The simmering war of attrition rocking the Kwara state All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken another twist, with two factions pointing accusing fingers at each other.
A faction led by the Deputy Chairman of the party in the state Alhaji Abdullahi Samari has accused the state APC chair Hon Bashir Bolarinwa of high-handedness in the running of the party.
The group also accused Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed of diverting attention from the real issues causing the APC crisis in the state.
But another group known as Kwara APC Integrity Vanguard (KAIV) and loyal to Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Hon Bolarinwa described the aggrieved APC allegations as illogical aimed principally to heat up the polity.
Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the state Alhaji Samari said that the party had been enmeshed in internal schism occasioned by dissatisfaction expressed by a bloc of the state executive committee against the leadership of Alhaji Bolarinwa.
He alleged that “unfortunately, rather than address the sundry issues that bother on the lack of accountability, transparency, equity, fairness, sacredness of the provisions of the party’s Constitution and our demand for same, a cabal within the party executive led by the Hon. Minister for information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and Hon Bolarinwa are deliberately diverting attention from the real issues and instead blaming some imaginary forces for the rising opposition against their autocratic leadership.”
He equally accused the party chairman of financial misappropriation, recklessness and lack of fiscal discipline.
“As at today, there is no evidence of a properly documented record of the party’s financial transactions. No records of inflow and outflow of funds, no evidence of compliance with the principle of internal control,” the deputy chairman added.
“This failure to declare the good gestures of these donors made it difficult for the party to officially send appreciation letters to them, especially following the huge success the party recorded. Sadly, this has been the trademark of this individual throughout the political struggle in the state.” the leaders said.
But KAIV in a statement signed by its national coordinator and publicity secretary, Abdullahi Yinka Onimasa and Kayode Aliyu Bamidele, said the party leaders were acting divisive script of their sponsors.
Targeting our state chairman, Hon Bashiru Bolarinwa, the minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and other notable leaders of our party who have invested their time, energies and resources, but have today become targets of their daily verbal missiles (is unfortunate). This is a clear case of an ingrate king who go for the jugular of those who made him.
“First, we want everyone to know that this is not the first time these desperate stomach infrastructure and appointment seekers who now described themselves as aggrieved persons will be throwing illogical allegations drawn from their speculations against the party chairman with a sinister motives to heat up party politics, stir up the chairman’s emotions so as to give their power obsessed sponsors avenue to dismantle the validly constituted party structures and replace it with their co-desperate stomach infrastructure, appointment seeking parasites
“Bashir Bolarinwa, an experienced party man and an advocate of party disciplines and supremacy, understands all their evil plots and will never be distracted by sponsored attacks of few frustrated elements acting scripts of their sponsor within the party.”
The group said that Bolarinwa did not mismanage the party funds which came in form of donations, asking, “How else will Bolarinwa be expected to be transparent when the party operating guidelines require not less than three (3) party officials including the secretary who’spart of these aggrieved excos to sign cheque books?
Why will a party secretary Salman Ishowo who is a key signatory to party’s financial records and cheque books claim ignorant of how donations from aspirants were expended?
“In addition to being a key signatory to all party’s accounts, Salman Ishowo, one of these people is also the only receiver of the account transaction alert from banks on behalf of the party.
“Where then is sincerity in their agitations when they turned their backs to deny party’s decision which they were not only part of but also benefited from?
“The state Chairman, Bolarinwa who is fond of rejecting valuable gifts and gratification from aspirants cannot be alleged of misappropriating party fund which has a record?
It’s also on good record that the party conducted primaries which were fully sponsored by the state as it was open and verifiable that no kobo came from the national headquarters for that purpose. Special thanks for the efforts and the pro activeness of the state leadership (Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the State Chairman Bolarinwa) that our primaries did not end up the way of Zamfara state.
“It is safe to conclude that the chairman has not been the one frustrating the party’s audit process but the incompetency and insincerity of the auditor, pursuit of needless vendetta are responsible for his failure.
“It is also important to state that all the records of the party’s financial transactions are correct, up to date and intact. So, let’s abide by the party constitution.
“A genuine party member will not frown at the present exercise being embarked upon by the state executives ably led by Hon Bolarinwa. Or why should visitation aimed at strengthening the party be a problem to them if they are not having a hidden agenda.”
