PDP Crisis: Kwara Guber Candidate Breaks Ranks With Saraki After 25 Years

The crisis engulfing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has taken a fresh turn following the decision of one of its governorship candidates to sever political ties with former Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Hassan Oladimeji publicly declared that the longtime political relationship between them had come to an end.

Oladimeji, who is recognised as the governorship candidate of the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the PDP, said he now belongs exclusively to the camp led by the former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs.

He distanced himself from the bloc associated with Saraki and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.

The declaration comes amid an escalating struggle for control of the opposition party, both nationally and in Kwara.

The issue has led to the emergence of parallel structures and rival governorship candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

Responding to his recent suspension by the PDP leadership in Magaji Ngeri Ward of Ilorin West Local Government Area, Oladimeji dismissed the action as invalid,

He argued that those behind the sanction no longer had authority over him.

“First of all, on the issue of faction, it’s a well-known fact that there are two factions in PDP, the Wike-led and the Turaki-led factions.

“By my political association, I’ve been a member of the Wike faction. But I have since left them. I am no longer part of them. So, I belong to the Turaki camp”, he said.

He maintained that his departure from the faction aligned with Saraki rendered the suspension meaningless.

“If I don’t belong to you, who are you suspending? The suspension is baseless and meaningless because you can’t suspend someone who isn’t a part of you,” he said.

Oladimeji further argued that his position within the Turaki-led interim National Working Committee affirmed his standing in the party and insulated him from disciplinary measures initiated by a rival bloc.

The stalwart also used the opportunity to draw a clear political line between himself and Saraki who he acknowledged had played a dominant role in his political journey for more than two decades.

“Yes, Bukola Saraki has been my leader for 25 years. I’ve worked with him for that long. But for now, I am not working for him,” he declared.

According to him, Saraki remains the leader of the faction he described as the Wike-aligned group in Kwara and cannot simultaneously lead the Turaki bloc.

“As far as Kwara State is concerned, for the Wike group, Saraki is the leader. But he can also be the leader of the Turaki group; it is not possible,” Oladimeji said.

He also rejected claims that his actions were designed to benefit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that he had no covert alliance with the governing party.

“I am not working for APC. APC is a party, PDP is a party. Maybe we may have a meeting point, but for now, I am not working for APC. That is categorical,” he stated.

While expressing optimism that reconciliation could still be achieved within the PDP, Oladimeji blamed the current turmoil on the “unwillingness” of some party leaders to embrace dialogue when the crisis was still manageable.

“Politics is a continuous process. You can agree and disagree. When there are rooms for reconciliation, you’ll sit down and discuss. That is what is lacking,” he said.

His remarks came days after the Magaji Ngeri Ward leadership announced his suspension over alleged anti-party activities and gross misconduct.

In a letter signed by Ward Chairman Prince Aliyu Kolawole and Ward Secretary Taofeek Jimba, the party said Oladimeji failed to appear before a disciplinary committee set up to investigate allegations against him despite being formally invited.

The ward executives argued that his refusal to honour the committee’s invitation amounted to an admission of the allegations and consequently suspended him from party activities for one month in line with provisions of the PDP constitution.

The latest exchange highlights the widening cracks within the PDP, where rival national factions have continued to lay claim to legitimacy and operate parallel leadership structures.

The dispute has spilled into Kwara State, producing competing party hierarchies and conflicting claims over the governorship ticket.

Oladimeji’s emergence as the candidate of the Turaki-led camp is at variance with the position of the Saraki-backed faction, which recognises Engr. Bolakale Kawu as the party’s governorship standard-bearer.

The competing claims have deepened uncertainty within the opposition party and exposed the scale of internal divisions threatening its cohesion as political realignments gather momentum ahead of the next electoral cycle.(Daily trust)