2019: APC, PDP prepare for epic battle in Kwara

The Kwara State chapters of both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have put behind them the initial hitches that trailed their governorship primaries. They are preparing for a major showdown next year. Correspondent AdeKunle Jimoh reports.

As the 2019 governorship election draws closer, candidates of all the major parties are dotting their ‘i’s and crossing their ‘t’s for the epic battle. Indeed, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set for the battle that would decide who will dominate Kwara politics in the coming dispensation.

Both the APC and the PDP have put behind them the initial hitches that trailed the governorship primaries that produced their candidates: Mallam Abulrahman Abdulrasaq and Abdulrazak Atunwa respectively.

The two candidates hail from Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. While Atunwa, a current member of the House of Representatives belongs to the political dynasty of Senate President Bukola Saraki, Mallam Abdulrasaq is an oil magnate and a scion of the famous Abdulganiyu Folorunsho Abdulrasaq family. The older Abdulrasaq is the first Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) of northern extraction.

The emergence of Abdulrasaq as the governorship candidate of the APC has sent jitters into the camp of the PDP. The reasons are not far-fetched. First, the APC candidate has been a key figure in Kwara politics for some time. He was the 2011 Kwara State governorship candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC). In 2015, he emerged as the Kwara Central senatorial candidate of the PDP.

Besides, being a man of stupendous wealth, he has the wherewithal to battle the Saraki oligarchy naira for naira in the election, a source has said.

More importantly, the general disenchantment of the electorate, particularly the Ilorin emirate, against the Bukola Saraki-led PDP might be a plus for the business tycoon.

Also, being a member of the ruling party at the centre, the APC candidate stands a good chance of defeating his PDP counterpart.

But, other observers believe the family of the APC candidate is too detached from stakeholders in the Ilorin emirate, where the family hails from. But, the older Abdulrasaq is said to have paid his dues in the emirate. For instance, he single-handedly built the first private secondary school, now known as Government High School, Ilorin. The school celebrated its 50 anniversary last year.

The PDP candidate, Atunwa, also has what it takes to give his APC counterpart a run for his money. Under the leadership of Senator Saraki, he is believed to have garnered an intimidating political profile. For instance, the 49-year old Atunwa is a member of the House of Representatives. He represents Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency.

He is the Chairman of the House Committee on Justice. He is also currently heading the House Committee investigating corruption in the award of Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245.

Born on the October 17, 1969 in Ilorin, Kwara State, he attended Immaculate Heart Secondary School, where he obtained Ordinary Level Certificate in 1986.

Thereafter, Atunwa studied law at the University Of East London, graduating in 1992. He further obtained his Masters Degree (LLM) in International Law from the University of London in 1993. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in October 1994 by the Inner Temple Inns of Court.

After 11 successful years as a Barrister at law in London, where he specialised in criminal and international law, Atunwa returned to Nigeria in 2005.

The 36-year old PDP candidate has served the state in various capacities since 2005. He served in the following capacities: Commissioner for Land and Housing from August 2005; Commissioner for Information and Home Affairs between 2006 and 2007; Commissioner for Works and Transport between 2007 and 2009; and Commissioner for Finance from 2009 to 2010. So, he has governance experience, working four different ministries.

In 2011, he was elected into the Kwara State House of Assembly to represent Owode/Onire Constituency on the platform of the PDP and was later unanimously elected Speaker of the assembly.

During the next political dispensation, in 2015, Atunwa became a federal lawmaker, following his election the House of Representatives, to represent Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency.

The PDP flag bearer has a broad worldview; he is an avid reader and a licensed pilot certified in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

He is running a ‘Kwara First’ campaign that focuses on human capacity development, local content development to drive inclusive growth and create employment for the youth, as well as massive investment on health and education infrastructure.

Shortly, after his emergence as the PDP candidate, Atunwa was enmeshed in a National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) certificate saga. Whether that will affect his chances at the poll or not remains to be seen.

But, his constituents have accused him of poor representation; a fact Atunwa himself attested to in one of his outings. His words: “They say I am too far away from our people. Whenever they tell me that my first reaction is to say please pardon me for that.”

