Kwara: APC summons Gov Abdulrasak, Lai, Saraki, others to Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has invited both groups loyal to Minister of Information Lai Mohammed and governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasag in Kwara state chapter of the party to the national secretariat as part of the moves to resolve the crisis rocking it.


Our correspondent gathered exclusively last night that the Chairman of  Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) and governor of Yobe  state, Mai Mala Buni has summoned the two factions in the Kwara state to a meeting fixed for today (Monday).


A senior me ber of the party at the national secretariat cconfided in our correspondent that governor Abdulrasag, Lai Mohammed, Minister of state for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, the removed APC staate chairman, Alhaji Bashiru Bolarinwa and the newly appointed chairman of the state caretaker Committee, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar Samari are expected to be at the meeting.


Also billed to attend the meeting are members of the State Elders’ Forum and other critical stakeholders.


The representative of North-central in the CECPC and Niger state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who was mandated by the National Caretaker Committee to mediate in the leadership crisis is equally invited to the meeting.

The source said: “The Chairman has directed that the two groups be invited to a meeting on Monday 18th January, 2021 where the issues of contention will be discussed and resolved. The meeting will also be reviewing the report of the reconciliatory efforts of the Governor of Niger State, His Excellency, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who is also the North Central representative in CECPC on the matter.


“The meeting to be presided over by the Chairman is slated for today (Monday) and will also have members of CECPC in attendance,” the source revealed.


The Kwara  state chapter of APC is currently boiling following a letter dated January 4th, 2021 appointing Alhaji Samari as the new Chairman Caretaker Committee of the State APC by the National Caretaker Committee led by Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni.


The letter which was signed by the Secretary, Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe directed Samari to take leadership of the party following allegations of anti-party leveled against the erstwhile Chairman, Alhaji Bolarinwa.


This development did not go down with the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, his counterpart, Minister of State Transportation, Gbemi Saraki and some elders in the party, who felt the action was at the instance of the State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrasak, who has been having some face-off with Bolarinwa.


A 19-man critical stakeholders loyal to the Ministers led by Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo at a Press Conference at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja on Wednesday kicked against the decision of CECPC alleging that the action was a move by the party’s national leadership to do the bidden of the Governor.


Oyedepo told newsmen that the decision to up-stage Bolarinwa will not stand and warned that if not reversed, may lead to the destruction of the party in the state.


But in a swift reaction on Thursday the State Elders’ Forum led by Barrister Kunle Sualiman at a Press Conference adressed by the immediate past Nigeria’s Ambassador, Alhaji Mohammed Bello also in Abuja endorsed the appointment of Samari, describing it as the best thing to have happened to the party in the state.


The Elders’ Forum believed to be loyal to the State Governor claimed that the January 4th appointment of Samari was timely and in order.


This development, our source said, led to an invitation by the Chairman CECPC to all the warring factions with a view to solving the crisis in the state.

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