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Tag: Kwara APC

  • Kwara APC, governorship candidate preach peace, unity

    The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its 2019 governorship candidate, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, yesterday urged party members to be more united than before.

    Speaking at a summit organised by the party’s Stakeholders’ Forum in Ilorin, the state capital, APC State Chairman Bashir Bolarinwa urged those who lost the party’s primaries to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship.

    The theme of the summit was: Imperative of Unity and Loyalty Towards Good Governance in Kwara State.

    Bolarinwa said: “I want to assure all who participated and lost at the primaries that the party is looking into their case. I am sure they are not going to be left out in the scheme of things.”

    The chairman hailed the stakeholders for organising the programme, saying: “The essence of today’s programme is to actually bring all together as members of one political family. I, therefore, urge all to work for the victory of APC in the state and Nigeria by extension in the 2019 general elections.

    “We are here today for a thing of job. Today, we are saying goodbye to all forms of differences in our party. Our governorship candidate belongs to all of us. Let me add that even though he has emerged as our governorship candidate, he cannot be more powerful and bigger than the party.”

    Abdulraszaq enjoined APC members to embrace unity and togetherness.

    He said: “We must avoid anything that stands as a threat to our unity as a party. We can only achieve our aim of bringing about good governance to our people if we put heads together, speak in one voice and chart a common course.

    “It is common knowledge that a house divided against itself cannot stand. I hereby commend the disposition of my fellow aspirants for ensuring that we achieve proper reconciliation of our relative differences.

    “Needless to say, there can be no better time to address the issue of unity and party loyalty than a time like this. The first lap of our electioneering has been concluded and the stage is now set for a robust and engaging election campaign. As we are all aware, things will fall apart when the centre cannot hold.

    “We must do our best to abide by the provisions of our party’s constitution and shun all acts which are anti-party in nature and threat to our collective progress.”

    “I express my profound gratitude to members and leadership of our great party at the state and national levels for the support towards my emergence as the flag bearer of our party and for the maturity and cohesion of all stakeholders after the post-primary activities that had ensured the unity and oneness of our great party.”

  • 2019: Kwara APC presents united front

    Following the results of its recent reconciliation efforts, the Kwara State chapter of All Progressives Congress is more confident to take over the governance of the state in 2019, reports Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan

    AHEAD of the next general election in the state scheduled for the early parts of next year, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has moved to put its house in order as it reconciles all its chieftains and members across the state while calling on those who were aggrieved as a result of the outcomes of the last primary elections, to look beyond their personal losses and focus on the task ahead.

    Leaders of the party in the state, while speaking to The Nation on ongoing efforts to further position the APC as the party to beat in the state, revealed that party chieftains and members, especially aspirants of the party across the state, are daily making huge sacrifices to keep the party united and strong in their quest to ensure that the APC displace the current Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state come 2019.

    The APC leaders claim that the PDP administration has been unable to meet the yearnings of the people of the state, and as such, Kwarans at home and in the diaspora have been calling on the APC to come to their rescue. The party says it is ready to provide a virile alternative to the ‘failed government given to the good people of Kwara state for so many years.”

    Chairman of the APC in the state, Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, while speaking on the development, assured the people of the state that the APC is united and determined to bring change to Kwara State. According to the party leader, the new leadership of the APC in the state has displayed uncommon courage in the manner it has repositioned the party within the short time it came on board.

    “Our case in Kwara State is a good example; after the ouster of a bloc that had hitherto held sway in the state cum party, we had the daunting task of reorganising the party, conducting fresh registration, embarking on a credible nomination process and holding party primaries. We opted for the most sophisticated of all modes of primary as recognised by our party constitution.

    “We confronted the challenges headlong not without bruises, anyway. While focusing on the ball, we believe that the pains cannot be forever. Our strength has always come from the good people of the state who are not only wishing us well but keep following our activities, thereby offering invaluable counsels now and then. We have held no fewer than four important party activities that would have taken a period of four years to achieve.

