IF today’s event is a signal to the coming election, then our fears were unfounded.”
These were the conclusion of a leading member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State; overheard moments after President Goodluck Jonathan had departed the Ilorin Metropolitan Park where his campaign rally had last week witnessed an unprecedented turn-out of jubilant party supporters.
Indeed not in a long time had Kwara witnessed such a turn out of people for a single event. Although it was a campaign rally, it was actually a means by the PDP, now effectively under Governor Bukola Saraki to prove two things: that the governor is not in enmity with the President and that the PDP is still the party to beat in Kwara. On both issues, attendance at the rally would score the party high.
Not a few had thought Jonathan would avoid Kwara and at most send his Deputy as a diplomatic cover for the perceived differences between him and the host governor. For one, Saraki, a sitting governor, was one of those who gave the President the battle for his political life. And that all might not have been well between the two many believe could be gleaned from the fact that notwithstanding their rapprochement prior to the January presidential primaries, the President still lost some 27 votes from Kwara to his opponent.
Prior to the primaries, the division within the PDP which saw elder statesman, Dr. Olusola Saraki decamping to the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), was a major source of concern to the continuity of the PDP. Added to that was the confession by the elder Saraki that he had met personally with the President and briefed him about the going-ons in Ilorin. He described the President in superlative terms saying he remains the ‘most humble president’ he has ever met. For those familiar with Kwara politics, there were fears that Olooye might have worked out a deal with the President that will cut the governor off the scene.
Those in the PDP must have read the signals and its grave implications for their project at home. Hence the need to cut off the attack from the renowned politician and reintegrate themselves back to the mainstream of the party at the national level. The rally was a big way of showing this particularly with the outcome of the primaries. Although security was extremely tight, with different agencies searching men and women both at the venue of the rally and other points of encounter with the president, there were little complaint from the crowd as they all subjected themselves to the scrutiny.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Peter Yisa Gana had told newsmen in his office that the command would be receiving the President with a 5,000 strong team. He said the police would do this in collaboration with other security agents like the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Nigeria Army, the Nigeria Air force and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and explained that the DIG in charge of Administration, Mr Azubuko Udah and the AIG Zone XI, Mr Donald Iroham are expected to lead the security team along with the Brigade Commander, 22 Armoured Brigade, Sobi Brig. Saliu Bello.
Sources in Abuja later confirmed that the Presidential team was highly impressed by the panache exhibited during the rally. There was no single seat left in the park and even the over flows were also overcrowded prompting one PDP official to dare other political parties in the state to test their own might by organising their own rally at the same venue and measure the spontaneous response from the people with that of the PDP.
The governor had reason to be excited. The event had scored for him two major goals. For one, he was able to convince Jonathan his decision to contest against the anti-zoning group within the party did not go beyond that; a mere contest as his decision to work with the PDP remains strong. He was to later tell newsmen this: ““This is what I was telling the President at the rally, that this thing goes beyond personal ambition. We were part of a process that was meant to lead to forming a government which in turn is meant to improve the standard of living of the people. If that is the case why do we have to harbour acrimony? It is true we spoke about zoning but then the party’s convention said no. So as true party members we must come and join hands to build the party with the others, not pull down the house because we couldn’t get that. We have to think of the future.
Again, the governor was able to use the event to argue that he is still strong in the politics of the state notwithstanding the fact that a segment of the PDP has left to follow his sister. There were insinuations that some people had called the governor prior to the visit to express concern that he would not be able to pull much crowd and the campaign team would end in disappointment. Although he would neither confirm nor deny this when he spoke with newsmen after the visit, the governor nevertheless said the turn out had proved those with such thinking wrong.
His words: “Go and tell anyone that PDP is the party to beat in Kwara. If anyone is in doubt I am sure that has now been cleared. As at today, with what you have seen, you too can determine reasonably that those who said it was over for PDP had grossly underestimated our reach. Tomorrow, if any other party can do what we did and bring a crowd more than what you saw then maybe you can change your assessment, but as a today, the world must know that in Kwara, we are the tops.”
In his comments after dancing to music from ace Fuji artiste, Saheed Osupa, the governor repeated what the party’s National Secretary, Abubakar Baraje had hinted earlier on the position of Kwara in the forthcoming election dispelling rumours that he was not supporting the President’s ambition.
He said: “This is a state known for not just what we say but what we do. What you are seeing since your arrival is our way of telling you we are fully in support of your candidature. Last year the people of Kwara had wished that the Presidential candidate would come from here but in January the people of PDP spoke and we are with them. And today you are seeing us giving you our total support.
“As we move on today, we celebrate our democracy because today you came to a state which had supported an aspirant against you but if you look round today and no one will think you are not in Bayelsa. I known this is your wish; that we build a country where an individual and his ambition is not greater than the nation. We are therefore celebrating the maturity of our democracy and you are part of that victory because as a sitting president you allowed opposition against your ambition.”
Baraje, a staunch supporter of the governor, had told Jonathan that the 27 votes cast for Atiku Abubakar at the PDP presidential primaries ‘are fully back in the fold’ and will now go to Jonathan in April. “We are here to prove doubting Thomases wrong that Kwara is for the Goodluck/Sambo ticket”, he said.
He added that: “we demonstrated this in January when we loyally and totally followed or leader the governor ad voted for the ticket. That was just one proof. By April, the 27 votes that went away, that went wild at the primaries are already back and so PDP will win 100 percent in Kwara.”
An elated President Jonathan told the crowd he was convinced there was no problem with PDP in Kwara.
“This is the first state I will visit and said there is no need for us to campaign”, he said to the jubilant crowd. “I am not here again to campaign. What has been happening since our arrival only shows one thing: that you are all for us.”
The President’s words only echoed those of Professor Shuaib AbdulRaheem, Director General of the Alhaji Funso Ahmed Campaign Organisation. The former university don had told Jonathan and his team that, “Kwara is mother of all PDP states in Nigeria. This is one state in Nigeria with a difference. Kwara perhaps is the only state where in the past eight years there has been no report of rancour with the administration and the party. We are known for our trademark bloc voting and we assure you of that again” he said.
Biodun Oyeleye
