bidding to retain his position.

Over recent weeks, Gbemi has been on a charm offensive, trying to rally prominent Kwarans under the APC flag to her cause. She is also allegedly in contact with top APC officials at the national level. She is leaving no stone unturned to secure what she regards as just rewards for the herculean efforts she expended to unseat her blood brother and outgoing Senate president Bukola Saraki from his perch atop the Kwara political totem pole.

Expectedly, Lai Mohammed is not taking her recent moves lying down. They have been telling whoever cared to listen that Gbemi cannot match Lai in terms of loyalty or contributions to the cause. Lai Mohammed, they opined, has been a staunch loyalist who stayed in the APC under its various guises, unlike Gbemi who is a relative newbie having only decamped in 2015. They also pointed out how Mohammed has done a yeoman's job in his post and right from when he was the chief publicist for the APC.

As the battle heats up, Gbemi and Mohammed are banking on their respective networks at the national level to gain the upper hand. Gbemi is said to have wormed her way into the heart of the APC national chairman comrade Adams Oshiomhole such that he always consults her before making any important decision that affects the party in Kwara.

On the other hand, Alhaji Lai Mohammed is the designated leader of the party in the state and can count on the loyalty of much of the rank and file, despite Gbemi's recent moves to win them over. He is also said to be very close to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In fact, he served as Tinubu's Chief of Staff during his first term as Lagos governor.

With the die cast and the stage set, all eyes are now on President Muhammadu Buhari and his advisers to see which of the two titans of Kwara politics gets the nod to represent the state as a primary minister in the 2019-23 executive cabinet.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Tunji Ajanaku     Valsolar-Kwara Company Limited     Samuel Elizabeth Keatswa     Oba Abdulkadir La\'aro     International Aviation College     Timothy Olatunde Fadipe     Okasanmi Ajayi     Theophilus Oyebiyi     CBT     Old Oyo     University Road     Jeunkunu-Malete-Bani     Arinola Fatimoh Lawal     Umar Danladi Shero     Sola Saraki University     Rotimi Samuel Olujide     ER-KANG Mining Nigeria Company Limited     Taofeek Sanusi     Muhammad Toyin Sanusi     ASUU     Kudirat Arinola Lawal     Tanke Road     Mahee Abdulkadir     Mohammed Yahaya Barki     Playing Host     Medinat Folorunsho Salman     Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye     Awoye     Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen     Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria     Orire     Rafiu Ibrahim     Olatunji Ibrahim     Adesoye College     Muhammadu Buhari     Abiodun Musa Aibinu     AbdulRauf Keji     Muhammed Abdullahi     Ubandawaki     Zulkifli Ibraheem     Saliu Tunde Bello     Lawal Jimoh     Nigeria Foundation For Artificial Intelligence     Olatunji Moronfoye     Nagode     Isiaka Danmeromu     Raymond Olaitan     Gwanara     Oke Sunna     Saliu Ajia     Ishak Mohammed Sabi     Ishaq Oloyede     Nigeria Association Of Women Journalists     Alapansapa     Hauwa Nuru     Apaokagi     Ubandoma     Aliyu Muhammed     Toyosi Thomas     Simeon Ajibola     Oyun     IDPU     Fola Consultant     Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency     Maigida     Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations     UITH     Sam Onile     Okoolowo     Local Government Pension Board     Hassan Taiye Salam     Wahab Agbaje     Rachael Obisesan     Adeniyi Ojo     Hassanat Bello     Suleiman Alege Kuranga     Yoonus Kola Olatinwo    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Post-utme     Raheem Adaramaja     Jide Ashonibare     Suleman Abubakar     Moses Rahman Popoola     Elesie Of Esie     Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria     Monkey Pox     Modibo Kawu     Maryam A. Garuba     Hassanat Bello     Mohammed Saidu     Ibrahim Abiodun     Alabe     Abdulrahman Onikijipa     Abdulfatah Ahmed     Isiaka Yusuf     Ajayi Okasanmi     Lawal Arinola Kudirat     Folaranmi Aro     Risikat Lawal     African Democratic Congress     Wahab Isa     Kudirat Arinola Lawal     College Of Education     Facebook     Cassava Growers\' Association     Kehinde Baale     Abdullahi Imam Abdullahi     Ayodele Kuburat Olaosebikan     Olatunde Olukoya     Kwara TV     Malete     Titus Ashaolu     Sidikat Alaya     Baba Issa     Alao Ayotunde     Folajimi Aleshinloye     Baboko     Oro Grammar School Old Students Association     Sango-UITH Road     Bature Bello     Kpotum Mohammed Baba     Mohammed Ghali Alaaya     Taiwo Joseph     Apado     Muhammad Ghali Alaaya     SGBN     Ramadhan     The Herald     Umar Danladi Shero     Kale Kawu     Mope Dasuki Belgore     Sheikh Alimi     Oyedun Juliana Funke     Babatunde Ishola Babaita     Ohoro Of Shao     Adebayo Mohammed Kamaldeen     Oluronke Adeyemi     Olatunji Moronfoye     Toyin Olayinka Tejidini     Salmon Babatunde Salmon     Bureau Of Lands     Makama Of Ilorin     Omoniyi     Muhammed Akanbi     Unilorin FM     Lanre Issa-Onilu     V.O. Abioye     Okala Baba     Yusuf Amuda Aluko     Shonga     Pius Abioje     Ilorin South     Sambo Murtala     Musa Ayinla Yeketi     Sobi FM