    “For example, membership registration that has been done elsewhere about four years ago was done here in less than a week and almost immediately we entered the next phase of assignment as a party. The membership registration was actually preceded by another rigorous exercise; the choice of party executives at the ward, local government and state levels.

    “However, we are grateful to party members for displaying high level of commitment, dedication and readiness to make our political liberation struggle in Kwara State, a done deal. We need to remind ourselves that, what brings us together is stronger than what seeks to divide us. We want to assure you, that in all; lessons have been learnt, therefore, we have the opportunity of improving on our dealings in the coming days,” Bolarinwa said.

    Speaking further, the party boss revealed that the APC in Kwara State is currently going through a refining process that will see it coming out much better than it is. “Suffice to add that, gold enters and wriggles in the furnace, only to come out brighter, finer and better. We shall continue to accord our party leaders, members of the executive council at all levels and the teeming supporters their place of pride in the scheme of things.

    “We have a duty to appreciate our aspirants for all offices whose efforts put more life into the party. You moved round the state, propagating the ideals of our party. You committed your hard earned resources to the process. We don’t have enough words to appreciate you. We are grateful to the father of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari, for finding time out to meet with our governorship aspirants and stakeholders in the party from Kwara State.

    “We want to assure our members and the good people of Kwara State that the gains of our visit to the President at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, will manifest soon. The stability role played by the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, in the whole process is highly appreciated,” he added.

    The spokesperson of the party in the state and a House of Representatives aspirant during the primary elections, Kayode Zubair, in his submission, appreciated the members of the party for their patience and selflessness. According to him, it is the readiness of party leaders and members to make sacrifices and shift grounds when necessary that saw the party through the crisis that could have engulfed it during the primary election.

    He thanked God that some people well known for their selfish approach to politics left the party before now, saying it wouldn’t have been as easy as it turned out to resolve differences and grievances if those people were still in the party. “They left and returned to the PDP to continue their ‘grab-grab’ kind of politics. With their exit, it is now easier for us to manage our differences as loyal members of the same party,” he said.

    “The formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) few years back was made possible by the vast majority of Nigerians that were yearning for positive change in the polity. We enjoyed the confidence and support of people from different backgrounds, particularly the masses that voted en-mass for us during the 2015 elections, which benefitted many, including those who sought asylum in the party.

    The wide acceptability the party enjoys amongst all and sundry was not only the saving grace for those that would have ordinarily been rejected by the electorates, but the straw they held unto, when they would have been consumed.  It is on this premise that we have weathered all manners of challenges within the short time of our existence without losing face with our friends – Nigerian masses,” the party spokesperson said.

    Meanwhile, the state chapter of the APC also showed its appreciation to the national leadership of the party for the engagement of one of its own, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, into the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party as the National Publicity Secretary, saying the development is worthy of being celebrated. According to Kwara APC, the state chapter now has a face in the national secretariat and a capable hand in the NWC.

    “We must also congratulate our governorship candidate, Alhaji Abdulraham Abdulrasaq, and all other candidates of our dear party, on their emergence as flagbearers of the party. They must continue to bear in mind that they have been pushed forward to help in ending maladministration, incompetency and high handedness in the corridors of power in Kwara State.

    The time to end misrule that bred impunity in our dear state is now. We can assure our members, supporters and good people of Kwara State that every aggrieved person or member will be reached in the coming days, so as to present a united front that will dislodge the pretenders in government.  We will continue to rely on the support, counsels and prayers of our members, supporters and the good people of Kwara State as we walk into 2019 to elect true representatives for our people,” Bolarinwa added.

    On his part, Abdulrasaq, the party’s gubernatorial flag-bearer, said President Buhari had, during the week, given the party the marching order to take over the mantle of leadership in Kwara. He said the President’s request would be democratically implemented by the party as the people of the state had since expressed their readiness to make the Saraki political dynasty a history in the state.

    “Kwara has become a must win state for the APC. The President has given us a marching order to take over the mantle of leadership in Kwara when we went to see him after a very competitive and rigorous primary election in which over 10,000 party members voted. We had our difficulties but we came to tell him that all is well. We are in unison and he has given us marching order to go and take Kwara. So, Saraki is history because we are looking at Kwara Government House,” he said.

