Ministerial Slot Divides Kwara PDP

Major stakeholders in the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are currently embroiled in an underground battle over, who among them, would pick the state ministerial slot.

The state’s slot became vacant following the sacking of former minister of sports, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Though it was highly speculated that Senator Gbemisola Saraki was earlier pencilled down for the ministerial appointment, stiff opposition from other stakeholders of the party, who are equally interested in the highly coveted post, have put her choice on shaky foundation.
Those reportedly eyeing the position include the newly defected Mohammed Dele Belgore, former Transport and Sports Minister, Alhaji Bio Ibrahim and former Security Adviser to the state government, Alhaji Yinka Aluko.
According to a source, who spoke with Sunday Trust, the major challenge facing the party is leadership, with the belief that whoever becomes minister, would become the automatic leader of the party in the state.
“It is believed that the Minister is the automatic or presidentially anointed leader of the party in the state in the absence of a sitting Governor”, the source said.
However, the PDP in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Mariam Mohammed Al-Hassan described rumours of a purported division within the party as a result of ministerial position as untrue.
“For us in Kwara PDP, we remain united, focussed and dedicated to the achievement of the goals we have set in the search for ‘freedom for Kwarans’ in a short-while, indeed, we are on course.
“Nomination of any of our members for appointment into the position of Honourable Minister of the Federal Republic shall be a good omen towards the realisation of our desire for good governance at all levels for our people as there shall  be no ‘Victor nor Vanquish (sic)’ in the process”, the statement added.