By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
The National Reconciliation Committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has promised to reconcile all aggrieved members of the party in Kwara State.
Adamu made this known during a courtesy visit to Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in Ilorin, insisting that the commttee has a mandate to listen to and reconcile all the sides in the “family feud” within the state chapter of the APC.
The Reconcilation Committee, he said, would meet first, with the aggrieved members of the party and then listen to the party executives, stakeholders and elders, led by the governor in order to strike a balance and reconcile them.
Senator Adamu however warned that the committee would “not accept any action or utterances that would deepen divisions or rubbish the APC-led administration in Kwara State.”
He said, “We are in Ilorin today to listen to complaints and grumblings that were expressed through the petitions received by us, and we felt a sense of duty, as a committee, to listen to those who are complaining.
“We will listen to the issues they have, and see how best we can find a way out. Some of these (complaints) may be imaginary. Some of them may just be perceptions. But we don’t want to pre-empt what they mean until we listen to them.
“The essence is to avail the petitioners what is called a fair hearing. By the time we hear them, we will be able to place some judgements. The government is our government. And anything that will rock the stability of the ship of state we will take every precaution to ensure that we discourage that.
“We want to assure Your Excellency (the governor) and the leadership of APC in the state that we will not accept anything that is planted to discredit the administration of the state. We will try our best to reconcile all the reconcilables.”
Responding, the governor who received the team alongside his Deputy; Mr. Kayode Alabi and the Speaker, Kwara House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, said that the party and the government were always open to reconciliation and would support the committee in its “patriotic mandate” to unify the party.
AbdulRazaq said, “We are indeed very grateful to have a very powerful delegation in Kwara State. And the unique thing about your team is how you dedicate your time to build the party and build the nation.”
Commending the committee members and their commitments to peace, the governor added, “It is not an easy task for all of you because in every state you go to, you would have friends and associates in any of the divides of the party, and some would have assumed that you are not looking after their interests but we know that you will bring your experiences to bear on this.
“On our part, we will work with you in a way that will build a strong party going to the convention, party primaries, and the general elections in 2023. It is our effort to ensure that the President’s legacy is sustained by the party winning all the elections at all levels.”
Other top party members, who accompanied the governor, were: the senators representing Kwara North and Kwara South senatorial districts in the National Assembly, Senators Umar Sadiq and Lola Ashiru respectively, House of Representatives members, Raheem Olawuyi Ajulo-opin, Ismail Tijani, and Umar Bio.
Others were: former acting chairman of Kwara State APC Caretaker Committee, Abdullahi Samari; Kwara APC chairman-elect, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, and the Secretary-elect, Alhaji Mustapha Isowo.
Members of the Reconciliation Committee in attendance include: former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara; Third Republic governor of Jigawa State, Saad Birnin Kudu; former governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime; and former governor of Benue State and Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, George Akume.
Others were: former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Oluranti Adebule; Chief of Staff to the Kebbi State governor, Suleiman Argungu; former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Moses Adeyemo Akale and Commissioner for Health in Cross River State, Beta Edu.
