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We regret fielding AbdulRazaq in 2019 – Ex-council boss

...says gov bastardize Kwara APC ...explains formation of Third Force Party

By Mike Adeyemi
A former council chairman, Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State, Chief Dele Ogunbanjo has said there is no end in sight to the lingering crisis in the Kwara chapter of All Progressive Party(APC).
According to him, the state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has bastardized the party.
Ogunbanjo, a leading voice in the formation of Third Force Party stated this on Friday in Ilorin, in a telephone interview our reporter.
“It is regrettable that Kwara APC put forward AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in the last general elections.
“I’m no more in the APC. We left Kwara APC to formed the Third Party Force as a result of recklessness of the Governor. The APC has grown to be a political party where irregularities thrive courtesy the dictatorial conduct of AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
“The intra party crisis that has bedeviled the party in Kwara State was precipitated by AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and he has refused to show any sense of remorse. The national party of APC under the auspices of Mai Mala Buni while doing the bidding of his colleague here in Kwara have spoilt Kwara APC.
“The national party at a time asked the interim excos in each state to continue with their duty which was complied by in other states, but they imposed a wrong candidate on us in Kwara,” he lamented.
The ex-council boss added that the imposition of Samari-led executive on the party in Kwara by the Buni-led caretaker committee is null and void as the exco is not recognized.
“Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa is the rightful chairman. They asked other executives across the country to continue, but the situation in Kwara was different.
“It is indeed a regret putting forward AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for election in 2019. As things stands, no hope for Kwara APC come 2023. The governor did not allow the party to work as he has arrogated everything to himself as a lone ranger and dictator, ” Ogunbanjo”, affirmed.
Reacting to the likelihood of the party to retrace its steps and come back as one family, Ogunbanjo said Kwara APC is dead, adding that massive defection from the party across the 16 Local Government Areas should be expected soonest.
“Kwara APC has lost its glory and the crisis will continue to escalate. We should be expecting a massive defection from the party. There is no hope for APC in 2023 as people of Kwara don’t have trust in the party again.
“Our mission in Third Force Party in the next two weeks will be made known. It is likely that we will pitch our tent with YPP and this will cut across all the 16 Local Government Areas. Those of us that saw no hope in Kwara APC have joined another camp,” he said.
It would be recalled that the crisis rocking the Kwara State All Progressives Congress Party (APC) deepened, as the two factions loyal to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed battle for the control of structures in the party.
The faction loyal to the governor, the APC Elders Caucus, has called for immediate suspension of the minister for allegedly factionalizing the party.
The group said that the minister, “is no longer to represent the interest of people of Kwara State” and should be removed from the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.
But some chieftains of the party loyal to the minister fired back, threatening to suspend Governor AbdulRazaq for alleged anti-party activities. Spokesperson of those loyal to the minister, Oladimeji Mustapha advised the governor to desist from alleged anti-party activities.
Mustapha, who is also the legal adviser of the factional Kwara APC Caretaker Committee said the party might have no option other than to apply the Article 21 of the APC Constitution on him.

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