A group, the Coalition of Kwara APC Young Stakeholders (CKAYS), has demanded the shutdown of the factional Secretariat of the party recently commissioned by the minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Ilorin.
CKAYS, which also called for the replacement of the minister with a “loyal and dedicated” party member, demanded that the factional chairman of the party, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, be mandated to return every property in his possession immediately.
They made the demand after the party’s national leadership suspended 11 members of the minister’s group over alleged anti-party activities.
Addressing a press conference at the party secretariat, the State coordinator of CKAYS, AbdulRasheed Salaudeen, said the suspension of 11 members of the minister’s group by the national body has cleared the air about the authentic faction in the state.
While declaring their unflinching support for Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Salaudeen advised the likes of Akogun Oyedepo and Hon Saheed Popoola, whom he said are engaging in similar actions, to desist henceforth.
“The national secretariat of our party should immediately direct compulsory shut down of the mock secretariat in Kwara State and direct all party members to unit under the leadership of the governor.”
“The unveiling of an alternative party secretariat in the state is not only an attempt of their disregard for party constitution and leadership but also create a ground for disaffection, disunity disharmony and confusion within APC.
“You will recall that CKAYS called for the removal of Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa (BOB) as the state party chairman when it became obvious that his motive and agenda to be our party Chairman is antithetical to the progressive intentions of the Governor coupled with gross financial misconduct and lack of accountability as alleged by party executives,” he added.
He said the recent “divisive activities” of both Bolarinwa and the minister in the party were deliberate attempts to create disunity and room for opposition to stand better chance against the party in the state.
Responding to the issue, the factional Financial Secretary, Mohammed Tajudeen, said nobody can call for the closure of the secretariat.
He added that all the “suspension drama and accusations were antics of the Governor’s faction led by Abdullahi Samari”.
“They can’t close our secretariat because the party’s constitution allows everybody to do things the way it suits the majority. The party goes with the majority which we are and not the minority. How many are they. They are not up to twenty thousand altogether.
“When we say we open our Secretariat and some people said it should be closed. They should come and do their worse and lets see what happens.
“On the suspension of the 11 members, they lacked the power to take such decision. To us, Bashir Bolarinwa remains the caretaker chairman and Samari the deputy. The release of the suspension said a committee has been set up.
“But how can you set up a committee to look into a matter without giving the other party fair hearing. Those that they accused of anti-party were never called for any submission. This is just the antics of the Governor’s faction led by Abdullahi Samari,” he added.
