Kogi PDP Chairmanship: Who Replaces Comrade Salawu?
BY ABU IDRISU
The battle for the chairmanship of Kogi State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, may have a taken a new dimension, following the recent developments in politics of the state which, in the past few weeks, have continued and will continue to raise dust for sometime.
Notably among these activities is the appointment of the state PDP chairman, said to have been at the helm of affairs at the party secretariat since 2008, Comrade Hassan Salawu, as the Deputy Chief of Staff, DCoS, to Governor Idris Wada on Party and Political Matters, thereby relinquishing the position of party chairman.
This, it was learnt, has paved way for the appointment of the former Commissioner for Environment, Architect Mohammed Sule Obaito, as Kogi State acting chairman with immediate effect.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Wada, Mr. Jacob Edi, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Lokoja, said “the Governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Wada, has approved the appointment of a Deputy Chief of Staff, Party and Political Affairs. He is Comrade Hassan Salawu.”
The statement said the appointment is based on Salawu’s cognate experience in public service, adding that the appointment takes immediate effect. With this development, the position of the state chairman of PDP, which was on zoning basis will naturally move to Kogi Central senatorial district which has never produced chairman since inception of the present political dispensation in the state.
Be that as it may, the battle line may have been drawn between interested politicians who are already eyeing the seat after the expiration of the incumbent chairman.
Source revealed that the contest for the chairmanship seat would be a straight fight between political gladiators from Kogi Central particularly from Okene, as some are routing for former Deputy Governor, Chief Patrick Adaba, while others are saying that former chairman of Okene Local Government Area, Hon Yahaya Abubarka Karaku, is the man; yet others are already supporting the newly appointed acting chairman to retain the position after the state congress of the party. Which way it goes, it is still Kogi Central that will produced the next substantive PDP chairman in Kogi.
National Mirror Investigations also revealed that the appointment of the former commissioner as acting chairman was contrary to the opinion of the party stakeholders in the Central senatorial district, where the chairmanship position was originally zoned to.
Watchers of political events in Kogi State argued that Salawu may have done creditably well while holding sway as chairman and his tenure would soon expire at the end of October, as he was first elected in 2008 under the administration of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, the immediate past governor of the state.
It was pointed out that following some irregularities observed during the state congresses of the party, the National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP annulled the state congress and ordered fresh congresses in the state in 2010.
At another state congress held at Lokoja Township Stadium, Comrade Salawu was re-elected while other executive members of the party also maintained the status quo and based on this, Salawu has only few weeks to leave office as party chairman, but political pundits noted that the long stay in office by Comrade Salawu may largely be responsible for the seemingly opposition that mounted against the out going PDP chairman.
It was equally gathered that some interested politicians may have whipped up sentiments and sponsored mounting opposition against the rising profile of Obaito, who they said God has endowed with power of oration, who the governor may prefer to any other aspirants for the position of the state party chairman during the coming party congress in the Confluence State.
Sources hinted that some interest groups had vowed not to allow Salawu conduct party primaries slated for November, and failure of the governor to intervene may cause crisis and misfortune in the next election in the state.
At the peak of the successor crisis, National Mirror further gathered that Comrade Salawu was busy refuting allegation and counter allegations, denying wanting to perpetuate himself as life state chairman of PDP.
At a recent media briefing, Salawu told journalists in Lokoja that the state executive council of PDP has not been dissolved, noting that he was elected at congress and must go by the decision of a congress which would soon come to elect new executive committee members, stressing further that what has a beginning must definitely has an end, saying that he was ready to quit office at expiration of his tenure.
Salawu explained that his appointment as DCoS to the governor of Kogi State has not changed his position as the chairman, saying that his appointment takes effect after the expiration of his tenure.
While reacting recently to defection of PDP stalwarts in the state, Salawu described those who defected to the All Progressive Congress, APC, as a bunch of self-centered opportunists, adding that the defectors are no threat to the strength of the PDP in Kogi State,
He explained that the crowd that came to Lokoja Township Stadium was a rented crowd, adding that some governors came with 30 – 40 buses to Lokoja rally, adding that those who left PDP left because of their personal interest. According to him, the defectors have no electoral value when it comes to election proper, stressing that PDP will continue to dominate the politics of the state as it has the majority.
His words: “The people who defected did so for their personal ambitions. Clarence Obafemi was a former acting governor and speaker while Abdullahi Bello, was a former speaker. The PDP has given them everything and for them to defect show greed and personal ambition. I leave them to God and their ‘troubled’ mind.”
Salawu explained that the PDP government under Governor Wada has performed very well in terms of both human and infrastructural development, adding that the administration has successfully moved the youths away from thuggery through it youths empowerment.
On his purported removal from office, Salawu disclosed that since the executive committee of the party in Kogi State has not been dissolved, he still remained PDP state chairman until next congress is conducted next month.
While contenders continue to devise strategies for the number one party seat in Kogi State, stakeholders argued that a name has already been pencilled down for the position before the governor left the shores of the country.
National Mirror also learnt that rising from a stakeholders’ meeting, a group has vowed to resist the imposition of any candidate as there must be a level playing field for all aspirants to participate during the coming state congresses.
