Kwara APC Crisis: Plot to remove Bolarinwa thickens across LGs
Aggrieved members free to leave party – Chieftain
By Mumini AbdulKareem
The tussle for the soul of the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) peaked last night following alleged renewed plot to oust the chairman, Hon Bashiru Omolaja Bolarinwa from office.
The fresh plot against the Governor, it was gathered, was being coordinated by loyalists and political groups under the auspices of the Governor across the Local Government Areas in the state.
Under the “AA Support Groups”, many of the supporters and foot soldiers of the Governor have reportedly commenced the composition of names of loyalists of the Governor across the three senatorial districts who would form the fulcrum of the next executive in the state ahead of the party’s national congress.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the party chairman have had protracted political battle since the party won the gubernatorial election in the state over differences in style of leadership.
Although Bolarinwa raised the alarm over the plot on Sunday in a statement personally signed by him, checks across some LGs last night revealed that the Governor’s men have intensified efforts to achieve the plan.
The issue had reportedly pitched the Governor against some of the party’s national leaders in the state like Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed.
Since Bolarinwa’s outbursts with the Governor during the reception for the Minister after his reappointment by President Muhammadu Buhari, Abdulrazaq have reportedly commenced moves to have a firm grip of the state executive of party.
Speaking on the issue in a radio programme Tuesday, one of the lawmakers representing Offa at the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Saheed Popoola who confirmed the new development, warned those behind the plot to desist adding that the Governor lacks the power to remove the party chairman under any form.
According to Popoola, “Yes, we are aware of such plans across the state and even in Offa. While some of us are working for the progress of the party, others are working for the disintegration. We are not into congress, and what are they compiling the names for. The Governor doesn’t even have power to remove the chairman in the first place.
“As I am speaking now, there is nobody that can say Bolarinwa is not the chairman of the party. All the names that have been complied will still come to him as the chairman of the party because the national leadership will not even collect any name from the Governor.
“Those who have anything against the Governor should wait until 2022 when congress will hold, not at this point they will start collating name. If they (Governor and Bolarinwa) succeeded in ending their fight, fine and if not, then those of us that find out ourselves will continue with the party’, that is the truth”, he added.
On the issue that the party chairman was not elected in the first place, Popoola said the circumstances that brought in Bolarinwa was responsible for his “consensus ratification” by the members of the party in the state which he said is in line with the provisions of the party.
In his reaction to the issue last night, a top member of the party and one of its leading elders who spoke with National Pilot on the worrying trend said the protracted crisis is already taking its toll on governance in the state.
According to him, those not happy with the governor’s approach to governance should stop fuelling the crisis which has been a big distraction to the Governor in the state. He advised that aggrieved party members and leaders who intend to dump the party to tarry till the next round of elections.
He said: Although nobody has come to me for that (gathering names to remove the chairman) but I am not unaware of the fact that people are saying they are ready to factionalise the party.
“This (governance) is a public business and I am expecting that they would allow some of us to be involved on the reason why such things should happen instead of playing to the hands of political jobbers who want one position or the other from the governor.
“My advice is that those behind the plot should allow us to drive the party to success first. After that if they are willing to join other parties, they can go ahead. But now, this kind of thing they want to do will not allow our governor to perform. By the time we tear the party, his attention will be focus on this issue that is not useful any longer then mess up all our effort to provide dividend of democracy to the people.
“So I would advice whoever is unhappy to exercise patient and let us drive the government to success and by the time it’s time to pick up another relay as far as party politics is concerned, they can move out and form their own group or party instead, that is more honourable than disturbing the piece of Kwara with this kind of action”, he added.
