Kwara APC Crisis Deepens as Deputy Gov, APC Chairman Fight over Party's Control

The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Kwara  State chapter, at the weekend deepened as the state Deputy Governor, Mr. Kayode Alabi, and the state Chairman of the party,  Hon. Bashr Bolarinwa, locked horn  over the control of the party in the state.

The development, according to media checks, might not be unconnected with the recent alleged removal of the chairman of the party in Ifelodun local government council area of the state, Mr. Mohammed Shillo Awobimpe, and his deputy, Mr. Baba Malik, from office over their alleged lack loyalty to the power that be in the state.

Consequently, the two party executives removed in the local government area have been replaced with Mr. Abdulateef Quadri and Mr. Nasri Bello as chairman and vice-chairman respectively.

 

The emergence of the new leadership of the APC in Ifelodun LGA, according to investigations, was said to have been through  the stance of the deputy governor, ignoring the state party chairman denunciation of the new leadership.

The state Deputy Governor, Alabi, and the state Chairman of the party, Bolarinwa, hail from the same Ifelodun LGA of the state.

The party had been enmeshed in crisis since the party took over power in the state after its outing in the last general election.

The development, it was learnt, had led to the noninvolvement of party structures in the state in the day-to-day running of the government by the state Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq.

However, the ugly situation has consequently snowballed into the simmering crisis between the two leaders of the party in the state, the deputy governor and state chairman of the party.

It was also gathered that the alleged removal of the chairman and vice chairman of the party in Ifelodun LGA has allegedly created a division between Alabi and Bolarinwa in the local government area.

But, the state chairman of the party, in a statement issued in Ilorin over the development, denounced the factional Ifelodun LGA APC executive council, adding that Awobimpe and Malik remain the chairman and vice chairman of the party respectively.

In a statement issued in Ilorin and personally signed by the state APC chairman affirmed that Awobimpe remains the undisputed and duly recognised chairman of APC in Ifelodun LGA.

He also emphasised that all the local government party officers who took oath of office on September 15, 2018, remain the authentic officers of the party at their local government areas and are so recognised.

He emphasised that "in the absence of a notice to that effect, all subsisting structures of the party from the ward to local government and the state levels remain in place and sacrosanct.”

Bolarinwa also urged the party in the state to refrain from action capable of breaking existing peace in the state.

He, therefore, said the security operatives had been duly informed on the activities of those trying to cause disaffection and disunity in APC in the state.

The party boss also called on party members to eschew mischief and abide by the party guidelines at all times.

But, the deputy governor, while receiving the new executive council of the party in Ifelodun LGA led by Quadri at the Government House in Ilorin at the weekend, urged the newly constituted executive council in Ifelodun LGA to continue to remain loyal to the party and the government of Governor Abdulrasaq.

However, by granting audience to the new executive officers by the deputy governor at Government House has affirmed the emergence of the new executive officers in Ifelodun local government council area of the state.