    The APC flagbearer said he would initiate and implement policies and programmes that would transform the state, improve the welfare of the residents and create an environment conducive to business growth and security as well as wealth and employment creation. “The struggle to liberate Kwara is a cause I have consistently devoted my strength, sincere comradeship and resources to, for a very long time.

    “Our people have suffered for too long, begging for a drop of an ocean that actually belongs to them. This is the time we come together to end their pain. Those who have sat on our commonwealth for long know that to liberate a people, they must first be empowered. That is why they stop at nothing to make sure the majority of Kwarans remain dependent on them,” he said.

    The Chairman, Kwara State Liberation Group, Dr. Amuda Aluko, said with the new found unity and determination reigning supreme within the party across the state, Kwara State is set to be liberated from the current political leadership headed by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. He urged the people of the state to put their trust in the APC as the 2019 election draws nearer.

    “With all the governorship aspirants of the party now ready to work with Abdulrazaq in our determination to unseat the PDP led by Saraki in 2019, I am very sure freedom has finally come for our people after so many years of political and financial suppression by just a few people. We are united in APC because we realise the huge task ahead of us,” he explained.

    The party has also assured aggrieved members of fair, just and equitable treatment in the scheme of things. The assurance came on the heels of a protest by some members alleging unfair treatment of their aspirants during the party’s recent primaries. The protesters, who claimed to be concerned foundation members of the party in the state, laid siege to the secretariat on old Jebba Road in Ilorin, the state capital, since last Saturday. They have been sleeping on mats at the secretariat.

    Vice Chairman of the party in the state, Samari Abdullahi, said the protesters would not do anything that will affect the chances of the party in next year’s polls. “We will continue in this struggle until success is ours, so that there will be a change for good in Kwara State where every Kwaran will be happy. The people you are seeing here are well behaved. These are foundation members of APC in the state.

    “They are people who will want the progress and development of the party in the state. They will not do anything that will not augur well for the party. They are not complaining par say about the outcome of the primaries. What they are complaining about is that, as foundation members, most of their aspirants have been side-lined. They are not even sure that after the formation of government, they may not be carried along in the distribution of positions.

    “I think that is their major concern. It is not that they have a major grievance against the primaries. We have spoken to them and made sure that party leadership in Abuja is aware of what is happening here. Hopefully, a meeting is going on now where we believe that most of their demands would be met. I want to assure all that it is a family affair. It is not that they are protesting against the party,” Abdullahi said.

  • 2019: Kwara APC presents united front

    Following the results of its recent reconciliation efforts, the Kwara State chapter of All Progressives Congress is more confident to take over the governance of the state in 2019, reports Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan

    AHEAD of the next general election in the state scheduled for the early parts of next year, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has moved to put its house in order as it reconciles all its chieftains and members across the state while calling on those who were aggrieved as a result of the outcomes of the last primary elections, to look beyond their personal losses and focus on the task ahead.

    Leaders of the party in the state, while speaking to The Nation on ongoing efforts to further position the APC as the party to beat in the state, revealed that party chieftains and members, especially aspirants of the party across the state, are daily making huge sacrifices to keep the party united and strong in their quest to ensure that the APC displace the current Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state come 2019.

    The APC leaders claim that the PDP administration has been unable to meet the yearnings of the people of the state, and as such, Kwarans at home and in the diaspora have been calling on the APC to come to their rescue. The party says it is ready to provide a virile alternative to the ‘failed government given to the good people of Kwara state for so many years.”

    Chairman of the APC in the state, Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, while speaking on the development, assured the people of the state that the APC is united and determined to bring change to Kwara State. According to the party leader, the new leadership of the APC in the state has displayed uncommon courage in the manner it has repositioned the party within the short time it came on board.

    “Our case in Kwara State is a good example; after the ouster of a bloc that had hitherto held sway in the state cum party, we had the daunting task of reorganising the party, conducting fresh registration, embarking on a credible nomination process and holding party primaries. We opted for the most sophisticated of all modes of primary as recognised by our party constitution.

