Crisis looms in Kwara APC as dissolved exco kicks

The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may be in for a serious crisis as the state executive council, which was dissolved on Monday, has rejected the decision of the Adams Oshiomhole led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

The Oshiomhole-led NWC had on Monday in Abuja dissolved the state’s party executive council at the ward, local government and state levels, and appointed Bashir Bolarinwa as the chairman of the caretaker committee of the state executive committee of APC in Kwara State.

But responding in a statement, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the publicity secretary of the dissolved executive of the state APC said that the action of NWC was null and void as there was no ground for the dissolution.

“We confirm that there is no case of lacuna in the party leadership in Kwara State and there was no ground for the purported dissolution. Thus, the NWC erred in law. Furthermore, the purported dissolution is null and void.

“We recall that for many weeks, party members worked assiduously and painstakingly to elect party leadership at the ward, local government and state levels in Kwara State.

“The party structure was certified as duly elected by the National Working Committee of APC. The duly elected party structure in Kwara State cannot be overthrown or dissolved by an unlawful declaration from Abuja.

“Considering the role played by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, he has lost the respect of the leadership and members of APC in the 16 local government areas and 193 wards of Kwara State.

“He has destroyed his human rights credentials. It is crystal clear the emerging dictator is always willing to trample on the rights of other party members whenever his personal interest is involved.

“While the party will exercise legal means to protect the constitutional mandates of the party leadership at the ward, local government and state levels, we wish to reaffirm that the Alhaji Ishola Balogun Fulani – led State Executive Committee (SEC) remains the only authentic and lawful leadership of APC in Kwara State.

“Despite the distraction from Abuja, the Alhaji Ishola Balogun Fulani – led State Executive Committee (SEC), the party leadership in the 16 local government and 193 wards of Kwara State shall continue to discharge constitutional functions,” Buhari said.

READ ALSO: APC preparing for life without Saraki as NWC dissolves Kwara state executive

The dissolved state executive then called on all members of the APC in Kwara State to remain calm as the executive committee will devise legal measures to guarantee the protection of their rights.

The development in Kwara State APC is believed to be part of moves by the ruling party to ensure that the state is not under the leadership of members loyal to Senate President Bukola Saraki, whose continued stay in the party is not certain.

Since the mass defection at the National Assembly from APC which had a good number of lawmakers from Kwara state, there have been calls by politicians in the state and beyond for the ruling party to expel Saraki, who is believed to be one of the masterminds of the defections from the APC.

 

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