Oloriegbe: I will Not Be Part of Kwara Governor’s Re-election Bid
Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
The dust over the conduct of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Kwara State is yet to settle as the Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe has said he would not be part of the re-election bid of the state governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in the 2023.
He said this in a leaked audio recording from a recent political meeting with his political associates held at Ilorin which was obtained by THISDAY yesterday.
Oloriegbe who is also Chairman Senate Committee on Health said, “I will be only part of the national campaigns of the party during the period.”
Oloriegbe lost his return bid to the senate during the recently held APC primaries in the state.
The former National Chairman of the party, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, had emerged as the Kwara Central Senatorial candidate of the party for the 2023 election.
Since then, tongues have continued to wagging in the party over the conduct of its primaries in the state.
Oloriegbe recently tackled the governor on a national television, where he described the APC in the state under AbdulRazaq’s leadership as a mediocre, challenging the governor to come out openly and swear by the Holy Quran that he didn’t thwart his victory at the party’s primaries.
While urging his supporters to accept the outcome of the APC primaries as the will of Allah, “even though greatly influenced by the mischief of men,” Oloriegbe said he laughed last the two times he had witnessed such kinds of disappointment.
He explained: “In 2003, I didn’t get ticket to return to the Kwara Assembly, even though late governor Mohammed Lawal lost that election, God opened door to a big professional opportunity to me, that’s where I got money to build this house you are seeing. It’s not government money.
“2011 was worst because I lost in a general election. I had nothing doing after the elections. But immediately I returned to Abuja, I got another bigger professional opportunity.
“The scenario in 2014 is similar to what just happened in APC, some hours to the primaries (in 2014), they came to persuade me to step down for AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq because they wanted to consider Dele Belgore in whose camp I fell for gubernatorial candidate.
“Just like you are crying now, that was how people were crying then because we were really prepared. However, we told them there would be a repercussion because it was not done in good faith and it really had repercussion.”
Oloriegbe further said, “the scenario in the just concluded APC primaries differs from the 2014 scenario for three reasons: I was the one that rallied the other two Senators’ (Kwara South and North) support for the governor when there was division in the party. So, if he feels betrayal is the best way to pay me back, God will judge it.
“I am a leader in this party, if he (AbdulRazaq) doesn’t want me to go back, we should sit and talk about it. But for him to act deceptively as though he was supporting me, just to make a u-turn three days to the primary election, there is God.”
He added: “Secondly, I am still a sitting Senator and I have one more year to go. Those they gave tickets don’t become Senators automatically, let’s look at the outcome of the elections and see what God will do in 2023.
“Between now and June 2023, I am still a Senator and will continue to do everything I was doing for my people. The only difference is that I won’t shoulder the burden of the party and won’t route it through the party.
“Our empowerment, water, electricity, education and other projects we are doing will continue because that is the pact I signed with the people.”
Asked whether his supporters willing to defect to another political party have his permission, the Senator said: “I won’t give such instruction, anybody can do whatever pleases him or her. But those holding executive position in the party would have to excuse me from their activities in the state, but I will participate in national campaigns of the party.”