    “We confronted the challenges headlong not without bruises, anyway. While focusing on the ball, we believe that the pains cannot be forever. Our strength has always come from the good people of the state who are not only wishing us well but keep following our activities, thereby offering invaluable counsels now and then. We have held no fewer than four important party activities that would have taken a period of four years to achieve.

    “For example, membership registration that has been done elsewhere about four years ago was done here in less than a week and almost immediately we entered the next phase of assignment as a party. The membership registration was actually preceded by another rigorous exercise; the choice of party executives at the ward, local government and state levels.

    “However, we are grateful to party members for displaying high level of commitment, dedication and readiness to make our political liberation struggle in Kwara State, a done deal. We need to remind ourselves that, what brings us together is stronger than what seeks to divide us. We want to assure you, that in all; lessons have been learnt, therefore, we have the opportunity of improving on our dealings in the coming days,” Bolarinwa said.

    Speaking further, the party boss revealed that the APC in Kwara State is currently going through a refining process that will see it coming out much better than it is. “Suffice to add that, gold enters and wriggles in the furnace, only to come out brighter, finer and better. We shall continue to accord our party leaders, members of the executive council at all levels and the teeming supporters their place of pride in the scheme of things.

    “We have a duty to appreciate our aspirants for all offices whose efforts put more life into the party. You moved round the state, propagating the ideals of our party. You committed your hard earned resources to the process. We don’t have enough words to appreciate you. We are grateful to the father of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari, for finding time out to meet with our governorship aspirants and stakeholders in the party from Kwara State.

    “We want to assure our members and the good people of Kwara State that the gains of our visit to the President at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, will manifest soon. The stability role played by the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, in the whole process is highly appreciated,” he added.

    The spokesperson of the party in the state and a House of Representatives aspirant during the primary elections, Kayode Zubair, in his submission, appreciated the members of the party for their patience and selflessness. According to him, it is the readiness of party leaders and members to make sacrifices and shift grounds when necessary that saw the party through the crisis that could have engulfed it during the primary election.

    He thanked God that some people well known for their selfish approach to politics left the party before now, saying it wouldn’t have been as easy as it turned out to resolve differences and grievances if those people were still in the party. “They left and returned to the PDP to continue their ‘grab-grab’ kind of politics. With their exit, it is now easier for us to manage our differences as loyal members of the same party,” he said.

    “The formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) few years back was made possible by the vast majority of Nigerians that were yearning for positive change in the polity. We enjoyed the confidence and support of people from different backgrounds, particularly the masses that voted en-mass for us during the 2015 elections, which benefitted many, including those who sought asylum in the party.

    The wide acceptability the party enjoys amongst all and sundry was not only the saving grace for those that would have ordinarily been rejected by the electorates, but the straw they held unto, when they would have been consumed.  It is on this premise that we have weathered all manners of challenges within the short time of our existence without losing face with our friends – Nigerian masses,” the party spokesperson said.

    Meanwhile, the state chapter of the APC also showed its appreciation to the national leadership of the party for the engagement of one of its own, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, into the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party as the National Publicity Secretary, saying the development is worthy of being celebrated. According to Kwara APC, the state chapter now has a face in the national secretariat and a capable hand in the NWC.

    “We must also congratulate our governorship candidate, Alhaji Abdulraham Abdulrasaq, and all other candidates of our dear party, on their emergence as flagbearers of the party. They must continue to bear in mind that they have been pushed forward to help in ending maladministration, incompetency and high handedness in the corridors of power in Kwara State.

    The time to end misrule that bred impunity in our dear state is now. We can assure our members, supporters and good people of Kwara State that every aggrieved person or member will be reached in the coming days, so as to present a united front that will dislodge the pretenders in government.  We will continue to rely on the support, counsels and prayers of our members, supporters and the good people of Kwara State as we walk into 2019 to elect true representatives for our people,” Bolarinwa added.

