Kwara Crisis: APC Okays Suspension Of 11 Lai Mohammed’s Loyalists
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The Caretaker/Extra-ordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has ratified the suspension of 11 members loyal to Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed for seeking redress in court against the Party and the Kwara State Chairman, Honourable Abdullahi Abubakar.
The eleven members had approached the court seeking the removal of Abdullahi Samari, the Caretaker Committee Chairman in Kwara State, in contravention of the June 25, 2020 directive of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) that forbids members from instituting any action in court against the Party.
The suspension, which has further deepened the APC crisis in the Kwara State chapter, was contained in a letter signed by the National Secretary, Caretaker/Extra-ordinary National Convention Planning Committee, Senator James Akpanudoedehe, and addressed to the embattled State Party Chairman, Abubakar.
Making reference to an earlier decision by the Kwara Chapter of the Party, the suspension letter said; “The Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee considered the decision of the Kwara State Caretaker Committee dated 5 February 2021 on the resolution of the Kwara State Disciplinary Committee to suspend erring members who Instituted SUIT NO: CV/241/2021 BETWEEN JOSEPH TSADO AND 10 ORS VS ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS & 2 ORS against the party.
“After due consideration of the decision, the members of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee found the decision meritorious because the members who instituted the above-mentioned suit against the Party had flouted the directive of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of 25th June 2020, wherein the NEC resolved that no member of the Party should institute any action in court and to withdraw all pending cases in Court in order to explore the internal conflict resolution mechanisms of the party.”
The letter further stated thus; “Consequently, the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee ratifies the decision of the Kwara State Caretaker Committee and upholds suspension of the following Party members: Joseph Tsado, Bamidele Ogunbayo, Issa Fulani, Imam Abdulkadir, and Morufu Olaniyi Yusuf.”
Others affected by the latest suspension order are; “Saludeen Lukman, Kerebu Fatai, Bola Ajani, Nurudeen Fasasi, Salman Shehu Babatunde, and Abdullateef Ahmed Kolawole.”
“TAKE NOTICE; that this suspension constitutes a bar on the above-named persons from participating in the ongoing registration and revalidation of membership exercise”, the letter said.
The crisis within the APC State chapter took a different turn when the now suspended group voiced their rejection of the decision to remove the erstwhile state Party chairman, Bashir Bolarinwa from office.
The development eventually threw up factions within the party as Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed battled to control the soul of APC in the North Central state.
