Kwara South agitates for change in ministerial appointment

KWARA South Elders forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has opposed re-allocation of the ministerial portfolio for the state to the present Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

In a statement signed by the chairman and secretary of the forum, Chief (Dr) Bamisaiye Ayeni and Engineer Jide Usman, respectively after the elders’ emergency meeting in Ilorin on Wednesday, the elders’ forum called for a change in the nomination of a minister from the Kwara South senatorial district of the state.

The elders said that who is to be appointed minister should be well grounded in local politics, passionate about the people and most especially the development of Kwara State at large.

The forum also dissociated itself from the resolution of the press conference held on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, by the Irepodun LGA APC Consultative forum anchored by Dr Hezekiah Oyedepo, where a vote of confidence was passed on the minister.

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“We wish to note that Kwara South is made up of seven local government areas and it is obviously larger than Irepodun LGA which constitutes less than 10% of the Senatorial district. The LGAs are Ifelodun, Oyun, Offa, Isin, Oke-ero, Ekiti and Irepodun,” the statement read.

The forum also opposed the claim by the consultative forum that the minister was majorly responsible for the party’s victory in the state during the 2019 elections.

According to the Elders forum, “the shift in the voting pattern demonstrated by the good people of Kwara was a fall out of the determination, commitment and desperate yearning for change by the people rather than the misrepresentation of attribution to one individual.

“It is a well-known fact that Alhaji Lai Mohammed did not participate in party activities in Kwara State in the last three years until it became glaringly obvious that APC was poised for victory.”

The elders’ forum also accused Dr Oyedepo of canvassing for Lai Mohammed because of the personal benefits.

“As a people, we are proud of several other illustrious sons who are tested and are seasoned politicians from Kwara South that could take the position effectively for the overall benefits of Kwarans. Kwara South will appreciate the nomination of any other person.”

“And we elders from the constituency will hold ourselves responsible for our choices should there be any failure, unlike when an unpopular person is foisted on us.”