By Mumini AbdulKareem
Appointees of federal board and parastatals from Kwara State are presently in a dilemma, National Pilot learnt, last night.
The reason for their state of uncertainty is not unconnected with the current political situation in the country following the defection of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
It was gathered that since the Senate President publicly dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), discussion among the appointees had centred on what should be their next line of action.
To this end, there are already talks on the need to seek audience with Saraki on the issue for the “way forward”.
While some among them reportedly favoured outright resignation from the government, others were said to have advised they seek audience with the Senate President before taking any decision.
According to a member of one of the boards who confided in our reporter on the issue, there is need to harmonise a position regarding their decision for it not to trigger another round of agitation and discontent.
The source noted that while many of their members in Kwara are willing to relinquish the position in solidarity and love for the Senate President, some of their members may not toe that line of reasoning.
According to him, “We may seek audience with the Senate President and leader of the party in the state.
“We are only expected to seat about three to four times a year and I think nothing is too much as a mark of solitary for the leader of party in the state even if it means resigning our positions.
“But we have to inform the Senate President first and seek his guidance and counsel over the issue”, the source added.
Another source who also spoke on the issue informed this medium that members are yet to harmonise their position on the issue adding that the fact the Ishola Balogun-Fulani-led executives are still in the ruling APC complicated the whole issue.
“You know the Balogun-Fulani-led executives recently got a court judgement restraining the Bashiru Bolarinwa-led faction from parading itself as the authentic APC leadership in the state.
“So, there is the argument that we are still in the APC in that sense and so we have to seek the wise counsel of our leader and Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki to chart a common course forward,” he added.
The source however maintained that there had not been any form of antagonism thus far.
Effort to speak with the Chairman of the forum in the state who doubles as the Magaji Nda of Ilorin, Alhaji Soliu Woru Muhammed was not successful as his line failed to connect.
Since the resignation of the immediate past spokesperson of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi from the party and his subsequent resignation as the chairman of the Nigerian Sugar Board Development Council, there have been talks in the state that others may follow suit.
Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed recently called for the resignation of those appointed into federal boards from Kwara State after the defection of Saraki.
Recall that the Senate President few months ago facilitated the appointment of many Kwarans into various boards of federal parastatals, a development which was described as unprecedented in the history of the state.
