The apparent cracks within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State came under renewed scrutiny on Saturday as Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and other prominent party leaders were conspicuously absent from the grant empowerment programme organised by billionaire businessman, Ambassador Abdulfatah Yahaya Seriki-Gambari, in Ilorin.
Also absent from the event were the APC governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, and the state party chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, among other influential party figures.
In a surprising twist, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) turned out in full force, with its state chairman, Hon. Issa Bawa, leading a high-powered delegation of party leaders and candidates to the event.
The delegation included the PDP governorship candidate, Engr. Sulieman Kawu, and the party’s three senatorial candidates: Senator Saliu Mustapha (Kwara Central), Dr. Kolo Jiya (Kwara North) and Hon. Saheed Popoola (Kwara South), alongside a retinue of prominent party elders and stakeholders.
The conspicuous absence of the APC heavyweights, contrasted with the overwhelming presence of PDP leaders, has fuelled fresh speculation about a widening political rift within the ruling party.
Saturday’s development comes barely days after Governor AbdulRazaq and Seriki reportedly held a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Ilorin.
The outcome of that meeting remains unclear, while the reasons for the APC leaders’ absence at Saturday’s event have yet to be established.
The empowerment programme was still underway as of the time of filing this report.
Details shortly…
