A former candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) in the 2011 governorship election in Kwara State, Mr. Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN), Sunday appealed to his supporters not to entertain fears following the recent defection of the former governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki and his supporters to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Saraki, along with five of the seven aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, had last week defected to the APC.
Belgore told reporters in Ilorin shortly after addressing his supporters that they would remain in APC but would not compromise their cause to liberate the people of Kwara State.
He said: "There was a lot of apprehension concerning the entry of G7 governors and what it portends for APC members in Kwara and for the political terrain in Kwara generally. So, my first task was to inform. I have done this through a caucus, but as you well know that even when you speak through a caucus, you have to speak directly to the people. The details were discussed in the caucus and they would now break out and go and talk to their people.
"But generally just to reinforce and essentially to let people know that there is no need, there is no reason for any apprehension. We remain members of APC; we remain committed to APC and we remain together a formidable group within that party and that the situation is dynamic and we are reviewing it as we go along.
As I said, there was a lot of apprehension. So I wanted a smaller group to look at it and evaluate at a local level."
He added: "To evaluate on a ward by ward basis, local government by local government basis what this (defection) actually means to the people and how they want to react to every situation.
"One important point I want to make is our politics in Kwara and when I say our, I am talking as someone who represents a community's interest. It is not about me now, it is about the community's interest and the community's interest upon which we enter into this race is that we are fighting for change, for liberation of opportunities in the state, for economic empowerment, for upliftment ,for the greatest good of the greatest number, more like utilitarian view essentially."
"One important point I want to make is our politics in Kwara and when I say our, I am talking as someone who represents a community's interest. It is not about me now, it is about the community's interest and the community's interest upon which we enter into this race is that we are fighting for change, for liberation of opportunities in the state, for economic empowerment, for upliftment ,for the greatest good of the greatest number, more like utilitarian view essentially."
According to him, the focus of his group is "to take politics of Kwara out of the hands of very domineering selfish select few and broaden the space so that there is opportunity for everyone to the best of their ability and their talent and there would be economic empowerment."
He said that was the covenant he entered with the people that formed the major kernel of his campaign during the 2011 governorship election.
"That course is the first thing that connects us and we are not about to give it up and as I said, that course is the essence of our political existence, it cannot be negotiated. It is not about me, it is the community and the communities are fighting to change the status quo.
"From our point of view, we are not compromising what we believe in, if working together means they are buying into what we believe in, fine. But we are not compromising what we believe in; we are not compromising it for anybody because that course is above individuals," he added.
By Hammed Shittu
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