    On his part, Abdulrasaq, the party’s gubernatorial flag-bearer, said President Buhari had, during the week, given the party the marching order to take over the mantle of leadership in Kwara. He said the President’s request would be democratically implemented by the party as the people of the state had since expressed their readiness to make the Saraki political dynasty a history in the state.

    “Kwara has become a must win state for the APC. The President has given us a marching order to take over the mantle of leadership in Kwara when we went to see him after a very competitive and rigorous primary election in which over 10,000 party members voted. We had our difficulties but we came to tell him that all is well. We are in unison and he has given us marching order to go and take Kwara. So, Saraki is history because we are looking at Kwara Government House,” he said.

    The APC flagbearer said he would initiate and implement policies and programmes that would transform the state, improve the welfare of the residents and create an environment conducive to business growth and security as well as wealth and employment creation. “The struggle to liberate Kwara is a cause I have consistently devoted my strength, sincere comradeship and resources to, for a very long time.

    “Our people have suffered for too long, begging for a drop of an ocean that actually belongs to them. This is the time we come together to end their pain. Those who have sat on our commonwealth for long know that to liberate a people, they must first be empowered. That is why they stop at nothing to make sure the majority of Kwarans remain dependent on them,” he said.

    The Chairman, Kwara State Liberation Group, Dr. Amuda Aluko, said with the new found unity and determination reigning supreme within the party across the state, Kwara State is set to be liberated from the current political leadership headed by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. He urged the people of the state to put their trust in the APC as the 2019 election draws nearer.

    “With all the governorship aspirants of the party now ready to work with Abdulrazaq in our determination to unseat the PDP led by Saraki in 2019, I am very sure freedom has finally come for our people after so many years of political and financial suppression by just a few people. We are united in APC because we realise the huge task ahead of us,” he explained.

    The party has also assured aggrieved members of fair, just and equitable treatment in the scheme of things. The assurance came on the heels of a protest by some members alleging unfair treatment of their aspirants during the party’s recent primaries. The protesters, who claimed to be concerned foundation members of the party in the state, laid siege to the secretariat on old Jebba Road in Ilorin, the state capital, since last Saturday. They have been sleeping on mats at the secretariat.

    Vice Chairman of the party in the state, Samari Abdullahi, said the protesters would not do anything that will affect the chances of the party in next year’s polls. “We will continue in this struggle until success is ours, so that there will be a change for good in Kwara State where every Kwaran will be happy. The people you are seeing here are well behaved. These are foundation members of APC in the state.

    “They are people who will want the progress and development of the party in the state. They will not do anything that will not augur well for the party. They are not complaining par say about the outcome of the primaries. What they are complaining about is that, as foundation members, most of their aspirants have been side-lined. They are not even sure that after the formation of government, they may not be carried along in the distribution of positions.

    “I think that is their major concern. It is not that they have a major grievance against the primaries. We have spoken to them and made sure that party leadership in Abuja is aware of what is happening here. Hopefully, a meeting is going on now where we believe that most of their demands would be met. I want to assure all that it is a family affair. It is not that they are protesting agains

  • Kwara APC elders insist on direct primary

    Elders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State have called on the party’s national leadership to heed the wishes of members and pick the party’s governorship candidate through a direct primary.

    The elders spoke at a news conference yesterday.

    Lasisi Jimoh, who read the statement, said direct primary would enhance the chances of APC in winning the election.

    He said: “We are opposed to anything that will impede our chances of winning in 2019. One of the things that can affect our chances is indirect primary. Let all the aspirants go to the field and test their popularity among members.”

    He, therefore, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, not to succumb to pressures to sabotage the party’s chances.

    “Today in Kwara, APC is the party to beat; it has become the people’s choice. We want Kwara to be liberated from the forces of suppression, oppression and slavery; we no longer want imposition of candidates.

    “The world should know that Kwara APC does not want anything short of direct primary to elect its flagbearer,” Jimoh added.

  • Emulate Akpabio, resign now, Kwara APC urges Saraki

    The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called upon Dr. Bukola Saraki to toe the path of honour by relinquishing the office of the senate president he currently occupies since it is an office exclusively reserved for the party with majority members in the Senate.

