Suspected party thugs, on Tuesday, attacked members of the Kwara state executive committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), confirming deepening crisis in the party in the state.
Tribune Online gathered that members of the state’s party executive, led by the chairman, Alhaji Bashir Bolarinwa, were attacked at Shao town in the Moro local government area of the state during a thank-you tour of 16 local government areas to thank members of the party for their support during the last general elections and to sustain the support for the administration.
During the attack, the party bus that conveyed the party chiefs were smashed by the suspected party thugs and consequently led to a situation whereby people at the venue had to run for dear lives.
It was gathered that the latest development might not be unconnected with the internal crisis that had rocked the party shortly after the party electoral victory during the last year general elections.
The crisis, it was gathered, had created factions within the party in the state to the extent that it had developed into festering squabbles between the party members, loyal to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq and other top APC leaders in the state.
During the attack, some members of a group said to be loyal to the state Governor Abdulrazaq under the aegis of “AA Support group alongside some youth, invaded the venue of the meeting and prevented the party chairman and members of his team from holding the planned meeting and attacked the bus that conveyed them to the venue.
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It was also gathered that windscreen of the bus was shattered by the attackers who were said to have also threatened to inflict bodily harm to the party chairman and his team.
Confirming the development, the state vice chairman of the party, Sunday Oyebiyi, described the attack as unfortunate, saying it could lead to a disintegration of the party in the state.
He said that police permit was sought and got on the planned tour of the 16 local government areas of Kwara state, particularly when some members of the party loyal to the governor stood against it.
Oyebiyi, who is also zonal chairman, (Kwara North) of the party was also among the entourage of the party chairman to Shao, saying that members of the party are eagerly waiting for the outcome of the intervention being done by elders of the party into the crisis.
He called on members of the party to remain calm and embrace peace and love in their dealings.
Meanwhile, Governor Abdulrazaq has condemned the attack on party chairman and his entourage to Shao, calling on the police command to fish out all the perpetrators and prosecute them.
In the statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor described the attack as disturbing.
“We condemn in strongest terms possible the alleged attack on the state chairman of the APC Hon. Bashiru Omolaja Bolarinwa allegedly by some hoodlums in Moro local government. This is very disturbing. The Governor is very proud of the peaceful atmosphere in the state and seriously frowns at any action that might heat up the polity under whatever guise.
“He calls on the security agencies to not just fish out those behind the attack but to also make sure they face the full weight of the law. For the record, the state faces many developmental issues and the Governor has no time for anything that does not add value to the lives of the people he’s been elected to govern”, the statement said.
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