Her nomination as a delegate to the on-going National Conference notwithstanding, Senator Gbemisola Saraki is not resting on her oars in her effort to become a minister.
Ever since the erstwhile Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, was sacked from the cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan as a result of his open loyalty to Senator Bukola Saraki, Kwara State ministerial slot has not been filled.
Gbemisola’s name has come up in some media reports as having been pencilled down by the Presidency but sources confirmed that the delay was occasioned by high wire politics going on in the Presidency.
Hajia Bola Shagaya, who has become Kwara Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) woman leader, is said to be interested in who get what in Kwara. As such her Abuja home has become a mecca of some sort as some Kwara PDP chieftains besiege her on a daily basis to canvass Gbemisola’s suitability for the post.
In fact, Gbemisola, a former governorship aspirant has become subservient to the power woman, Hajia Bola Shagaya, in her bid to corner the sole ministerial slot for Kwara State.
Gbemisola, realising the closeness of Bola Shagaya’s closeness to the corridor of power, has been courting Shagaya’s friendship to realise her ambition.
Another name thrown up for minister is Dele Belgore, who recently decamped to PDP from All Peoples Congress.
Some powerful forces in the Presidency perceive Belgore as more influential than Gbemi in Kwara politics, and should be empowered in preparation for 2015 elections, which President Jonathan has vowed to win in Kwara. His nomination was countered by the original PDP family on the excuse that Belgore is a new comer who does not have mass appeal to party loyalists like Gbemisola does.
Information at our disposal indicates that the Presidency intends to release names of new ministerial nominees by second week of May. Gbemisola may just be lucky to have her name sent to the National Assembly where she will be required to do is take a bow as former legislator.