Issues centering on the primary elections held by the APC across the country a few months ago, once again, came to the fore on Saturday as Senator Yahaya Ibrahim Oloregbe of Kwara Central reasserted that ‘free , fair and credible primary elections’ were not held by the ruling party in Kwara state.
Talking to journalists including Team@orientactualmags.com in Ilorin on Saturday, Oloriegbe described those who had gotten party nominations in the state ahead of the 2023 General Election as products of ‘governorcracy’ and dictatorship.
The senator argued that the process began on a faulty foundation as selection of party delegates for the primary elections was according to him done wrongly.
Going philosophical, he asked those asking him to accept the primary election outcome as one that fate had ordained it to be so to remember that destiny ‘kadara’ is a word usually mentioned pari passu with ‘sababi’ .
Oloriegbe explained that human beings usually serve as a vehicle for achievement of such a destiny and that anyone who gets used for something bad will not be forgotten ditto those who served as a vehicle used in getting good things achieved .
He said the governor as the state APC leader should be blamed for what he called poor handling of APC primary elections in the state adding that he lacks the needed sincerity, courage , capacity and confidence.
The senator disclosed that almost all the major political parties had approached him and offered to give him Kwara Central senate nomination except the PDP, Oloriegbe however said he had chosen to remain a member of the APC on principle.
He listed reasons for staying put in the APC to include the need to join others to correct the situation, show deference to the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and stay on course with regard to the struggle he had joined others to champion since 2000 .
The senator also said it had become important to show appreciation to Tinubu and give him necessary supports having supported him as ACN Kwara Central senate candidate in 2011 and being a pillar of support for the ‘otoge movement’ in 2019. Apart from this, he argued that Tinubu is the most qualified candidate who can make the needed changes happen in the country if elected as president.
Oloriegbe also said he had refused to pick up Kwara Central senate nomination of other political parties to show that all he had done was on principle and not because of desperation for political office.
Oloriegbe strolled down memory lane and referred to what he did in 2003 as a member of the state House of Assembly by refusing to seek re-election.
He also made reference to how late Dr Olusola Saraki had refused to seek elective office after leaving senate in 1983 but rather chose to provide leadership for his supporters.
Being a stakeholder at the state and national levels, the senator said he would be providing leadership for his supporters and abide by any decision taken by them.
He also said supporting Tinubu for president was to show gratitude for all he had done for him and others in the state in the past and not because of getting considered for appointment.
Giving his take on the 2023 Kwara state gubernatorial election , the senator said he would abide by any decision taken by his supporters.
He added that someone recently told him jocularly that the voting patterns will feature what can be likened to ‘Kampala fabrics’.
Kampala fabrics are indigo-resist dyed cotton cloths that come in different colours.
He said his supporters were yet to take a decision on who to endorse for governor adding that he would however abide by any decision taken by them.
The senator also noted that majority of the electors being young people are well-informed and enlightened adding that there would be a different ‘voting behavior’ this time around.
He also disclosed that it would be easy for voters to differentiate between the ballot paper for the presidential election and other ones being the longest.
Oloriegbe, who said the governor had failed to stay firm in support of those loyal to him , added that it was saddening to note that only Magaji Abubakar Olawoyin out of the eight lawmakers in the Kwara Central that signed a letter to declare support for him during the intraparty conflict in the state APC, eventually got the go-ahead to seek re-election via party nomination.
The senator, who did not foreclose possibility of a possible reconciliation , noted that he would be awaiting the decision of his supporters.
Oloriegbe ,who had earlier told supporters reasons why he had been away from the state since May this year, ended by quoting late Dr Olusola Saraki as saying ‘a o dariji won amo ao ni gbagbe’ meaning in English ‘we will forgive them but we will never forget’
The senator had said he was away from the state since the month of May because he had joined other Muslims to perform hajj and that on his return to Nigeria he got busy with legislative duties and later left for Vienna and other places for international programmes and conferences-Team@orientactualmags.com
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