Both the APC and the PDP candidates are confident that they will win next year’s governorship convincingly. The PDP is banking on the political sagacity and solidity of the Saraki dynasty, while the APC is depending on the general disillusionment and disenchantment against the Saraki-led PDP and the unity of purpose amongst the opposition. Hitherto, they had been in disarray.

The following words of Senator Saraki summarises the confidence of the PDP: “Seasonal politicians think they can come three-to-six months to elections and think they can wrest power from us. We are with the people through thick and thin. Our people know us and they know we love them. On the day of election, we will know who is the paper weight and who is the heavy weight.”

Echoing the determination to win the elections, Kwara APC Chairman, Bashir Bolarinwa, said during the party’s primary for the Ekiti/Oke-Ero/Isin/Irepodun Federal Constituency by-election: “We are very confident, because we are more united than before. It is always said that a house divided against itself will never stand. What we have attained is to see that we are one indivisible party; because we realise that it is in that unity that our strength actually lies. I want to tell you that as things are now we will be able to move mountains come February 2019.”

Bolarinwa added: “So far, so good. As a matter of fact, our detractors had thought that we would not be able to put our acts together. But God has assisted us to put the detractors to same. We had 12 governorship aspirants and as tough as it was to produce a candidate, we thank God we were able to do that. I make bold to tell you that the remaining governorship aspirants have surrendered and are ready to queue behind our candidate. This is to tell you that our house is a very united one. We have been able to have a formidable house that will face the 2019 elections.

“What happened today is an indication of how orderly our party has been that we are able to come up with a consensus candidate for the by-election for Ekiti/Oke-Ero, Isin/Irepodun Federal Constituency. It has been rancour-free. All the party leaders are represented, members of the party across all the wards have come together to endorse Abdulraheem Olawuyi to represent us in the by-election come November 17.”

To demonstrate their support for the APC candidate and their determination to win the 2019 governorship election, some elders and stakeholders of the party frowned at the destruction of their candidate’s billboards by supporters of an aggrieved aspirant

The elders and stakeholders therefore viewed the utterances of Prof. Shuaib Abdulraheem and the action of his supporters as an affront to President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

APC leader from the Kwara North, Senator Ahmed Mohammed, described the action as supportive of the opposition. He said: “It is on record that supporters of Prof. Abdulraheem destroyed the billboards of Mallam Abdulrasaq. We view these actions as disrespectful to both the party and the President. We call on the state chairman of the APC to take disciplinary action against such untoward behavior, which could be interpreted as supportive of the opposition.

“At this critical period, we urged Kwarans to neglect the distractions and commit themselves to a purposeful and united APC. We need integration and not separation.”

He added that Prof Abdulraheem’s utterances and engagement with reporters recently at the Ilorin International Airport negated the spirit of the Abuja accord with President Buhari and Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Senator Mohammed added: “The action the engagement did not represent the resolutions of aspirants with Comrade Oshiomhole. It further embarrassed the decent meeting of Kwara APC and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Despite the hiccups that initially characterized the October 6 governorship primary, the exercise went on smoothly and credibly. Finally, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq emerged as the winner as the duly elected party flag bearer of the APC. Some aspirants protested against the result.

“These were properly looked into by the appeal panel duly constituted by the party. This platform to ventilate grievances dismissed complaints for lack of merit and affirmed Abulrasaq as the candidate of the party for the 2019 governorship election in the state.

“Afterwards, President Buhari hosted a delegation of Kwara APC members with Comrade Oshiohmole, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and all governorship aspirants in attendance. This gesture was appreciated by party men and women across the nation as a demonstration of solidarity with Kwara chapter of the APC.

“The highlight of the meeting was the presentation of Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq as the APC governorship candidate for Kwara 2019 election. Party members felt relieved by the fact that the candidate reached out to each of the aspirants, as well as efforts of the party leadership to get the party in unison.”

Though electioneering campaign is yet to begin in full throttle, both Abdulrasaq and Atunwa have started consultations; meetings and horse-trading across the length and breadth of the state.

What is interesting this time around is that, the people of Kwara North senatorial district, who were hitherto political associates and supporters of the Saraki dynasty have all resolved to support the APC candidate. They claim that their support for the Saraki dynasty over the years had not been of any help to the zone.