By: Abdulyekeen Mohd Bashir
The 2023 general elections are going to be another historical epoch in our lives especially we from Kwara, judging from the previous and current situations. Since the return of the 4th republic in 1999 till date, the Northern part of Kwara has been unable to produce the number one man in the State and this has raised a lot of eyebrows since the end of the last polls to the build-up of the coming one. The majority of Kwara North stakeholders have resolved that it’s either power is ceded to them or they withdraw support for any erring political parties that will not honour this request.
It was a tough decision to make but Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and his PDP have listened to the pleas of the northern part of the State and those who shared the same view from other parts by ensuring only aspirants from Northern extractions participate in the PDP guber primary. Though this was criticised by the ruling party, it was a welcome development from the majority of the people who believed the progress of any society is hinged on fairness, inclusiveness and justice.
A couple of days ago, the National leader of the PDP in Kwara, took it upon himself to champion the course of consultation and preaching the Recovery plans gospel of the PDP across Kwara North like he’s done in other parts of the State, the tour was a welcome development and his Excellency and his entourage were warmly received and accommodated.
After last week’s break from the tour to attend to other pressing matters, the tour resumed yesterday and took place in the Moro LG area of the State, an LG believed to be marginalised when it comes to elected position allocation. Dr Bukola Saraki in his strong resolve to make sure the will of the people and majority is respected pleaded with necessary stakeholders to support the agitation of Moro to produce a National lawmaker for the first time in the history of the State and that was realised. This further attests to the fact that Saraki is a democrat by all standards and believes in the power of inclusiveness.
Saraki in his comments reiterated his last week messages of PDP being the only party that kept its promise to Kwara North, for the first time, Moro has a House of Reps candidate and Kwara North has a governorship candidate, PDP remains the only party where Kwara has good representation at the National level and the lies that the APC relied on to win 2019 has been unravelled and unveiled. Stating further, he hammered on how APC failed nationally on all fronts and how we need to look to a stronger, tested and reliable party like the PDP, His Excellency thanked those who have stood solidly in support of the party after the ugly outcome of 2019. In his conclusion, he said the coming election in Kwara is about Kwara North and Moro’s time and why all Moro citizens take it upon themselves to spread the gospels that the votes on February 25th and March 11th are about Moro development and projecting the LGA to National coverage and recognition and not about any individual whims and caprices and the PDP will make provision of better roads, water and improvement in commercial activities in Malete and across Moro.
Maybe this above message cum promise was what led to the warm reception across the LG where residents and people of various communities from Shao to Malete, Maigida, Arobadi, Elemere et al trooped out en masse to chant O Su Wa and Sai Leader all through. This is evident to the fact that no District, Constituency, LG or Ward is shortly represented in the PDP pattern of allocation of the position of office, unlike other parties that never took cognizance of the germain factors.
This tour further shows that Dr Bukola Saraki and the PDP have not for once taken Kwara North or any part of the State for granted and the major developments in that axis till today are courtesy of Dr Bukola Saraki’s administration, that’s why I laughed when the ruling party tries to wash down the impact of Saraki in Northern part of the State as no administration is as friendly to Kwara North like that of Saraki. And that’s why the leadership is seriously
pleading to Kwara Northerners to at least deliver the district 85% for PDP, to whom much is given, I believe much more should be expected. And Northerners must not miss this rare and golden opportunity courtesy of the deceits of the current administration that is seriously inducing the stakeholders to support his reelection, his sudden concern for Kwara North can be akin to a “Greek gift” which shall be repaid in blood if not immediately declined.
Kwara Northerners must as a matter of urgency and posterity’s sake bury all forms of their differences in politics, tribe, religion, Class and status and band together as an indivisible entity to realise their long-term dream because this ambition goes beyond PDP vs APC, it’s about the future of Kwara North and it’s numerous generation unborn. The PDP and Dr Saraki are not in competition with anyone but Kwaran from all part must be bold enough to ask themselves either to continue with the governance of deceits pseudo integrity or reverts to the administration whose sole aim is to advance the course of a greater Kwara via socio-economic development, system standardization, infrastructural and human capital development, agricultural revolution, affordable education and accessible health care amongst many. The choice is ours and the ball is in our court I trust Kwarans will make the right choice of electing the PDP where everyone counts.
Abdulyekeen Mohd Bashir writes from Oluyole Estate, Ibadan.
