Cabinet: Tension among Kwara APC stalwarts over commissioner-nominees’ list

By Mumini Abdulkareem

The yet to be released list of commissioners and other appointive
positions by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is already generating
tension and apprehension within the Kwara State chapter of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), National Pilot, reliably learnt, last
night.
Stakeholders and other top party stalwarts of the APC are reportedly
in dilemma over what would be the final outcome of the list because of
what a source described as the unpredictable nature of the Governor on
issues of appointments and decisions.
Although it was gathered that some names have already been forwarded
to the Governor from various groups through the party, feelers from
the various camps, last night, revealed that many of the party leaders
are highly skeptical about those that will make the list.
Last week, Governor Abdulrazaq told journalists during a press
briefing to mark his 100 days in office that the list of the cabinet
will soon be announced adding that he will consult with more
stakeholders in the party.
Recall that the Kwara State APC recently requested three names each
across the 193 wards in the state to form a pool from where the
Governor is expected to pick appointees for the post of Commissioners,
Special Advisers and Special Assistants.
According to a very close aide of one of the APC 2019 gubernatorial
aspirants from Kwara Central, the agitation and expectation among
party stakeholders concerning the list is so serious that the eventual
outcome will either make or mar Governor Abdulrazaq’s administration
if care is not taken.
According to the source, some notable party leaders in the state who
accused the Governor of singlehandedly running the administration
without carrying them along are eagerly looking forward to the list of
the cabinet before deciding whether they will continue to work with
him or not.
Investigation revealed that Governor Abdulrazaq and the party
Chairman, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa have been at daggers drawn recently
over issues of appointment and for taking decisions without the input
or knowledge of party executives.
However, the state chapter of the APC through it Publicity Secretary,
Alhaji Tajudeen Folaranmi Aro recently told this medium that the party
is not having any crisis regarding the issue of appointment and the
governor’s leadership style adding that the party is fully in support
of his efforts in providing good governance in the state.
But speaking on the issue last night, a chieftain of the party and
former gubernatorial aspirant, Hon Moshood Mustapha said the agitation
over the list in the party was not unexpected.
He however warned that he will speak out should the eventual list fail
to reflect the efforts of those that toiled for the success of the
party in line with the agreement of the party stakeholders.
According to Mustapha, “The list is not out yet and I don’t see reason
why we are unnecessarily agitated. I am sure it will take care of all
the tendencies that formed the APC at the end of the day. The Governor
requested for the list long time ago and I am sure he’s working on it.
The issue of people coming with stories insinuating that there is
crisis in the party is not something we should take with any kind of
seriousness.
“He will definitely have his government in place and this is the first
time some of our brothers who came to join us in APC will be in a
party that will form the government at the state level.
Of course there will be a lot of agitation and permutation in the
system and that is exactly what we are seeing. It is not unexpected
for us who had been in government. We don’t see it as anything
special. There will always be a lot of horse trading, bickering and
some sycophants will come and say different things even if they know
it’s not true just to curry favour.
“As far as I am concerned, there is no crisis anywhere and I want to
correct an impression where people see gubernatorial and senatorial
aspirants as the leaders and major stakeholders of the party, it
shouldn’t be. That some people came out to aspire to be governors or
senators among others has not put them in a position where we see them
as leaders of the party. We have other stakeholders too who are even
more qualified and important than some of us that came out to contest;
that is the truth.
“Everybody fall under one tendency or the other in the APC during the
formation of the party and I am very sure he (Governor) has collected
names from all tendencies, groups, shades of opinion and different
leaders and we should allow him. This is his government and we should
allow him to come out with the list that is best suitable for him to
run his government,” he added.
The former commissioner for Lands and Housing however warned that he
will however speak out if the outcome does not tally with his
expectation and input.
“We have given him the mandate and this is the time for governance, we
should allow him. When he comes out with the list, if some of us are
not okay with it, we will come out and say it. But I don’t see any
reason why we should be too unnecessarily pre-emptive. At the
stakeholders’ level, we will ask questions and if we don’t know any of
them that make the list eventfully and we believe they are people that
have not participated, some of us will talk.
“As far as I am concerned, he collected list from different groups,
and you don’t expect that he would call a stakeholders’ meeting where
they will draw list of commissioners, it’s never done. The only thing
is that if you have interest through your tendency or you are the head
of your tendency, you look for a way to see him and tell him what you
want. I think he’s very accessible and I am very sure he has collected
list from so many people.”
Mustapha however called for patience from the people adding that, “I
am not complaining because I have never called him that I want to see
him and he doesn’t listen to me and I don’t think the list has come
out that I did not see the names of some of those I requested from
him. So I do not belong or fall within the categories of those that
will say they are not being carried along. I don’t know whether some
other people are complaining that they are not being carried along. We
should take it easy; he has just spent 100 days out of four years.”