It took many people in Ilorin the Kwara State capital by surprise as the APC secretariat located at Government Reservation Area (GRA) wore another look and members of a political party troop out en- mass entering the building to declare their ambition.
The secretariat, which was commissioned last year by Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, well designed and structured for the factional ruling All Progressive Congress now changed to Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The group alleged that the present party structure headed by the conies of the Kwara State governor has helped in alienating thousands of members of APC and prospective members because they were not allowed to participate in the revalidation of existing members.
They equally claimed that, the governor refused to consult with party leaders and elders, like the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki; Hakeen Lawal; Lukman Mustapha; Oba Abdulraheem (Prof), in the affairs of both the party and governance.
Last Saturday, the factional APC group from Kwara South Senatorial district announced their defection to SDP from APC.
Aggrieved members are said to be loyal to the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki in Kwara State.
Addressing a press conference, attended by members from the 16 local government areas of the state, Razaq Alabi, the chairman of the factional APC group said: “Consequent upon the wishes of our numerous supporters and the majority of Kwarans, we announce to you today the official defection and mass movement of supporters and party members from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
“Seated here with us are the 193 ward chairmen, 16 local governments chairmen, and all the working committee members who have jointly decided with our numerous supporters, to announce o you today our defection to the SDP.”
“The delay in our response has been a product of a rather long and far-reaching consultations and dialogue with the majority of our leaders, elders and supporters across the state.
“He is one man without political clout; he only appears in every election year and disappears without notice because of his poor understanding of politics.
“Even in running the affairs of his administration, the governor never demonstrated that he knows the enormity of his assignment considering the colour and quality of his cabinet.
“He has personalized governance and reduced it by promoting mediocrity over merit.
“Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is really not the pride of APC. His governance model is nothing to write home about when compared to the ‘successes achieved in other APC states’ considering the quantum of financial resources at his disposal since he assumed office.
Meanwhile, the state Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has charged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Kwara South Senatorial District to put aside their differences and pursue their ambitions within limits that would keep the party strong and united, even after the primaries.
He urged all party faithful to go all out to flaunt the administration’s achievements towards mobilizing the people of Kwara South for a repeat of the resounding victory of 2019, saying “this is the only way to prevent those who put Kwara in a mess from regaining control of the state and the destinies of our children and generations unborn.”
He posits that they should complement efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in enlightening the citizenry on the need to register en masse to enable them to vote in the 2023 elections.
The Governor, spoke at the Unity Rally/Prayer organized by the Kwara South Senatorial District APC at Ajase Ipo, through his Special Adviser (Political), Abdullateef Alakawa.
“The 2023 elections should help to consolidate on the gains of 2019 when the great people of Kwara State — North, South, and Central — came together to end the reign of people who turned public patrimonies to their private estate, empowered urchins to unleash violence and commit crimes of all shades, and failed to lay proper foundation for a brighter future for our children.
“Three years down the road after Otoge, it is so far, so good! Notwithstanding the teething problems that come with every social change, we have definitely started the journey for a greater Kwara on a strong note. The 2023 election is the time to consolidate on these gains. The 2023 is the time to tell those who are already plotting a return to hijack the treasury to feather their nests that, whatever the challenges of the social change of 2019, we are never going back to Egypt. We are never going to be subjects to any political demigods again.
“Everywhere you go to in Kwara today, including in the remotest parts of our state, you can now see government presence in various sectors: health, education, road infrastructure, water, and general government support for the silent majority. In Kwara South alone, our administration has executed 268 projects cutting across health sector, water, education, energy, and road construction.
“The breakdowns are 188 school Development projects; 33 water projects; seven healthcare projects (excluding dozens of interventions); 18 energy projects; and 22 road construction projects. These are either completed or ongoing.”
The Governor further stated that security of life and properties is top priority of his administration. “This is why government is investing so much in hardwares, modern tracking technology, and welfare of our security agencies, while working in synergy with local vigilante and traditional institutions to push out criminal elements who are taking advantage of our national security challenges. We are getting solid results, notwithstanding some very sad developments in the recent time.
“With heavy heart and commiserations once again to their families, I want to acknowledge the huge loss of some of our party members in the hands of these criminals. It was devastating and that is why we all must double down on the efforts to make Kwara inhabitable to the criminals.”
While Sunday Fagbemi, the APC state Chairman, urged the people to ensure they register and collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC), saying that any kind of love for or support to a party or an aspirant without PVC is meaningless as the PVC remains the only weapon required to participate in the 2023 elections.
He enjoined party faithful and aspirants to make love, unity and reconciliation their watchwords, saying “our party is 75 percent on ground in Kwara, and with this we will not only achieve our aims, but also win the seats in the state Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship and presidential.”
In the same vein, the APC Kwara South Senatorial Chairman, Olayemi Olabanji, charged party faithful to marry varied interests, unite factions and create an atmosphere where synergy is adopted to achieve common goals, urging them to be ready to make sacrifices and accommodate one another for the progress and stability of the party.
However, the GRS Movement, loyalists of Senator Gbemisola Ruqayyah Saraki within Kwara chapter of All Progressive Congress (APC), on Sunday reacted to the news reports that it has defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
A statement signed by the Secretary to the GRS Movement, Adisa Ridwan Ajadi said their principal, Senator Gbemisola Ruqayyah Saraki, has not issued any directive to leaders and members of the GRS Movement to leave the All Progressive Congress (APC) despite the factionalized state that the party in Kwara finds itself in.
They recalled that the crisis rocking the state chapter of the APC predated the last election and has remained unresolved ever since. The consequence, according to The GRS Movement, is that many APC members are leaving the party in droves, almost on a daily basis.
Declaring that, “We are aware a large number of APC members have left the APC to join the PDP, the SDP amongst other parties. Let me however reiterate that the GRS Movement members have not moved to the SDP as reported.
What is most crucial to us in the GRS Movement at this moment, is to sensitize Kwarans who are eligible to vote, to go and complete their Voter’s registration and get their PVC, ready to vote for candidates that are capable and responsible into government come 2023, in Shaa Allah.
Nonetheless, we hope, however, that as the party is bleeding so badly in Kwara State, good reason will prevail in the collective interest of all stakeholders.”
Olamide Sikira