…Caretaker Chairman Briefs Press, National Committee Arrives Ilorin
By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is set to hold ward congresses in the 193 wards of the state this Saturday, party’s Caretaker chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Samari has said.
This is just as another faction of the party in the state, loyal to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and it’s Caretaker chairman, Hon Bashir Bolarinwa, have however, vowed to conduct parallel congresses.
The development points to a seeming parallel congresses across the state, a situation that is causing apprehensions among the people, according to the findings by CompassNG.
To kick off the ward congress, the Kwara State APC Caretaker Committee chairman, Alhaji Samari, who was accompanied by members of the National Committee assigned to conduct the exercise in the 193 wards of Kwara State addressed a press conference in Ilorin, the state capital.
Speaking at the briefing, Samari said in line with Article 11a, sub-section i-xiii and Article 16(i) of the party constitution, (as ammended), ward congresses of the APC would hold across the 16 local government areas of the state as directed by the National Caretaker/Extra Ordinary Convention Planning Committee, led by the governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.
Samari told the press briefing that the national committee, in a bid to ensure internal democracy and conformity with the rules of the party, issued guidelines that would satisfy internal democracy in the state chapter of the party by ensuring inclusive participation, which would allow qualified members to vote and be voted for.
Allaying the fears of citizens of the state and party members, who are apprehensive of possible break down of law and order in the course of Saturday congresses, while responding to questions from journalists at press briefing, the caretaker chairman said, “We are one family and this exercise will accommodate every member.”
He added that the apprehension is not unexpected, though, as a human development, pointing out that adequate security provisions had been put in place across the state by both the party, the government and security agencies.
Meanwhile, in a reaction to the development, a chieftain of the faction loyal to Alhaji Mohammed and Hon Bolarinwa, Comrade Raufu Bello, said that the faction would equally hold its congresses across the 16 local government areas of the state.
CompassNG reporter opined that with the other faction’s position therefore, the Kwara APC congresses would be parallel in all the local government areas of the state come Saturday.
