Date: 2014-12-14

The emergence of the  Senator representing Kwara South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Sule Simon Ajibola, as governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2015 general elections in Kwara State was on account of disposition of “pro-power  must be retained in the southern part of the state”, The Herald On Sunday can report.

Delegates from the southern bloc of the state, who had earlier pledged to support one of the PDP governorship aspirants and former governorship flag-bearer of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria in the 2011 polls, Mr Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN), made abrupt U-turn when plausible reasons were put before them that there was need to let the southern district complete their eight years of two tenure.

The incumbent Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed is from Share, Ifelodun Local Government Area of the State, and he is about to finish his first term in office, though on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He had therefore been made the standard-bearer of the party to run for second term in the forthcoming elections.

The Herald On Sunday gathered that the agitators for the power to be maintained in the South believed that it would be unwise to sacrifice the second term opportunity of the bloc on the altar of struggle to hijack power from the ruling APC while Kwara Central continues to dictate the pace.

It was learnt that some delegates who were sympathetic to the cause of Dele Belgore from the Southern bloc despite the agitation for power to remain in the district were angry that the former governorship flag-bearer of the defunct ACN wanted to employ his connection with some power brokers in the PDP to be imposed as candidate of the party at all cost.

Our correspondent was reliably informed that while crisis ensued in the party over alleged moves to foist the Senior Advocate on the party, Ajibola had capitalized on that to woo delegates to his side, and consequently enabled him to curry large number of votes cast at the primary election.

In a keen contest for the coveted ticket of the PDP, Ajibola polled 144 to defeat his closest rival Dele Belgore (SAN) who came second with 132 votes.

Other aspirants at the governorship primary were Senator Gbemisola Saraki, who got 113 votes; former Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Suleiman Makanjuola Ajadi (107); ex Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem (58), Isa Bio Ibrahim (45); son of late former Governor of the state, Hakeem Lawal (33); Jani Ibrahim (27), Sunday Babalola (3); Kale Belgore (1), Abdullahi Sanusi Kaiama got no vote while John Dara recorded 16 votes at the election.

The election, which was re-scheduled for Thursday after that of Monday was stalemated as a result of violence that broke out, could not commence until around 9:30pm and dovetailed till the early hours of Friday amidst heavy security presence.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Salihu Garuba, led his men to the venue of the primary, Arca Santa Arena (former Tate and Lye).

Prior to the conduct of the primary, the atmosphere was tense as nobody could predict who would emerge as the candidate of the PDP, but it was clear that the battle was a straight fight between Kwara Central and Kwara South.

Supporters of each of the aspirants insisted that the primary must be free and fair as any move to impose a candidate on them either by hook or crook would be resisted from all fronts.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed report has it that the son of late former Governor Mohammed Lawal, who was also one of the governorship aspirants of the PDP, Hakeem Lawal, was being considered as running mate of Senator Ajibola in the 2015 polls.

It was learnt that the state leadership of the PDP held a marathon meeting at the weekend where it was agreed that his name be penciled for the deputy governorship slot.

Hakeem Lawal came distant seventh in the primary election.

However, when contacted on the telephone, the Assistant Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the State, Mr Femi Yusuf, denied that the son of the late former governor was among those being considered as running mate to Senator Ajibola.

He said the party would decide any moment from now on who to  pick as deputy governorship candidate.