Lai Mohammed Plans To Remove Balogun Fulani As Kwara APC Chairman, I Remain In Charge, Fulani Fires Back

National APC Planning To Dissolve Kwara Executives

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,  yesterday in Ilorin expressed the intention of the APC led  federal government to dissolve the state working committee of APC led by Alhaji Isola Balogun Fulani, and conduct new congresses for the wards, local governments and state levels, Naija News understands.

Mohammed, who made the position of the federal government known yesterday at a press conference in his country home, Oro in Irepodun Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, said:

“Already, the national leadership of the APC has been directed to compile the list of the affected federal appointees loyal to Saraki in various boards and parastatals in the country while the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, has adopted the dissolution of the state working committee of APC in Kwara State.”

The minister said the new development was as a result of the wide consultations with all the stakeholders in the state since last Friday, which climaxed yesterday. The minister, also said the consultations that led to the directives in Kwara State was with the knowledge of Oshiomhole, urged members of the party in the state to remain calm.

He, however, noted that the doors of the party are widely open to members who are willing to return to the party.

The minister also exuded confidence that the ruling APC would win the gubernatorial election in the state in 2019 election, adding that the electorate would also vote overwhelmingly for the re-election of President Muhammad Buhari and his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

He added that the resolution of the party would be made known to the national leadership of the party, who would also decide the date of new convention for the leadership in the state.

According to him, “For the six members of the House of Representatives to defect from APC in Kwara State to other political parties, we don’t need a rocket science to know that all of them are no longer with us.

“They cannot continue to enjoy the political appointment of a party they have dumped, while those who are our genuine members, still in the party don’t have such benefits.”

But reacting to the minister’s threat, Alh. Ishola Balogun Fulani stated that he is the authentic chairman of APC in the state, adding that it was “only last Wednesday, I attended a meeting of APC States chairmen forum in Abuja.”

According to him, “We were not aware of any APC stakeholders meeting in Oro, as neither myself as the state party chairman nor our Kwara South senatorial district Chairman, Alhaji Jimoh Balogun, convened or attended the meeting.”

The minister’s threat might not be unconnected with last week’s defection of six members of House of Representatives and two senators from Kwara State that were loyal to Saraki to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The minister also said that the defections will not affect the ruling party in anyway.

He said “Today is a special day. God has answered our prayers by exposing our political traitors. “God has removed stones from our rice and sands in our cassava flakes. “We are here today to assure that it is a new dispensation in Kwara APC politics. We are at home today to assure you that the party will be reorganised and repositioned.“

“By exposing the enemies and traitors in our fold, God has given us the opportunities that we have been looking for to reposition our party .“These are people who had never given us peace and progress.”