Alanamu APC Crisis: Scrambling for appointments in new cabinet polarised party – Stakeholders

Stories by Mumini Abdulkareem

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in Ilorin West Local Government, Kwara State, Mr Tejidini Sulyman has dismissed a story credited to a “Defender of Kwara Freedom” on the crisis rocking the party in Alanamu.
According to the chairman while speaking at the Local Government Secretariat of the party, he warned those he described as agents of destruction who want to drag the name of a “foremost political leader” from Alanamu ward in the party who have contributed a lot to APC survival in the state to desist and allow the district get political patronage and recognition from Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
His words: “I do not know the group named “Defender of Kwara Freedom” that released the statement neither their members that signed it in my local government or even in the state and as result I can boldly say they are agents of destruction”
“Although there is an internal misunderstanding at Alanamu Ward within the executive of the party, we are working to make peace reign amongst them. This is normal and not peculiar to Alanamu only.
“A committee was set up to look at the complaints against the ward chairman by some members alleging marginalization with a view to resolving the matter. The committee will soon submit its report and necessary action will be taken to put the matter to rest.
“APC members with the interest of the party should not allow themselves to be used in pursuing hidden agenda. In Ilorin West we have respect for all our political leaders starting from Governor that is also from the Local Governments and all other leaders that worked morally and financially for the victory of the party in the last general elections both at the state and national level.
Speaking on the issue, the state Secretary of the party, who is also from Alanamu ward, Alhaji Mustapha Ishowo narrated the root cause of the matter.
According to him, “When we joined APC from PDP in year 2018, to be sincere we met some people in APC, even though they were few in number, we joined them were in two factions in PDP, and we all agreed to worked together as one with those we met in APC that were responsible for the sustenance of the APC.
“In truth, we have been working together as one until  recently when His Excellency, Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq requested for some names from party and in compiling the names from ward level, some people suddenly reawakened the factional ideology we had in the then PDP to promote their selfish agenda.
“As the state Secretary of the party from Alanamu ward, I invited all the ward executives to know what is causing wrangling within them and I was told that some people wanted the ward chairman removed due to some little misunderstanding. I advised both parties to sheath their swords and work together but it’s like there was a hidden agenda because they were adamant and later went to disrupt the ward meetings.
“I want to seize this avenue to appeal to whoever that may be hiding behind the scene to cause the crisis in Alanamu ward to please drop the idea and let our people enjoy the government they worked tirelessly to install. For the records, Alanamu ward alone cast more than 8,000 votes for APC, higher than some local governments, that is to show our population in the ward” he said
Also reacting to the issue, the Chairman of APC in Alanamu ward, Alhaji Muhydeen Jimoh Ikolaba, who acknowledged that some aggrieved people wrote a petition to the local governments chapter of the party against him and some CWC members which led to the setting up of a 5-man committee to look into the matter but instead of those aggrieved to wait till the committee submits its report, they started coming to ward meetings to further cause crisis and appointed another chairman of their own.
“To me it is normal to show grievances in politics but they should toe the party guidelines in ventilating such, if they do not have hidden agenda behind their move.
“We have evidence that those people who came to cause crisis at our ward meeting on Saturday, 29/6/2019. They came with megaphone with the inscription of “Kwara Rebirth Ambassadors on it.
“The truth behind it and evidence at our disposal is that the people pointing accusing fingers at Hon. Moshood Mustapha are only trying to maligned his name unjustly because he is the major financial of the party at the ward level and a strong member at the state and national levels. That is exactly what some people are jealous of, there is never a time Hon MM came to dictate or direct us on party affairs at the ward level or instigate us against any leaders” he said.