OPINION: WHY AHMED WILL NOT WANT SARAKI FREED By Muyiwa Ogunleye It is not untrue that the acclaimed leader of Kwara Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Bukola Saraki is going through his hard times now at least politically. It has been one case with the EFFC on the defunct bank owned by his family or another with the ICPC for alleged misappropriation of public funds during his 8 -year sojourn in the government house as the Governor of Kwara State. Another case is equally deposited with the police at SFU Lagos for investigation on financial impropriety. While the trial of our brother and senator of the federal republic of Nigeria might not be linked with his new status as an orphan but questions should be raised on why the challenges have waited until his father moved to the world beyond. His trials on the other hand might not be unconnected with his own ambition to rule the Aso where the man with the hat is unwilling to quit in a hurry. That Senator Saraki is in charge of the PDP in Kwara is incontrovertible and events of the recent past have accurately supported this, for instance as the KWASIEC-a body with the responsibility of conducting local government elections in the state has been pushing for an election in October 26th,no candidate has emerged from the PDP. The reason according to sources is that all eyes are on the leader for approval of lists from the LGAs. It is not surprising that the same KWASIEC decided to shift date of submission of names of party candidates to August 27th to allow PDP in particular to pick her flag bearers. Despite her dance round the state the electoral umpire will do more to convince the public that it is not working for the PDP. The inability of the PDP to have credible and acceptable primaries has been traced to the imposition stance of the acclaimed leader which sources said it is not peculiar to a local government area. For instance, in Oke-Ero the leader is disposed to a politician popularly known has Honeymoon in the area, contenders to the council top seat argued that the family has benefitted so well from the party and therefore the position this time around can go elsewhere. The leader is equally plotting the takeover of the Ekiti council area for one of his aides which angered the political class that he was never a politician. Fatigun has been painted black even in the media. In all of the permutations, from Kaiama to Ekiti and Isin to Oyun, the pulse of the incumbent governor, Alhaji Fattah Ahmed has not been considered; in Ifelodun local council area out of the 16 gentlemen seeking the position grapevine says none of them would have it. Why? Political analysts posited Gov. Ahmed should be allowed to have a contribution on who governs his own area, as it is now, it is another gentleman that will step from the lawmaking chamber to wield executive power now. Where are the party leaders in Ifelodun? They dare not talk, they are all products of imposition, a source disclosed. Therefore, Gov. Ahmed may eventually be allowed a window in the whole process if Oga’s trouble persists, forget the smokescreen where Brother Bukola breezed in occasionally there is fire on the mountain. Ahmed too is unhappy that he can’t lift a finger in his home LGA. Will the trial of Brother Bukola benefit Ahmed?
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 07:10:13 +0000