Kwara PDP is confused – Saraki

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

The immediate past governor of Kwara State and Chairman, Senate committee on Environment and Ecology, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said that the  attitude of the opposition  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  is yet to show any seriousness on its part to give the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) a fight in the 2015 general elections.

Saraki, stated this while speaking with journalists after a prayer session to mark his 52nd birthday in Ilorin at the weekend, decried conflicting statements from leadership of the PDP over the result of the party’s governorship primary elections.

“I don’t know who the opposition party’s candidate is in the coming election. There’s conflicting statements on who is the candidate as one faction of the state executives said the national leadership of the party will decide, while another one said the result is already out. It shows what they are. They are not ready to govern with the way they go about their activities.

“We are not concerned; we are rather concerned about delivering more of dividends of democracy to our people. That’s why I said that the best birthday gift they could give me is to use their voters cards to re-elect Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and vote in all our candidates in the 2015 general elections”, he said.

 Also, the Kwara State chapter of the APC has cautioned the opposition PDP from overheating the polity in the state with the way the result of last governorship election was being handled.

A statement by the publicity secretary of the party, Sulyman Buhari, made available to journalists in Ilorin at the weekend alleged that there were reports of pockets of violence across the state including an attack on a former PDP governorship aspirant by some party thugs.

“The fact that the State Executive Committee (SEC) of Kwara PDP issued a communique and the Chairman of PDP, Mr Iyiola Oyedepo issued a contrary press statement yet on the same subject matter is a signal that Kwara PDP have been divided and destroyed beyond redemption.

 “It is of particular concern to the people of Kwara State that Kwara PDP is being remote-controlled from Abuja and Otuoke as shown when PDP chairman said, “The state chapter of the PDP lacks the power to recognise any candidate except the ones duly announced as winner by the National Working Committee (NWC)”.

“It should surprise Kwarans that while our great party, the APC, conducted primary elections and made formal declaration of candidates’ names within the boundaries of Kwara State, PDP candidates will emerge not through elections but by mere announcement from Abuja according to PDP Chairman.