    The party in a statement issued in Ilorin by its Chairman, Hon. Bashir Bolarinwa, said that “Members of the hallowed chamber must be truly distinguishable in character and conduct.

    “The path of honour was led by Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio who before defecting to the ruling party had honourably resigned as the leader of the minority party in the Senate.

    “It behoves Saraki as a distinguished senator, if he is one, to honourably resign from that office of trust. He should for once toe the path of honour and stop heating up the polity unduly.

    “Every man or woman in any political office must know that it is a trust he or she holds for the people. It is therefore expected that such personality should live above board.

    “Rather than toeing the path of honour, Saraki had apparently tried unsuccessfully to incite the unsuspecting public against the federal government through series of drama in the recent time.

    “Please recall how he led us in a make-believe opera that his official residence was besieged by police officers on instructions to forcefully arrest him and ultimately get him removed from office.

     

     

  • Kwara APC awaits Saraki’s directive on defection

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara state yesterday said it is awaiting Senate President Bukola Saraki’s directive on defection from the ruling party.

    State APC Chairman Ishola Balogun-Fulani told reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital that members of the party remained committed to Saraki and would follow his decision.

    Balogun-Fulani described the APC as a broken party, saying the cord of unity among members had been severed due to internal wrangling and the “unwarranted” trial of the Senate President.

    When asked to respond to a call last week by the party’s three senatorial chairmen asking Saraki to lead them out of the APC.

    He said:”Everyone has a right to express what he wants but as for us, we wait on what our leader (Saraki) will decide ”

    Baligun- Fulani expressed relief, satisfaction and justification by the decision of the Supreme Court  acquitting Saraki of allegations of false asset declaration, pointing out that the party held the same position since the now ended trial began three years ago.

    “Like we have always maintained, no political party ever survived war waged against itself. Indeed, It is now clear that the bond of cohesion in the APC has been weakened, damaged, fractured and severed.

  • Kwara APC hails Buhari on Saraki’s acquittal

    The Bashir Bolarinwa-led faction of the Kwara State All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the acquittal of Senate President Bukola Saraki as a testament of the openness of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration openness.

    He added that it shows the administration’s commitment to the independence of every arm of government while vigorously fighting corruption.

    Saraki has been on trial for alleged false asset declaration.

    Bolarinwa said: “The trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki for alleged false asset declaration shows that no one, no matter how highly placed, should be considered or placed above the law.

    “The successful prosecution and conclusion of his trial is to assure every citizen that the Federal Government will always allow every citizen explore every window open for defence in the all important fight against corruption.

    “The Federal Government is already leading the fight against corruption in every area of our national life – it therefore behoves every arm of government to join the fight by giving it the desired support and ensure accountability and probity in their corridors too.

    “We hail Nigerians who have played patriotic and altruistic roles since the fight against corruption and sundry practices started.”

  • Our loyalty to Buhari paying off – Kwara APC

    The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) described the recent increase in the number of its members to serve in the committees of the party’s national convention to four as dividends of their loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari and the party. The party also congratulated its members that were recently appointed as members of the sub committees of the national convention  which is slated to hold on June 23rd, 2018.

    The party in a statement by Kayode Oyin-Zubair, its spokesperson, described the earlier arrangement that had Kawu Baraje as the lone Kwara APC chieftain to serve in the committee, as a slap to the chapter. How can someone who was national secretary of a party, national chairman of the then ruling party, and later chairman of a national corporation, be comfortable being a lone member of a convention planning committee? That was a slap on the party and we wonder why he wasn’t bothered,” the statement read.

    The new appointees are Alhaji Abdulganiyu Cook Olododo, member elections committee; Alhaji Raheem Tunji Olawuyi, member security committee and Ayoola Obisesan,  member venue committee. The party urged the appointees to bring to bear the industry and dedication to work that Kwara people are known for, while thanking President Buhari and the party for duly recognising and rewarding the chapter with memberships of strategic convention committees such as Venue and Protocol, Elections and Security.

