When Mallam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu wrote a recent intervention to say that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s re-election in Kwara State is as clear as daylight, God willing, I couldn’t agree more. All indications have pointed to this in the weeks leading to the 2023 election, and most especially, in the days leading to the gubernatorial and state assembly elections.
You could see how Bukola Saraki’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which is the major opposition in the state has turned to a deserted home. Stalwarts and members have been dumping the party uncontrollably in what appears like a vote of no confidence in it. We have also seen the deluge of endorsements that has continued to pour in for Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the APC in Kwara State from all segments and stakeholders.
Various campaign groups and teams have narrated how in their mission to canvass for Governor AbdulRazaq and sell his candidacy to the people, they were in turn being schooled on his achievements in communities. The canvassers ended up being canvassed to. That speaks to the lot of efforts the Governor has invested in rebuilding the state, rewriting its story and providing good governance and dividends of democracy.
The PDP leaders, it must be admitted, have now been thrown off balance. They don’t know how to direct their campaigns again. Given that their house is now deserted and the people are speaking loud and clear, what’s left for Saraki’s PDP in Kwara State? They have now obviously resorted to desperation, insults, most ashamedly campaigns of calumny against our traditional institution. More dangerous is their grand plan of masterminding violence and using the instrument of threat and coercion to rig and manipulate the election.
The concerned authorities must rein in the PDP and allow rationality to prevail. Disparaging and denigrating our traditional rulers in the state is the lowest these elements could descend to in the name of politics. Some so-called social media bandits in the PDP have been spreading various bogus allegations against our revered traditional rulers in the northern, southern and central parts of the state, and their leaders seem to be supporting them. Has politics finally taken over commonsense? We hope that commonsense would prevail.
What the Kwara PDP failed to acknowledge is that their blackmail against traditional rulers will only aggravate their defeat at the coming polls. Our royal fathers have deep insights. They knew the Kwara of yesterday and the Kwara of today. They won’t stand on the bad side of history. Even themselves, I mean the traditional institution, were victims of the maladministration of the past that these people want to force down our throats. Some traditional rulers were not paid their entitlements for months. It was Governor AbdulRazaq that just recently cleared the backlog. Or should we talk of the respect and dignity our monarchs now enjoy as against the past when an arrogant and self-serving hegemon treated them with indignity? Imagine our royal fathers summoned in the past to welcome cows at the airport!
Of grave concern to me is the intel that these PDP elements are now planning raw violence to subvert the will of the people. Yaman Abdullahi who is the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP has been reported to be notorious for playing violent and intolerant politics. His thugs were reported to be scaring off and threatening people who have opposing political choices in his hometown of Shonga. That’s a dangerous development.
The security agencies must not allow this plan of violence to materialize. It must be resisted and anyone caught should face the full wrath of the law. Security agencies must deploy adequate personnel and reinforcements to flashpoints. In this March 18 polls, the people have decided to be on the good side of history. Their votes must count. Their decisions must be respected. Their will must not be subverted by desperate politicians who have lost credibility and legitimacy and now wish to come back through the backdoor!
Adelodun writes from Oro, Kwara State.
