Sack of chairman polarises Kwara APC

Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is in crisis due to the recent sack of its chairman, Bashir Bolarinwa.

A group loyal to the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, and Senator Gbemisola Saraki stormed the national secretariat of the party in Abuja yesterday registered its disapproval of the replacement of Bolarinwa with his deputy, Samari Abdullahi.

The group led by Akogun Oyedepo accused Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazak of masterminding the removal of Bolarinwa, believed to be loyal to the minister.

It claimed that Bolarinwa’s removal was a ploy by the national leadership of APC to save Abdulrazak from “drowning politically” at the coming congresses of the party in the state.

Calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the issue, the group vowed to ensure the defeat of Abdulrazak, if the decision to sack Bolarinwa was not rescinded.

“It is not written anywhere in the constitution of APC that a zone of the party like the North Central can recommend the removal of any officer of the party in any ward, council and state to the national secretariat. Does the North Central know what goes on in Kwara?

“Has the North Central conducted diligent inquiry on events in Kwara APC to be in a position to make any recommendation about the party in the state?” the group queried.

Reacting, Kunle Suleiman, a close associate of the governor, faulted the claim by the aggrieved group, saying that the removal of Bolarinwa followed due process.

“We heard that they were there. We didn’t want a clash. You will see the real leaders of the party and the stakeholders when we meet the national chairman.”

“We stand fully by the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) on the appointment of Abdullahi Samari as the Chairman of Caretaker Committee,” he stated.