Dozens of members of Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who are loyalists of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Thursday staged a peaceful protest in Ilorin over alleged move to hijack the process of the forthcoming party congresses.
The congress is billed to start next Saturday.
They threatened to hold factional congress and work against the governor’s return bid if he refused to address the undercurrent issues in the zone.
The politicians, who troop out en mass, kicked against plots by the House of Assembly leader Mogaji Olawoyin to impose unknown individuals on them at the forthcoming congresses.
Addressing newsmen during the protest, the chairman of Magaji Ngeri constituency, Alhaji Kawu Fada stated that the constitutions of the party do not allow a few minorities imposing on the majorities.
He pointed out that members of his constituents have vowed to hold factional congresses if the nomination forms – and decision on it – are not made available to members of the party.
Fada said, “What people here are asking for is that due process should be followed and the issue of tendencies within the party should be avoided in totality and be scrapped.”
Alhaja Sabi Abdur Rahman from Baboko ward claimed that they are not enjoying dividend of democracy.
“We have not benefitted at all from this government since inception, even at that we were not complaining, now the governor has directed Olawoyin to impose his people on us. We won’t accept that,” she stated.
She further added that womenfolk in Baboko ward will stay away from the forthcoming congress if the house leader will preside. And we won’t stop at that, we will hold factional congress.”
“For Olawoyin, we will disgrace him. We will deal with him. And for the party leadership, if they continue like this, they are digging their downfall and they will be the one at the losing end as most of us, the supporters, have nothing to lose, the downfall of the party won’t be to our delight but it would be imminent if things continue this way,” one of the protesters who identifies himself only as Fatau from Mogaji Ngeri ward said.
