The repeat elections for Oloje and Alanamu wards of Ilorin West constituency slated for tomorrow (Tuesday, June 26) has further worsened the crisis rocking the Kwara State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) over who will be its gubernatorial candidate in 2015.
The repeat elections in the two wards ordered by the Appeal Court sitting in Ilorin is crucial to who will occupy the Ilorin West constituency’s seat at the state House of Assembly.
The contest is between Alhaji AbdulFatah Salman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Aiyelabehan Abdul Kayode of ACN. With ACN at odds, the PDP can capitalise on the situation and sweep the polls.
The PDP, however, seemed to be unprepared for the repeat election because it has challenged the desirability of the date fixed for the election through a petition sent to the office of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega.
LEADERSHIP reports that the supremacy war between ACN’s two camps in the state could jeopardize its chances of increasing its membership of the state House of Assembly to three.
The ACN faction loyal to the national publicity secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed is said to have offered financial assistance to the party’s candidate in the repeat election to enable him emerge victorious.
This development, LEADERSHIP learnt, angered those loyal to Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN), and they were said to have vowed to frustrate Aiyelabegan’s efforts at winning the election.
Sources close to Lai Mohammed’s political organization (LAMPO) said the group’s decision to assist Aiyelabegan financially was parts of strategies mapped out to enable it penetrate Ilorin West.
The sources hinted that, “of course, the Belgore’s group will not be happy about this because they know that already Lai Mohammed is gaining ground in his bid to become ACN’s flag bearer in 2015 governorship election in the state.
“We recently held a meeting in Lagos over who becomes the party’s governorship candidate in 2015 and majority of those present at the meeting favoured Lai Mohammed.
?