Kwara Cabinet: We’ll disagree to agree – Ilorin West Supervisory Councillor

Alhaji Hakeem Salman Gesua, the Supervisory Councillor for Finance in Ilorin West Local Government in this interview with Head Politics, MUMINI ABDULKAREEM, speaks on political events in Alanamu ward and the state. Excerpts:

How would you describe Ilorin West in the political affairs of the state?

The politics of Ilorin West is very clear. You know that is where the political leader of Kwara Politics and Senate President, Bukola Saraki hails from. We have peace in terms of political appointments because of the respect and regards we have for our leader and it is necessary for other local governments to share the harmonious relationship with all the stakeholders too. We normally don't have much problem too because of the fact that the leader is from here.

But that seems to be different in the light of the politics that has engulfed Alanamu as regards its nominees' list.

Normally, people will have ambition and scheme for the realisation of it. But what is most important is that it is the Almighty Allah that gives position to whom He pleases. You can see that after the directive by the leader of the party in the state that fresh blood should be injected into the system, which was re-echoed by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, the politics of the state has bubbled but there is no way you want to bring in new blood entirely without those that have the experience of how governance is being run. As the Supervisory Councillor of Finance in Ilorin West Local Government for instance, I cannot be compared with those that are just coming having being in the system. So whoever God gives should take it and anyone that aspired and didn't get it should wait for his own time.

Looking at the candidates that are jostling to be nominated in your ward, what do you have to say?

You see, Alanamu is a very big ward, if not one of the biggest in the country. During the time of our late leader, Dr Olusola Saraki, he made things easy by dividing the ward into three in political arrangement. The 45 wards where then divided into Senatorial A, B and C where I came from. The issue of councillorship for instance don't normally cause problem because when Senatorial A is given a chance to run for the position of councillor, the remaining two areas know they are not eligible to run for the position until it completes the circle and we start the zoning all over again. That is how it has been. Now the local government party chairman, Alhaji Bala Olanrewaju, the councillors of the 12 wards, former Council Chairman of Kwara Poly, Alhaji Sa'ad Alanamu and the ward Chairman, Alhaji AbdulRahman Jimoh among others constituted the stakeholders. The position given to the ward this time were two, which were zoned to senatorial A and B and we from senatorial C are left out for now and we didn't complain because of the arrangement on ground. Ours is just to liaise with our people in A and C for whoever emerges and nominated.

But there has been disquiet about the choice of some of the candidates nominated?

On the issue of Alhaji Saliu AbulRazaq (Abosioyoyan), he is one of the stakeholders in the ward and has worked very hard for the party in the ward also. I don't see the reason for his opposition. Even if we are given 10 slots, there will still be problem if not well managed and the important thing is for us all to endure and agree among ourselves in line with the arrangement on ground. Abosioyoyan is from Senatorial B and to the best of my knowledge, he was not handpicked. We are less concerned about what they are doing in Senatorial C because they have their leader in the person of Alhaji Mashood Mustapha, who happened to be the leader of Alanamu ward. He was the only one that donated N2m to the ward during the Presidential and Governorship elections to mobilise people. There are other leaders like Alhaji Saka Onimago and Alhaji Kamaldeen Ajibade. The nomination was between Abosioyoyan and Alhaji Aminu Baba Akota from Senatorial B, Alhaji Nurudeen Jaji, among others who were all nominated before the list was scrutinised and they arrived at the name of Alhaji Abosioyoyan. He is qualified for the position. Apart from that any issue that occur within the entire Alanamu ward, Abosioyoyan has been in the forefront to champion the cause of peace by moving up and down. He has been long in the politics of the state.

As chairman of the Alanamu Stakeholders forum, what role has Kayode Omotose played?

When we got the news that some stakeholders, who we don't know went on air to complain about the choice of Abosioyoyan, I went and told him to call a meeting on the issue. Unfortunately people disagreed. The question that some of the youth put forward is whether Abosioyoyan is not a member of the APC and is he not working for the party before the chairman of the ward went on air to counter the earlier position. It is not only Abosioyoyan that was picked; there is also Alhaja Rahmat Oganija, who is from Senatorial A where Kayode Omotose comes from. So I don't see the reason for the unnecessary noise about his issue.

Has there been any issue raised by those that were also initially considered for nomination?

None that I know of! In fact, they are all in support of Abosioyoyan's nomination. All of them are from Senatorial B where Alhaji Moshood Mustapha also hails from. On the other hand, Alhaja Rahmat Oganija and Kayode Omotose are from Senatorial A and they are all members of the APC, who have contributed a lot to the development of Alanamu politics and the party. But in politics, we disagree to agree.

Why is Ilorin west nominees' list proving very difficult to harmonise?

You can see there is crisis in almost all the wards and I am aware of that of Ogidi and some others. In politics, such is bound to happen but they will later agree. But as far as we are concerned in Alanamu, the stakeholders are okay with Alhaji Abosioyoyan and Alhaja Rahmat Oganija.

What do you make of the directive on the issue of recycling?

It is very good and you can now see futility in the noise being made about the choice of our list. Which position are both of them from Alanamu holding now? The recycling does not affect them. Abosioyoyan was made supervisory councillor since the era of Dr Olusola Saraki and despite his relationship with Bio Ibrahim then, he refused to leave the structure of the dynasty and stayed to even work harder for the success of it. He has sacrificed a lot for the party.

What is the criterion for zoning in Alanamu ward?

There is normally not much about the issue. For instance, the present councillor of Alanamu is from senatorial C and after his tenure, it will move to senatorial A to start the circle all over again. Whoever is from C or B is automatically disqualified, that has been the arrangement on councillorship. If we are given any slot from the state now, Senatorial C will automatically get it in line with the present arrangement and if more than that it will be shared accordingly. From the senatorial district, the leaders will now choose the appropriate zone to get it based on distribution of positions on ground. That has been how we have been doing it and we have been having peace.

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