HOW AHMED GOT SARAKIS ENDORSEMENT FOR SECOND TERM Leader of the APC in Kwara State, Bukola Saraki, last week endorsed Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed for a second term. Our correspondent reports how the governor was kept in suspense for a long time due to an alleged agreement for him to serve only a term. The debate on whether Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed would be given the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to run for a second term in office has been on the front burner of political discourse in Kwara until last week when Senator Bukola Saraki, who is the leader of the party in the state, publicly endorsed him for the position. Though a second term ticket of the ruling party in the state should be automatic to a sitting governor, Ahmed had cause to worry as there are other Saraki loyalists who are equally interested in the position. There are also other considerations like the need for power to shift to a different geopolitical zone and an alleged agreement that the governor would do only a term. This explains the agitations by various groups and individuals for the endorsement of the governor for a second term even when the governor was yet to declare his interest in running again. Many political associations, groups, professional associations and artisans came out to call on the governor to contest and even pleading with the leadership of the APC in the state to concede the ticket to Ahmed. Groups like the Kwara South Youth Consultative Forum, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kwara North Consultative Forum, taxi drivers, commercial motorcyclists, performing musicians, women leaders, have all pleaded for the governor to be given the APC ticket. Ahmed dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) apparently in deference to Saraki, his political godfather, following him to the APC in November, last year. Since Ahmed, who served as commissioner during Sarakis eight years tenure succeeded his boss, he has never hidden his loyalty and reverence for the APC leader. He eulogises and idolises him as the scion of the Saraki dynasty and as someone who is in control of the APC in the state. But then, few people believe loyalty could earn the governor the APC ticket to contest for second term amidst insinuations of a purported pact to serve for four years and the agitation for the zoning of the governorship position to another senatorial district. With the raging calls for Ahmeds second term emanating from various quarters over what they refer to as his significant performance in the last three and half years and his unbending loyalty to the leader, many observers and pundits have continued to read Sarakis lips to know his disposition to the second term ambition of the governor. When Saraki broke his silence last week by raising Ahmeds hand, endorsing him for second term during a stakeholders meeting held at the Great Hall in Iloffa Road on Thursday night, many realised that many things would change within the APC in Kwara. The meeting which was held behind closed doors had in attendance many APC stakeholders in the state including virtually all elected and appointed officeholders and council chairmen. After the meeting, Saraki updated his twitter handle, saying his endorsement of the governor was buoyed by how he has performed. I appreciate Governor Ahmed and I believe he deserves a second term. I, Abubakar Bukola Saraki hereby endorse him and hope you will do the same, he wrote. Ahmed also responded through his twitter handle saying, I thank Bukola Saraki for this resounding endorsement and APC stakeholders for supporting me for a second term. I remain loyal and committed. Speaking with newsmen on the endorsement, Saraki said: In my own view, I believe that he has performed. He has provided leadership. He has built up from where we left. He has been able to bring significant development despite the paucity of funds in the state. He has shown responsibility and we believe that, leave him in that direction for another four years, he will be good for the state. Asked whether his endorsement of Ahmed has shut out other aspirants, Saraki referred newsmen to the party, saying he endorsed Ahmed as an individual and not the party. But unlike other endorsements emanating from various motley groups and associations which were taken with a pinch of salt, Sarakis endorsement was like an icing on the cake for the governor given that Saraki holds the ace as far as who gets what in the party is concerned. He is considered the numero uno as far as the governorship ticket is concerned. But the latest endorsement has further deepened the uncertainty within the rank of the APC given that other loyalists of the governor are reportedly warming up to take the shot. Those who are reportedly eyeing Ahmeds job in the APC include former minister of sports, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, Speaker Razaq Atunwa, former acting national chairman of the PDP and APC chieftain, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, among others who were said to be very much interested in succeeding Ahmed. The question now remains what becomes of the other aspirants? Could the endorsement be a smokescreen and gimmick in the APC especially when Ahmed has yet to declare his interest to vie for second term? To many analysts, Saraki has spoken too early about Ahmeds rumoured second term ambition especially when the governor himself has not expressed his desire to seek re-election. When asked if the governor would be contesting, his senior special assistant on media and communications, Dr. Muideen Akorede, said the governor has accepted the endorsement by Senator Saraki saying the governor views it as a call to continue to provide higher service to the people. In his view, an elder of the party in Ilorin West, Alhaji Salau Alabi Olorin, described the endorsement of Governor Ahmed for second term as a right step in the right direction, saying it is a prize for loyalty and performance. However, the state PDP in its reaction to the endorsement, described the development as an imposition, saying it is sad that the leadership of the APC has refused to deviate from its trademark practice of imposition and i-dash-you-position which characterised their political sojourn in their former party. One would have reasonably expected that ex-governor Saraki would have learnt in his new party a lesson or two in democratic ideals which he refused to learn during his days in his former party. But alas, the situation seems to have gone from bad to worse. Speaking with Daily Trust correspondent, a chieftain of the PDP and governorship hopeful, Mr. Dele Belgore, said the party is not moved by the endorsement of Governor Ahmed for second term, saying it could not in any way shake the determination of the PDP to take over government house in 2015. With the endorsement of Governor Ahmed by Saraki, it could be said that the APC in Kwara has got a flag bearer, albeit, unofficially, leaving the PDP and other parties to decide who will run along with him in the general elections.
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 08:26:07 +0000
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