Future’ ll determine what next for Ahmed – PDP Chair
By Kayode Adeoti
The Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed on Monday announced his withdrawal from the Kwara South senatorial race in the 2019 general elections.
Governor Ahmed won the ticket to contest the seat under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in a consensus arrangement during the October party’s primaries.
Dr Rafiu Ibrahim, the beneficiary of the governor’s action, who is also the Senator representing Kwara South in the National Assembly, has praised the Senate President and national leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Bukola Saraki for granting the request by Ibolo leaders on ceding the party’s Kwara south senatorial ticket to Ibolo axis of the zone.
According to him, the Governor’s decision to listen to the plea of Ibolo People was highly commendable.
Ibrahim, in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists in Ilorin on Tuesday, expressed special gratitude to Saraki and Ahmed for granting the request of the leadership of Ibolo division of Kwara South that the senatorial ticket is retained in the axis.
Ibrahim’s statement said, “The decision of Governor Ahmed to cede the senatorial ticket following the pleas by Ibolo elders is highly commendable and this has further affirmed his reputation as an advocate of fairness, equity and inclusion. This is indeed leadership by example.
“I think it is also important I clarify that Governor Ahmed’s decision to relinquish the ticket has nothing to do with the November 17 by-election in Ekiti/Oke Ero/Isin/Irepodun Federal Constituency. The outcome of an election that was characterized by rigging, harassment and intimidation of voters could not have led the governor to withdraw from the senatorial race.”
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Chairman of the PDP, Engr. Kola Shittu said the next political office of Governor will be determined only by the future.
According to the Chairman the political future of Ahmed after the expiration of his tenure as governor remains bright following his achievements in office.
He said Governor Ahmed has spent 16 consecutive years in government adding that his wealth of experience in Kwara politics will always be sought after.
“The governor spent eight years as commissioner and another eight years as the Chief Executive Officer of the state.
“The future will tell what next for him or do you think if he didn’t go to the senate that will mark the end of his political career? He’s still a young man, in his 50s and in fact, he can become senator after the Ibolo people might have served their two terms and if the seat is zoned to his local government,” the party chairman disclosed.
Speaking on why Governor Ahmed released the ticket to Senator Ibrahim, Shittu said, “We’re one family in the party and we’re trying to be very fair and just to every section of the community. In Kwara South where the governor comes from, we have three major groups, the Ibolo. Igbomina and Ekiti group.
“After the governor was given the ticket, the Ibolo group complained that their candidate has not served two terms like Igbomina and Ekiti groups. They believed that they should be given equal chance like others hence we appealed to the party and the Governor himself.
“They saw reason with us and they agreed that Ibolo should go for another term.”
On his part, the Kwara South Senatorial Chairman of the PDP, Chief Joseph Ebun Folayan maintained that there will be several other political offices for the governor after the 2019 general elections.
He added that the party is yet to discuss the issue of which office Ahmed will occupy after the expiration of his tenure as governor in 2019.
“The Governor yielded to the clarion call of Ibolo people and conceded the ticket. It was done in the spirit of fairness, but he will always be carried along in the scheme of things. He is our leader in the state and in the party,” Folayan stressed.
Recall that the governor exclusively informed this medium on Sunday that he’s yet to step down from the race but rather he is consulting party elders and stakeholders.
Governor Ahmed who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Dr. Muyideen Akorede stressed that the agitation for him to step down his ambition began when he played host to the leadership of Ibolo people of Kwara South, last week.
