Kwara APC Crisis: Lai Mohammed’s Men Hit Back At Gov AbdulRazaq

The crisis rocking Kwara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) worsened on Monday after loyalists of the minister of information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed debunked claims made against the chairman of the party, Alhaji Bashir Bolarinwa.

The loyalists of the minister also frontally accused Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of promoting the disunity that has led to the factionalisation of the state executive of the party.

Responding to accusations of lack of accountability leveled against Bolarinwa by his deputy, Abdullahi Samari, the state vice-chairman (North) Mr. Sunday Oyebiyi, affirmed that the contributions of the minister during the 2019 general elections were immeasurable and dismissed the claims of Samari.

Oyebiyi said their (Samari’s group) reference to a cabal within the party led by the minister was petty, childish and laughable.

“They are afraid of their own shadows and in going down, they are willing to pull anyone strand with them. The APC will outlive many of them.

Oyebiyi’s defence of Alhaji Lai Mohammed is politically significant given that he is not from the same Kwara South as the minister. That would indicate that the governor has not been able to restrict the minister’s support to Kwara South.

“During the period of tribulations, it was only Alhaji Lai Mohammed that we saw, he sponsored sensitisation programmes, provided logistics and other such supports requested from him.

“He stood by us and together we navigated the rough roads to victory. This is not news to our traducers, they only chose the path of mischief,” Oyebiyi said.

He reiterated that contrary to the norm, there was a gaping disconnect between the governor, the party and revered party elders, asserting that there is no crisis within the party.

The APC chieftain explained further that this scenario has been in place since after the party primaries, during and indeed after the elections.

“Severally, party elders had tried to wade into the matter by meeting with the state party chairman, the minister and the governor himself.

“However, a follow up meeting with the governor to resolve the areas of differences have not been possible because the governor has refused to grant audience to the elders,” Oyebiyi said.

He said it was well-known fact that all hands were on deck during the election under the aegis of one APC, it was after the victory had been won, that splinter groups with a recurring AA acronym began to spring up.

“The promoters of these groups have acted in ways inimical to the constitution of the party.

“Their activities presupposes a parallel structure to the party structure and they have bandied the name of the governor as giving approval to their activities.

“Not once has the Governor or his representatives come out to denounce them, rather they are financed from the Government House.

“The turncoat Publicity Secretary has revealed that much in his garrulous radio programmes,” Oyebiyi said.

He absolved the party chairman of any financial recklessness as insinuated by the aggrieved group.

“Any allusion to Bolarinwa’s leadership not being accountable, transparent and fair is a disservice and a diversion from the main antics of the so-called aggrieved groups.

“How will Mustapha Ishowo, the aggrieved State Secretary, claim ignorance of how party monies, especially donations from aspirants was spent as one of the signatories.

“In addition to being a signatory, he (Ishowo) is the only receiver of the account transaction notifications,” Oyebiyi said.

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