    “This is a pointer to the fact that the journey may be rough, we will surely get to the desired destination. We must remind ourselves that our sacrifice to entrench internal democracy and respect for party supremacy in the state is beginning to yield results. We must remind our teeming members and admirers that, they should never be swayed by the raging noise- we are very close to the promised land. It is heartwarming and reassuring that Kwarans will eventually appreciate our efforts in restoring dignity and pride to the good people of the state,” the statement read in part.

  • Ekiti, Kwara APC hails Buhari

    THE Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) and a faction of the party in Kwara State  have praised President Muhammadu Buhari for honouring the late businessman and politician, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, with a posthumous award of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (GCFR).

    The party also applauded Buhari for awarding Abiola’s running mate,

    Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe and the late human rights lawyer, Chief Gani

    Fawehinmi, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) and declaring June 12 as the Democracy Day.

    The Ekiti State APC, in a statement, in Ado-Ekiti by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, praised Buhari for displaying a rare courage to address the nagging question on the relevance of June 12 election in Nigeria’s democratic credentials.

    The President, he said, had put to rest the pretensions and injustice inherent in the most peaceful and transparent election in the nation’s electoral process.

    “Abiola is adjudged the winner and hero of our democracy for standing against the jackboots of the military dictators and paying the supreme price for being a resolute democrat.

    “Abiola won the freest and fairest election without religious and tribal sentiments in the history of electoral process and democratisation in Nigeria, but most unfortunately, the conspiracy of the same capitalism agents that truncated Nigerians’ dream to have the late MKO Abiola as the President are now in PDP, which benefited and assumed the control of our national government on the strength of June 12 symbolic history, struggle and sacrifice.

    “After profiting bountifully from the blood of MKO, they decided to selfishly and wickedly ignore that iconic national symbol and hero of democracy to give him a deserved place in history.

    “Today, we are happy that another hero of democracy without tribal sentiment, who is also a progressive leader, President Buhari, has

    demonstrated integrity by not only honouring this fact of history, but

    has also done honour to the hero of democracy, who sacrificed his life

    to ensure that democracy establishes root in Nigeria,” he said.

    The APC Kwara faction, led by Hon Bashir Bolarinwa, said: “We are indeed appreciative of the historic move by the people’s president who has always shown that he is holding in trust the mandate of the people.

    “Nigerians have always trusted President Buhari knowing fully well that he has everything to reposition the country and restore her lost glory.

    “It is heartwarming that he has laid to final rest the agitation of many years for the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 2003 presidential election,  Chief MKO Abiola, to be recognised and declared accordingly. The conferment of the highest honor (GFCR) on the acclaimed winner of June 12 presidential election is a watershed.”

     

  • Ignore Baraje’s nPDP threat, Kwara APC urges Buhari

    Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State have dissociated themselves from the 7-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling party by members of the now defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) led by Abubakar Kawu Baraje.

    The faction also asked APC’s national leadership and the President to ignore Baraje’s group attempt to blackmail the party.

    In a statement by the chairman of a faction of the ruling party, Hon. Olayemi Olabanji and Secretary, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Saka, the leaders pointed out the APC under the leadership of Buhari has lived up to the expectation of the people of Kwara State and Nigerians in general.

    They said the APC in Kwara State is not party to the threat by nPDP elements.

    “We disassociate ourselves completely from Baraje group’s threat and blackmail.

    “They do not speak for the teeming APC members in Kwara State who remain steadfast and loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari and our beloved party.

    “Baraje and his indulgent faction are inconsequential and must be ignored.

    “The President and the party should not submit to their blackmail and they must be sanctioned in accordance with the rule of the party for disrespecting the office of the President.”

    They went on: “Baraje has no political relevance back home. He is just doing the bidding of his pay master who nobody dares to challenge in our state.

    “”Since nPDP joined the APC in Kwara, Kwarans have not enjoyed the dividends of democracy at the state level.

    “The appointments have always been lopsided, and juicy positions are reserved only for people who are loyal to the existing status quo despite the fact that we all worked for the success of the APC in 2015.”