The All Progressives Congress (APC) is enlarging its coast in Kwara State. At the recent rally of the party in Ilorin, the state capital, the former governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, reiterated the party’s determination to retain power in the Northcentral state. ADEKUNLE JIMOH reports.
IT was in unusual home coming for the home boy. A huge crowd of brooms waving women and men, singing and screaming.
Senator Bukola Saraki, the former governor of Kwara State, savoured it all that sunny day in Ilorin, the state capital.
Saraki was returning from the All Progressives Congress (APC) conference held in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. Few days earlier, President Goodluck Jonathan was in the state to boost the morale of dispirited Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, who were downcast, following the defection of many members from the party to the APC. Jonathan and other PDP leaders fired salvos at the APC family, predicting doom for it at the next election.
However, the crowd that welcomed Saraki replied the missiles. They sang anti-Federal Government songs. They also reiterated their confidence in Saraki’s leadership.
The APC faithful had thronged the Ilorin Airport as early as 8am, waiting patiently for their leader, who alighted from the aircraft around 2p.m.
Saraki was received by his associates, including the APC chairman, Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani, the secretary, Yemi Afolalyan, former PDP Chairman, Yusuf Ayedun, some commissioners and heads of boards and parastatals.
Traditional rulers from the Ilorin Emirate also turned up to receive Saraki, whose illustrious father, the late Dr. Olusola “Oloye” Saraki, was the Waziri of the Emirate. They were led by the Emir of Ilorin’s spokesman, the Magaji Nda of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Salihu Woru.
Woru paid tribute to Saraki, saying that he is a good leader. He also reiterated the support of the royal family and chiefs for his political leadership.
It was a carnival-like rally. The party train took off from the airport, rolling into major streets, including the popular Gari Alimi Roundabout and Agaka, before stopping at the palace of the Emir, Alhaji Kolapo Gambari. For almost two hours, traffic crawled on the ever – busy Ilorin-Ogbomoso Expressway.
APC members were dancing and waving their brooms. In fact, they swarmed Saraki, who had to abandon his vehicle on the road and joined the faithful in trekking through the long Garin-Alimi road before he entered his car again. Ordinarily, it was a journey of 20 minutes. But, the crowd spent almost two hours from the airport to the palace.
Saraki was sweating and smiling, was apparently, overwhelmed by the warm reception.
He saluted the resilience of the crowd and their affection for the APC. He said that the development translated into the eclipse of the PDP in Kwara, adding that the opposition will be too weak to confront the APC in future elections.
The party leader said that the huge crowd was a signal that the APC has become a party to beat. He added: ”I think it was a reaction to the PDP rally and the kind of insinuations that were being made after.
“People just wanted to show and let Nigerians know that whatever they saw before is nothing; that this is where the structure is.
“It was not a challenge, but a message; to say this is where the people of Kwara are, these are the people we associate with; it was really a clear message.”
He condemned those he described as “bill board politicians.” He said they were plotting the disintegration of the state, adding that the plot will fail.
“Today, Kwarans have shown that we have come too far to be disintegrated by nocturnal politicians, who come at the eve of election to rob us of our mandate; Kwarans have shown that, irrespective of the external aggression and gang-up to disharmonise us, we cannot be broken.
’’In the history of my usual periodic visit to Kwara, apparently today’s arrival was extravagantly welcoming. Kwarans came together en masse at the airport. I’m sincerely humbled, happy and confident of your support.
“Importantly, I’m very glad to have walked the roads together on our feet from the airport down to the Emir’s palace. This is the best way I can pass the weekend with my people; truly we are united, because you all turned out voluntarily from your various homes. I’m deeply honoured.
“Importantly, I’m very glad to have walked the roads together on our feet from the airport down to the Emir’s palace. This is the best way I can pass the weekend with my people; truly we are united, because you all turned out voluntarily from your various homes.”
Saraki dismissed the PDP rally as “insignificant.” He said that the President failed to make any pronouncement on the Federal Government’s projects in the state, which he said, are non-existent. He said that he and his supporters had sought for refuge in the APC in a bid to be liberated from the “ineptitude” of the PDP.
Saraki, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment, also assured Kwarans of a better future. He said: ‘The Kwara of our dream is possible”. of his focus towards achieving the Kwara of our dream.
Saraki added: ’’Let us continue to support the Kwara State government and sensitise everyone to join the change train, if they are yet to.”
