By Mumini AbdulKareem
The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has set up a 30-man sensitisation committee to liaise with party stakeholders on the way forward for the party as regards the 2019 General Elections scheduled for February.
The committee which cut across the three senatorial districts is chaired by the senatorial chairmen for Kwara Central, Alhaji Jimoh Adesina, his Kwara North counterpart, Alhaji Isiaka Oniwa and Alhaji Jimoh Balogun (Kwara South).
The committee which was inaugurated by the state Chairman of APC, Hon Ishola Balogun- Fulani at the party secretariat penultimate Monday was given the mandate to discuss with the grassroots and stakeholders in the party with a view to harnessing the pool of opinions for harmonisation on the party’s next move based on the political situation in the county.
Balogun-Fulani who confirmed the development at a social function in Omu-Aran, yesterday, noted that it would not be ‘suicidal’ to be in a party where the broom, which is the symbol of the party would be used as object of attack against certain people rather than to sweep away the problems of the APC.
According to him, the three committees across the districts have since commenced meetings and some have been giving us feedbacks on the outcome of their engagements.
“But what I want to tell you in Kwara South here today is that there is a consensus on our position and that is wherever the leader of the party and Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki decides is automatically our decision”, he added.
Other terms of reference for the committee it was gathered, was to look into how the state chapter of the party has fared in the last three years it has been in the ruling APC without commensurate benefits from the party at the central level.
Other members of the committee for Kwara central, this medium further learnt, include Alhaji Issa Abdullahi, Isiaka Magaji, Alhaji Abdulraheem Olesin, Alhaji Ahmed Dembo, Saliu Abdulraheem, Hon Sadudeen Tanke, Comrade Lamidi Ajere, APC Women Leader, Alhaja Ramota Oganija and Ilorin West APC Chairman, Amin Akota.
For Kwara North, the members include Senator Ahmed Muhammed, Alhaji Zubair Abubakar, Hajia Fatimah Abubakar and Hon Timothy Jia representing Edu, party chairman, Alhaji Olarewaju Sanusi, Alhaji Raheem Adisa, senatorial youth leader, one Atiku and a member whose name could not be verified last night.
For the Kwara South committee, the member comprised former Legislative Aide to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Hon Ayansola Muhammed representing Irepodun, Chief Moses Sunday Oni (Oke-Ero), Senior Legislative Aide to Saraki, Tajudeen Lawal (Ekiti), Barr. Tunde Odedele (Ifelodun) and APC Irepodun party chairman, one Mr Bisi Owolabi among others.
The Secretary of the party, Christopher Ayeni, Senatorial women leader, one Elizabeth (Eli Isapa) and Senatorial youth leader, Sunkanmi Ereoye were co-opted into the committee of Kwara South.
The committees for Kwara North and Central will be submitting their report latest 4:00pm, today at the party’s GRA secretariat after receiving input from their constituents.
A source who spoke on the issue said the committee in Kwara South visited the entire seven districts in the region.
This development is coming amidst uncertainty that had trailed the purported defection of the leaders of the Kwara State chapter of the APC including Saraki and other aggrieved members of the party across the country.
The three senatorial chairmen had pleaded with Saraki to lead them out of the party because of what they term inability for the APC at the centre to fulfil campaign promises made to the people of the state.
But the party through its spokesman, Sulyman Buhari disown the call, adding that it was their personal opinion and therefore not binding on the party or senate president.
The party also distanced itself from the action of a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje who formed the R-APC faction of the party with Alhaji Buba Galadinma.
…blasts Nat’l officer over attack on Saraki
By Mumini AbdulKareem
Kwara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena, to stay within the mandate of his new position, and stop his campaign of uninformed comments against the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
In a statement by the state Publicity Secretary, Sulyman Buhari forwarded to National Pilot last night, in response to the statement by Nabena calling on Dr. Saraki to declare his stand on the R-APC, Kwara APC noted that Nabena should first clarify if he was speaking on behalf of his superiors in the APC National Working Committee (NWC) or running errand for some faceless and mischievous elements who are his paymasters.
It also urged Nigerians not to be distracted by individuals who are fond of making statements to seek relevance or for personal gain.
The party however noted that Nigerians should be rest assured that the Senate President, who is currently on his way back from a trip on how to improve trade relations between United States and Nigeria and how to enhance the chances of youth to be self-employed, will not be distracted by the needless noise.
The statement reads in parts:
“The Kwara APC has taken note of the immature display and lack of decorum by one Yekinni Nabena in a statement he issued today calling the Senate President names. Nabena needs to first clarify if he was speaking on behalf of the National Working Committee of the APC or representing some faceless and mischievous elements who are his paymasters.
“Instead of embarrassing himself with his meaningless diatribe that demonstrates his lack of decorum and immaturity for the position he has accidentally found himself, Nabena should focus on understanding what his current position entails. This is necessary because his preparedness and capacity have definitely been called into question by his antics. He definitely cannot use Saraki’s name to get cheap popularity and buy relevance.
“At the right time, our leader, the Senate President, who remains one of the founding fathers of the APC and a deciding factor in our national politics today, will make his decision known to the whole world when he is ready.
“As a grassroots politician who believes in carrying everyone along and works in the best interest of the people at the state and national level, Saraki does not owe an unknown factor like Nabena any response or explanation. Instead, at the right time, I am sure that his friends, supporters, associates, all Nigerians and the entire world will know where he stands on issues regarding 2019 elections.
“Saraki that we know does not hide to play his politics. He plays it in the open. Those who feel uncomfortable with his rising profile will continue to bell-ache for a long time to come. In fact, we enjoy the way he is making his opponents fret and suffer insomnia by his silence”, the Kwara APC stated.
