Kwara Central senatorial tussle: PDP may choose Dele Belgore to face Bukola Saraki ===== The last may not have been heard of the crisis rocking the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the party’s Central Senatorial ticket following the alleged moves to dump Alhaji Abdurahman Abdulrazaq. Abdurahman, a former governorship candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Hajia Bilikisu Gambari contested the ticket with Alhaji Yinka Aluko, a former Security Adviser to the immediate Governor of the state, Dr. Bukola Saraki. Aluko, however, emerged the party’s candidate for Kwara Central Senatorial district after defeating Rahman with 83 to 81 votes. Since the development, the party was rumoured to have allegedly swapped Aluko’s ticket with the former CPC governorship candidate following permutations for the 2015 election in the state. Aluko, in a dramatic twist that jolted some political observers was unveiled as the running mate to the party’s state Governorship Candidate, Senator Simon Ajibola by the leadership of the party at a press briefing on Saturday in Ilorin. The development reportedly heightened speculation that Abdurrahman had been given the go-ahead to contest as the party’s Kwara Central Senatorial candidate against the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) candidate and the incumbent Senator representing the district, Dr. Bukola Saraki. However, National Pilot reliably gathered yesterday from a top party source that Abdulrahman might be dumped by the party for the contest ‘‘because he is not seen as a candidate that can deliver for the party in the senatorial contest’’. The source added, “I can tell you that though Aluko has emerged as the party’s guber’s running mate that does not mean, it is an automatic ticket for Abdurrahman as the party’s senatorial candidate for Kwara Central. ‘’This is because there are reasons he cannot get the ticket though he is entitled to it being the first runner-up to Aluko, the party leadership is of the opinion that his candidacy may further polarise PDP in the state; because he is seen as a loyalist of a faction loyal to an Abuja business mogul’’. However, another source hinted this medium that the first runner-up to the party guber candidate at the rescheduled governorship primary, Dele Belgore, SAN, may get the party’s nod for the senatorial contest. This, the source hinged on his loss at the gubernatorial primaries and in an attempt to present formidable candidates for all elective positions by the party in the state. Since the loss, neither Belgore nor his Media Aide, Rafiu Ajakaiye, did respond to calls and text messages sent to their mobile phones over the issue. The source, however, explained that Belgore’s consideration for the ticket reportedly is to appease him and to unite the party, which had been embroiled in crisis since PDP guber primary. Meanwhile, this medium gathered that though Aluko had emerged as the party’s governorship running mate, court order secured against Abdurrahman would not be withdrawn yet. It has been rumoured that Aluko would today (Monday) withdraw the court injunction he secured against Abdurrahman over the senatorial ticket. “The court order would not be withdrawn yet I can confirm to you. You know he (Abdulraham) can decide to behave funny over the emergence of Aluko as the party’s governorship running mate. “So pending the final decision of the party on all positions, we will have to keep our fingers crossed against any eventuality. For now, we are watching things as they unfold and I can tell you that we are ready for everything”, a source close to Aluko told this medium. thenationalpilot/…/Kwara%20Central%20Senatorial%… Kwara Central senatorial tussle: PDP may choose Dele Belgore to face Bukola Saraki ===== The last may not have been heard of the crisis rocking the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the party’s Central Senatorial ticket following the alleged moves to dump Alhaji Abdurahman Abdulrazaq. Abdurahman, a former governorship candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Hajia Bilikisu Gambari contested the ticket with Alhaji Yinka Aluko, a former Security Adviser to the immediate Governor of the state, Dr. Bukola Saraki. Aluko, however, emerged the party’s candidate for Kwara Central Senatorial district after defeating Rahman with 83 to 81 votes. Since the development, the party was rumoured to have allegedly swapped Aluko’s ticket with the former CPC governorship candidate following permutations for the 2015 election in the state. Aluko, in a dramatic twist that jolted some political observers was unveiled as the running mate to the party’s state Governorship Candidate, Senator Simon Ajibola by the leadership of the party at a press briefing on Saturday in Ilorin. The development reportedly heightened speculation that Abdurrahman had been given the go-ahead to contest as the party’s Kwara Central Senatorial candidate against the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) candidate and the incumbent Senator representing the district, Dr. Bukola Saraki. However, National Pilot reliably gathered yesterday from a top party source that Abdulrahman might be dumped by the party for the contest ‘‘because he is not seen as a candidate that can deliver for the party in the senatorial contest’’. The source added, “I can tell you that though Aluko has emerged as the party’s guber’s running mate that does not mean, it is an automatic ticket for Abdurrahman as the party’s senatorial candidate for Kwara Central. ‘’This is because there are reasons he cannot get the ticket though he is entitled to it being the first runner-up to Aluko, the party leadership is of the opinion that his candidacy may further polarise PDP in the state; because he is seen as a loyalist of a faction loyal to an Abuja business mogul’’. However, another source hinted this medium that the first runner-up to the party guber candidate at the rescheduled governorship primary, Dele Belgore, SAN, may get the party’s nod for the senatorial contest. This, the source hinged on his loss at the gubernatorial primaries and in an attempt to present formidable candidates for all elective positions by the party in the state. Since the loss, neither Belgore nor his Media Aide, Rafiu Ajakaiye, did respond to calls and text messages sent to their mobile phones over the issue. The source, however, explained that Belgore’s consideration for the ticket reportedly is to appease him and to unite the party, which had been embroiled in crisis since PDP guber primary. Meanwhile, this medium gathered that though Aluko had emerged as the party’s governorship running mate, court order secured against Abdurrahman would not be withdrawn yet. It has been rumoured that Aluko would today (Monday) withdraw the court injunction he secured against Abdurrahman over the senatorial ticket. “The court order would not be withdrawn yet I can confirm to you. You know he (Abdulraham) can decide to behave funny over the emergence of Aluko as the party’s governorship running mate. “So pending the final decision of the party on all positions, we will have to keep our fingers crossed against any eventuality. For now, we are watching things as they unfold and I can tell you that we are ready for everything”, a source close to Aluko told this medium. thenationalpilot/29%2012%202014/Kwara%20Central%20Senatorial%20tussle.html
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 10:19:51 +0000
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