Michael Olanrewaju
18 November 2009
Ilorin — Ahead of general elections in 2011, political events in Kwara state have started to be more curious and interesting even as the Jagunmolu of Omu Aran, Chief Theophilus Bamigboye (a former Military Administrator of Bauchi and Osun States and the Accord Party gubernatorial candidate in the April 14, 2007 governorship election in Kwara State formally ditched the opposition parties fold and rejoined Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his ward.
In a carnival mood as if a political party rally was taking place, a tumultuous crowd of loyalists, supporters and admirers including drummers trekked and followed Chief Bamigboye from his house which is about 800 metres away from his house to the venue of Aran Ward meeting at Adikun compound, Omu Aran where he re-registered as a member of PDP. Chief Bamigboye was registered as No 1591 at 4.01 pm on Friday, November 13, 2009 by the party's Secretary, Mr. J.K Babatunde.
Welcoming Chief Bamigboye back into the PDP fold, the ward Chairman, Mr. J.M Awoniyi expressed delight in Chief Bamigboye's returning to the PDP's fold. Also, on hand to welcome Chief Bamigboye and his supporters was the Irepodun area council PDP Chairman, Chief S.A.Adewumi who admonished all his (Bamigboye's) followers to make sure that they go to their wards to register. He disclosed that they are expecting the party membership cards from the national Secretariat, Abuja but he directed that all the wards should register the new and old members. He enjoined the wards to open their doors and warmly embrace them as they are all blood relations.
Earlier, the former Accord Party Chairman in the area, Mr. Tayo Aremu told the meeting that the aim of their coming was to formally register at the ward as members of PDP as they have decided to dump Accord Party and follow their leader en-masse to PDP.
Addressing the meeting, Chief Bamigboye said that it was a reunion of brothers. According to him, "politics should not divide the bond of a family unit. When I was in Accord Party and my elder brother, Chief David Bamigboye was in PDP, I would get home and greet him alone without discussing any mutual issue with him.
The same with my younger brother here, Hon, Gbenga Makanjuola (Chairman House committee on Agriculture) sitting down with me here today. His own is even worst as we were operating like a cat and mouse in the same house, the same room. Politics should not be taken to that extent," he said.
He added that "ambition is good but should not be given priority over service to humanity in partisan politicking. For the destiny of God on each person shall not go unfulfilled."
Going down memory lane, he said 'who can imagine that Chief David Bamigboye, my elder brother would be appointed as a military governor in 1967 as a young inexperienced major in the army then? What of my appointment as a military administrator in Bauchi and Osun states? Is it not the making of the lord? All that I'm interested in is service to humanity in whatever capacity that He wants it for me."
Bamigboye quipped "I have come to the ward meeting to register. I will go to greet them at the local government level later and the state. My aim of coming is not to declare intent of governorship interest. It is to assure you that we are in PDP. I hereby call on all my followers, supporters and admirers in Accord party, Peoples Democratic Party (DPP), All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP), Action Congress (AC) who have been calling and expressing desire to go along with me politically to get registered with the PDP in their various wards.
In a brief with reporters, Bamigboye reiterated that "I told our great leader, Dr Olusola Saraki that I'm coming back to PDP with the entire members of Accord Party in the state and even all in the opposition.
"I have started to woo them and prepared myself for full mobilization as I have promised. That is my immediate project by God's grace, I will bring all of them. People often raise accusation of one party system what is wrong in it. There are countries where one-party system thrives very well."
He added that "we have to leave this aspect of opposition, opposition for the sake of being in opposition. As I have said the other day, I have been there in the opposition before but now I'm back to the main fold. I have to join hands with the government to more state forward."
Asked if his coming back to is based on some ambition, he has this to say: "As I have always said that I leave that one to God. God would arrange everything. He would only use human being to achieve it. I have been governor before and if God says that I will rule Kwara state it will come. Anywhere my party and the people that I'm meeting say that Bamigboye should be, I will gladly serve. My own is to serve. Being a governor is not exciting to me any longer. I have been one before. I'm ready to serve in any capacity."
Daily Champion spoke to political pundits who stated that they were not surprised at the action of Chief Bamigboye. They argued that he has been a "grassroot man" even when he was in the military. They argued further argued that his coming to the Aran PDP ward meeting at Omu-Aran is not strange as he is a man loved by his people.
According to them, his registration and attendance of PDP ward meeting makes the end of Accord Party, not only in Omu-Aran but the entire Kwara state.
To them, Accord party is one of the major pillars of opposition in the state and remove Bamigboye from Accord party, it is dead, argued the pundits.
Others argued that the idea of mega party cannot work in Kwara state. This is because of inherent wrangling within the opposition. Some are of the view that the Action Congress that could have ripped from the exit of Bamigboye are indeed in crisis since the 2007 elections over alleged Atiku Abubakar N60million largesse which disappearance within the leadership hierarchy has not and cannot be traced. While some followed their April 2007 election gubernatorial candidate, Senator Suleiman Makanjuola Ajadi to PDP, others disgruntled members are still undecided. Instead of having a formidable force, the gulf within the party hierarchy is getting widened with some accusing the leadership at the state level of being AC during day time and PDP at night.
To compound the woes of AC, the state Chairman, Mr. Sunday Fagbemi and secretary, Bolaji Edun have not been able to get reprieve from the court of appeal sitting in Ilorin over their trial for alleged arson, violence. Rather, the appellate court ruled that a prima facie case has been established against them. Therefore, they have a case to answer.
While the ANPP has been in oblivion of late with its April 14, 2007 election governorship candidate, Alhaji Khaleel Bolaji staying off from the state for a long period. DPP id not faring better as its gubernatorial candidate, Hon Gbenga Olawepo has been away from the state since the party was at the tribunal on the validity or otherwise at the election of incumbent governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
Political observers are quick to add that the fortunes of other political parties that are in opposition were going down, PDP is daily being swelled up decampees.
However, they believe that the movement to PDP would engender the emergence of young radicals in the opposition parties.
Rhetorical questions being asked are: "Can they match the deft move of PDP? Do they have the financial resources to match PDP even with the level of poverty in the land? Are they ideologically committed to the change that they would be talking of? What is their pedigree?
A critical analysis of these questions watchers reckoned would make one conclude that Kwara is in the firm grip of PDP.
This places the burden of opposition to the internal political dynamics within PDP. The issue of the governorship flag bearer within PDP in 2011 elections if not well managed is capable of causing an earthquake that would shake PDP to its very foundation.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Daily Champion. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
