Party frictions: Kwara governor reiterates support for APC chairman

Against unending frictions in the folds of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara state, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has reaffirmed his support for the party’s state chairman, Alhaji Bashir Bolarinwa.

Reacting to a reported show of grievance among party members during a stakeholders meeting as part of reconciliatory moves on Thursday evening in Ilorin, Governor Abdulrazaq urged all aggrieved persons to embrace dialogue and key into his various efforts aimed at rallying everyone behind his agenda for a better Kwara State.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor said that he remained the leader of the party in the state, adding that Bolarinwa is the chairman of the APC in the state.

It was gathered that the Thursday stakeholders meeting, which started around 3:30 pm at the Kwara Hotel, commenced on a friendly note and was going on smoothly with watchers heaving a sigh of relief that the elusive peace has finally come in the party.

A source in the party, who sought anonymity, said that “The Governor and State leader of the party, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, walked into the venue of the meeting a few minutes after 4:00 pm, with the deputy governor, Kayode Alabi, Speaker House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Salihu Danladi Yakubu and all members of the state Assembly, the party executives led by Alhaji Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa and other stakeholders drawn from across the State already seated.

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”The governor, while delivering his speech, highlighted his achievements thus far as the executive governor of the state, while also using the opportunity to highlight some of the challenges his government was facing prominent among which is the lingering issue of the minimum wage.

“The Speaker on his part, discussed largely the importance of harmonious working relationship in the party, pleading that in the spirit of oneness, all aggrieved and warring groups within the party should forgive one another and forge a common front moving forward, a plea which was received with resounding applause.

”It was now the turn of the party elders to contribute and Rev. Abel Adewunmi from Irepodun local government area of Kwara State was recognised to speak and duly handed the phone.

“Unknown to the majority of the attendees, however, Adewunmi had another plan as he stood up with an already prepared speech reeling out allegations and accusing the party chairman of mismanagement of campaign funds.

”On hearing the divisive and dead issues Adewunmi was exhuming, the microphone was taken away from him by a party executive and he was pushed out of the hall, this didn’t go down well Adewunmi and his group who are major members of the numerous governor’s political group.

“It led to a free for all, with chairs flying in opposite directions, in the ensuing melee, security operatives attached to the governor had to whisk him away from the scene.

Meanwhile, the state APC chairman, Bashir Bolarinwa has denied his purported suspension, describing the report as “the effect of daydreamers, who lack knowledge of workings of the party”.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Ayo Abegunde, the party chairman said that “There was no gathering of proper persons who have the power and rights to undertake such a venture, so any allusion to his removal can be nothing but a figment of the imagination of these finger happy news mongers.

“Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa remains the authentic and indisputable chairman of the APC in Kwara state and will remain so until his constitutional tenure ends”, the statement said.

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