However all hands are on deck to see who will emerge as Comrade Salawu successor without intra party acrimony
The battle for the chairmanship of Kogi State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, may have a taken a new dimension, following the recent developments in politics of the state which, in the past few weeks, have continued and will continue to raise dust for sometime.
Notably among these activities is the appointment of the state PDP chairman, said to have been at the helm of affairs at the party secretariat since 2008, Comrade Hassan Salawu, as the Deputy Chief of Staff, DCoS, to Governor Idris Wada on Party and Political Matters, thereby relinquishing the position of party chairman.
This, it was learnt, has paved way for the appointment of the former Commissioner for Environment, Architect Mohammed Sule Obaito, as Kogi State acting chairman with immediate effect.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Wada, Mr. Jacob Edi, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Lokoja, said “the Governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Wada, has approved the appointment of a Deputy Chief of Staff, Party and Political Affairs. He is Comrade Hassan Salawu.”
The statement said the appointment is based on Salawu’s cognate experience in public service, adding that the appointment takes immediate effect. With this development, the position of the state chairman of PDP, which was on zoning basis will naturally move to Kogi Central senatorial district which has never produced chairman since inception of the present political dispensation in the state.
Be that as it may, the battle line may have been drawn between interested politicians who are already eyeing the seat after the expiration of the incumbent chairman.
Source revealed that the contest for the chairmanship seat would be a straight fight between political gladiators from Kogi Central particularly from Okene, as some are routing for former Deputy Governor, Chief Patrick Adaba, while others are saying that former chairman of Okene Local Government Area, Hon Yahaya Abubarka Karaku, is the man; yet others are already supporting the newly appointed acting chairman to retain the position after the state congress of the party. Which way it goes, it is still Kogi Central that will produced the next substantive PDP chairman in Kogi.
National Mirror Investigations also revealed that the appointment of the former commissioner as acting chairman was contrary to the opinion of the party stakeholders in the Central senatorial district, where the chairmanship position was originally zoned to.
Watchers of political events in Kogi State argued that Salawu may have done creditably well while holding sway as chairman and his tenure would soon expire at the end of October, as he was first elected in 2008 under the administration of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, the immediate past governor of the state.
It was pointed out that following some irregularities observed during the state congresses of the party, the National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP annulled the state congress and ordered fresh congresses in the state in 2010.
At another state congress held at Lokoja Township Stadium, Comrade Salawu was re-elected while other executive members of the party also maintained the status quo and based on this, Salawu has only few weeks to leave office as party chairman, but political pundits noted that the long stay in office by Comrade Salawu may largely be responsible for the seemingly opposition that mounted against the out going PDP chairman.
It was equally gathered that some interested politicians may have whipped up sentiments and sponsored mounting opposition against the rising profile of Obaito, who they said God has endowed with power of oration, who the governor may prefer to any other aspirants for the position of the state party chairman during the coming party congress in the Confluence State.
Sources hinted that some interest groups had vowed not to allow Salawu conduct party primaries slated for November, and failure of the governor to intervene may cause crisis and misfortune in the next election in the state.
At the peak of the successor crisis, National Mirror further gathered that Comrade Salawu was busy refuting allegation and counter allegations, denying wanting to perpetuate himself as life state chairman of PDP.
At a recent media briefing, Salawu told journalists in Lokoja that the state executive council of PDP has not been dissolved, noting that he was elected at congress and must go by the decision of a congress which would soon come to elect new executive committee members, stressing further that what has a beginning must definitely has an end, saying that he was ready to quit office at expiration of his tenure.
Salawu explained that his appointment as DCoS to the governor of Kogi State has not changed his position as the chairman, saying that his appointment takes effect after the expiration of his tenure.
While reacting recently to defection of PDP stalwarts in the state, Salawu described those who defected to the All Progressive Congress, APC, as a bunch of self-centered opportunists, adding that the defectors are no threat to the strength of the PDP in Kogi State,
He explained that the crowd that came to Lokoja Township Stadium was a rented crowd, adding that some governors came with 30 – 40 buses to Lokoja rally, adding that those who left PDP left because of their personal interest. According to him, the defectors have no electoral value when it comes to election proper, stressing that PDP will continue to dominate the politics of the state as it has the majority.
His words: “The people who defected did so for their personal ambitions. Clarence Obafemi was a former acting governor and speaker while Abdullahi Bello, was a former speaker. The PDP has given them everything and for them to defect show greed and personal ambition. I leave them to God and their ‘troubled’ mind.”
Salawu explained that the PDP government under Governor Wada has performed very well in terms of both human and infrastructural development, adding that the administration has successfully moved the youths away from thuggery through it youths empowerment.
On his purported removal from office, Salawu disclosed that since the executive committee of the party in Kogi State has not been dissolved, he still remained PDP state chairman until next congress is conducted next month.
While contenders continue to devise strategies for the number one party seat in Kogi State, stakeholders argued that a name has already been pencilled down for the position before the governor left the shores of the country.
National Mirror also learnt that rising from a stakeholders’ meeting, a group has vowed to resist the imposition of any candidate as there must be a level playing field for all aspirants to participate during the coming state congresses.
However all hands are on deck to see who will emerge as Comrade Salawu successor without intra party acrimony
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