It is very unlikely that the ruling All Progressives Party, APC in Kwara State would come back to power in 2023 given the calculations of the frontline advocate of O to ge mantra, upon which the party secured victory in the 2019 elections.
Alhaji Lasisi Ayinla Kolawole Jimoh believes that the party has been so fragmented and depleted by the attitudes of the aggrieved, the power holders and the national headquarters of the party, that it may be difficult to salvage the situation if the party waits another minutes
In an interview with Midlandpost Wednesday, the octogenarian and elder statesman said the leaders of the party in the state were so selfish and more interested in what they would achieve, personally rather than the corporate success and existence of the party.
He blamed fragmentation of the party on the crisis which hit the party shortly after its victory in the 2019 gubernatorial election in the area with the incumbent Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq emerging as the winner.
Jimoh described the development as worrisome and a big problem which could be mended with sincerity of purpose by the leadership.
According to him, four former aggrieved members of the APC are now gubernatorial candidates on different political party platforms, “ it is a big minus to the APC, knowing full well that they have formidable followers in the state.
The four former aggrieved members of the party now contesting the gubernatorial election on different platforms include, Yaman Shuaib Abdullahi, of the PDP, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, of the NNPP, Waziri Yakubu Gobir, of the YPP and Hakeem Lawal, of the SDP.
He observed that the four aggrieved members played prominent roles and worked very hard to ensure the party’s victory in the 2019 elections, but were frustrated out of the party.
“Their defection to other parties has seriously depleted the APC, with serious implications for the ruling APC in the state in 2023.
“The net looser is the APC, the party is shedding weight, non of them is bringing anything to APC now, today they are against themselves,” he noted.
Jimoh, however, suggested that the way forward is for all aggrieved members to “swallow their pride in the overall interest of the party and the state,” adding “ you can stoop to conquer.”
On insecurity, Jimoh declared that it would be foolish of any Nigerian to think of insecurity affecting the 2023 general elections, because, “ the question we should ask is will we be alive till 2023 elections, if the current insecurity across the country is not checked.”
He said “ nobody is safe in the country today, you could be attacked and killed anytime, anywhere, a stitch in time saves nine,” hence need for government to take the bulls by the horn and take drastic action on the matter.
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