LEAKED AUDIO: Gov Abdulrazaq’s appointees cannot deliver polling unit in 2023 – Aggrieved member

By Mumini Abdulkareem

From some of the aggrieved members of the Kwara State chapter of the
All Progressives Congress (APC) came a strong warning, last night,
that most of the newly appointed commissioners cannot deliver their
polling units.
The admonition was part of a revelation contained in a leaked call log
between the Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Tajudeen
Folaranmi Aro and some aggrieved members of the party.
The conversation which was exclusively obtained by this medium last
night reportedly ensued while Aro was inside his vehicle on his way to
Offa.
The leaked conversation also gave fresh insight into the outburst that
ensued between the Governor and the state Chairman of the party, Hon.
Bashiru Omolaja Bolarinwa.
The nomination of the appointees for the portfolio of commissioners
has been a major point of disagreement between the Governor and some
stakeholders in the party who accused the latter of rejecting
candidates forwarded to him for consideration.
The Governor has also been accused by the aggrieved party chieftains
of not carrying them along and taking unilateral decisions on
appointments and policies of government in the present administration.
But despite a reconciliatory meeting with the aggrieved party
stakeholders, the Governor reportedly dumped the nominees submitted to
him for appointment.
The 16 appointees eventually picked by the Governor  were confirmed by
the Kwara State House of Assembly last Thursday after three days of
screening which began on Tuesday on the floor of the state House of
Assembly.

Here is the full transcription of the conversation

APC member: Hello, good morning sir. The chairman of our group, Mekunu
Agenda was the one speaking with you a while ago. What we want is for
(Dr Bukola) Saraki not to come back and we pray so. But we plead with
you sir to (intervene) for the things not to escalate between the
Governor and leaders that worked for his emergence. Even the governor
will not be happy if such happened.

Tajudeen Aro: Yes, sir

Member: We are just citizens, we are not interested in commissioner or
any appointment but how the state will move forward and progress and
we believe this can only be possible if the party is united. But with
all the crises within the party, the citizens will sooner than later
begin to see them as traitors and betrayers to those who voted for
them. Some that began this struggle with us are dead now. Even, if
they were not appointed commissioners, they can be considered for SAs
rather than being disgraced.

Aro: Ok, please listen to me. Agreed you made some very beautiful
points but I would have loved it if you can call during the phone-in
programme.

Member: But this is a party affair and it will not be nice to go on
air with it.

Aro: Don’t worry; we give the Governor feedback about everything

Member: It is not everything happening that we have to make public
discussion on air.

Aro: We have been saying it and we will continue to do so

Member: What we expected is that when (the governor) wanted to appoint
those commissioners, party chieftains like Prof Oba, Moshood Mustapha
and the party chairman, should have sat down together and agreed on a
sharing formula or percentage. For instance, the Governor can say he
wants to appoint 50 per cent of the number and ask these leaders to
submit three names from which he will pick one person that is most
qualified. Politics is not personal business. Among some of those
appointed, some cannot deliver their polling units.

Aro: That is true

Member: We are not looking for commissioner appointment and you don’t
even know me. We are up to five here operating forum in preparation
for our meeting.

Aro: Some of these issues we have already raised and the ones you have
felt we consider now, we will raise it (with the governor). The
struggle is for everybody.

Member: Please I advise that the crisis in the party should remain
within the party. There is no need washing our dirty linen in the
public.

Aro: Alhaji, if we criticise Saraki, we should also not indulge in
action we criticize him about for which we have complained about him.
Please be patient and let me give insight of what I am aware of.

Member: Ok Sir

Aro: Criticisms of the governor has been carried out by those of us
who are state executives. Have you seen where members of a party exco
will be pointing accusing fingers at the Governor, ehn. Hello can you
hear me?

Member: Yes I can hear you

Can you imagine the governor was insulted all the way from Ilorin to
Abuja (during the famous outbursts). It was the same exco that
complained that the governor is taking care of the party and
appointing people without the party’s knowledge. For those of us who
privy to what is happening, we should have the fear of God and say it
as it is.

Member: (interrupted) what I would advise us to do…

Aro: Please allow me talk now. So what I said was that we the exco
members must go and apologise to the Governor because we have offended
him, what is wrong with that? If I didn’t say that, they would have
continue to feed the people with lies and the people will be making
wrong judgment

Member: Alhaji Tajudeen, I don’t know of those you are referring to.
But even if the Governor was insulted, as a leader of the party, he
will abused, even those who will eulogise him in his presence will
insult him behind his back. But during such period, he should have
called leaders and elders of the party and informed them of what he
wants to do. Then anybody that was appointed commissioner but didn’t
live up to expectation will be blamed for dragging the name of his
family in the mud. But those you are accusing now that they accused
the governor, who was there to witness to the incident. And you know
the governor was elected (during the gubernatorial primaries). If not
because of the patience of Prof Shuaib Oba AbdulRaheem, the Governor
would not be enjoying what he is enjoying today. It should not be like
this. Look at the money each of the aggrieved leaders spent and the
trouble they went through, it’s not suppose to be like that. Imagine,
we are now describing such individuals as bad people.

Aro: May God guide us, don’t worry. I am driving and on my way to
Offa, officials of the federal road safety commission (FRSC) are in
from of me now.

Member: Please tell the Governor to do the needful, he’s not the only
owner of that post, many of the party chieftains also expected it.

Aro: Ok, ok.