IF NOT AJIBOLA, WHO ELSE? BY MR.RIGHTS

IF NOT AJIBOLA, WHO ELSE? BY MR.RIGHTS

For the first time since PDP conducted its primary election, I am coming out from my sit down look mode to contribute to the political logjam that the Kwara PDP are currently being confronted with. Like you all know, I hardly contribute to internal political issues since I am not a member of any political party, but since Senator S.S Ajibola emergence as PDP governorship candidate in Kwara State, many mind troubling comments and incidents have occurred. First of all, we must not forget why Kwara PDP is said to stand for freedom in the liberation struggle. Many opposition members in Kwara state went to PDP not because they are interested in the party itself, they did because Bukola Saraki had taken over the All Progressive Congress (APC) and since Kwarans always believe in the power of a superior federal might, many believed with the PDP’s incumbency status at the federal level, they could successfully defeat Bukola Saraki. Many who explained why they are going to PDP at that time noted that, it doesn’t matter who emerge in PDP, what mattered to them is defeating Bukola Saraki and therefore liberating the state from political dictatorship. According to them, no matter who emerge under this new align force, that person can’t have grip over the state like Saraki. If such person perform poorly in his first tenure, he or she can be voted out in other elections. They resolved that, no matter who is presented as PDP candidate, they will support the person to ensure Bukola Saraki is defeated. However, since Senator S.S Ajibola emerged as PDP candidate, those who made the above position just few months ago are beginning to renege. Some are threatening to leave the PDP because of Ajibola’s emergence. In their view, he doesn’t worth their support, neither do they consider him capable of dethroning Bukola Saraki, the unwanted menace. The questioning bothering my mind is that, how can the same people who said they are ready to support any PDP candidate sudenly turn away from their own words? Does that mean they already had a particular candidate in mind and since the candidate didn’t emerge, they don’t think others should be supported to liberate the state from Bukola’s grip? This is so embarrassing and shameful, it seems after all that you are all pursuing your personal interest and not interested in liberating the state. You lied that you will support any candidate that emerge, but you are now turning away since a candidate other than yours emerged. You lied that you are democrats, but when the democratic process produced a legitimate candidate, you are unwilling to fulfill your promises. Additionally, some people had expressed legitimate worries about Ajibola’s candidature, they are in doubt of his ability to defeat Governor Ahmed of APC. While such concerns are genuine, it Is not enough to form an opposition against a candidate that emerge from a democratic process. It is expected that since there are concerns about his ability, all hand should be on deck to cover his short comings and give him more support. They are suppose to work together to make his chances more brighter. On a more serious note, Ajibola seems to be the best candidate PDP can present. If he his the most politically intelligent that could defeat other aspirants in an open primary election, there is no better candidate than him. If your candidate is politically valuable than Ajibola, he or she would have emerge in the primary. This is the fact of politics. Furthermore, Ajibola is not the richest aspirants of them all, many more richer aspirants participated, but despite their riches, Ajibola defeated them. Ajibola is not the only one in Government, there are other aspirants in government positions. But despite their respective positions, Ajibola defeated them politically. Dear people, let us forget about the false popularity and fame, let us set aside the myth of public support some aspirants are claiming. Instead, let us take a careful look at the political know how and antecedents, in between, we would all realize that no PDP aspirants could match Ajibola's political strength, that is why he emerged. While others are busy focusing on the false fame in public, Ajibola was busy working on the electorate that would decide his faith. Others are busy fighting each other, Ajibola was silent doing his political home work. While others are busy eating up the polity, Ajibola was busy heating up his chances and finally, the election came, those who are busy with false fame got their result, Ajibola also got his. Don’t be blinded by religion and region, support the best available in your party. And If not Ajibola, who else? You know I don’t write grammar, I write in simple English and I know you may have desired another candidate to emerge. You may want Belgore, some might want Oba, while others might have preferred Ajadi, but as we all can see, the choice of God is Ajibola, delegates also chose him. So, If not Ajibola, who else could do it? Ajibola today represents Moses, who was brought up in the house of Pharaoh. He his the chosen one and if supported, he will defeat the Kwara Pharaoh. Let us look at the issues together to clear any further misconception. From my view, there are about 7 strong aspirants that contested the primary election. 1. Prof Shuib Oba 2. Sen. Sulaiman Ajadi 3. Barrister Dele Belgore 4. Sen. Gbemi Saraki 5. Jani ibrahim 6. S.S Ajibola 7. Hakeem Lawal and few others. Before the primary election, nobody thought Ajibola could emerge. In fact, many never even consider him as a serious aspirant. However, when he defeated all the gladiators to emerge as the PDP’s candidate, it down on me that Ajibola seems to be wrongly rated. It was that moment that showed me how political antecedents mattered a lot. We have been undermining Ajibola’s chances because of his poor performance at the senate not necessarily because he has less political value. In fact, Ajibola seems to be the greatest political asset among all the aspirants, he has more political value than any of the aspirants. Out of all aspirants who contested for the governorship ticket, Ajibola is the only candidate that has never lost any election. Yes, he had contested election 5 times and in all 5 times, he won. Some people mis-judge Ajibola because of his association with late Kwara Strong man, Olusola saraki, but that is not a valid justification. Even before knowing Saraki, Ajibola had always won elections. As a matter of fact, one of the reason why Saraki favored Ajibola when he went to PDP was because he his a political asset. As Ajibola rightly stated, he remained the only politician Saraki never defeated in Kwara State. 5 times he contested, 5 times he won. Before 1999, Ajibola had on 2 occasions defeated Saraki’s candidate and even in 1999, Ajibola and his team defeated Saraki’s candidate in Kwara South. Not until 2003 when Saraki went to meet Ajibola in PDP, he had always defeated Saraki’s candidate in Kwara South. Like the wise politician Baba Saraki was when he moved to PDP, he saw in Ajibola, a politician who is on ground and could always win elections. Saraki decided to form a partnership with him to secure the Kwara south and ever since, Ajibola continue to win elections undefeated. Even if we doubt Ajibola’s capabilities assuming Saraki had always helped him win elections, the fact that Ajibola defeated all gladiators in PDP primary election should force a re-think. It is my opinion that, if Ajibola could spring a surprise to defeat all PDP aspirants despite their connections and resources, certainly, he stand a better chance to defeat the incumbent governor. So, If not Ajibola, who else? Who among other aspirants had never lost any primary election in the past? Who among other aspirants had never lost any general election in the past? Who among PDP aspirants had never been defeated by Saraki? Who else could win PDP primary election? Who else have never been defeated in any previous election? Who else had won election 5 times? And I ask, who else could stand a better chance against Bukola Saraki? If we are analyzing based on facts, certainly, there is no better candidate to defeat Bukola and his gang than the only politician who stand undefeated in Kwara Politics. Although, the road may be tough, rough and rusty, but certainly, if Ajibola is supported by other aspirants who lost the primary election, certainly, he stand a chance to emerge victorious. Abdulrazaq O Hamzat (Mr.Rights)