The Federal Government has directed All Progressives Congress (APC) members in Kwara state in the camp of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, who are holding various federal appointments to resign immediately or be sacked.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who gave the directive at a press conference in his country home, Oro in Irepodun local government area of Kwara state on Sunday, also expressed the intention of the Federal Government to dissolve the Saraki led APC in Kwara state under the chairmanship of Alhaji Ishola Balogun Fulani, which was earlier adopted by the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and conduct a fresh congress.
Six members of the House of Representatives from Kwara state were among those who dumped the party for the Peoples Democratic party (PDP)during the week.
Mohammed said the new development was as a result of the wide consultations with all the stakeholders in the state,since Friday, which climaxed on Sunday.
He explained that there would be another Congress from the ward that would produce another leadership in the state,saying that pending that time, Alhaji Bashir Bolarinwa’s leadership would hold sway in the state.
He stressed that it is unacceptable that members of the party who refused to desert the party would not benefit from the government, while those who have decamped to other political parties would still hold on to the political appointments of a party they have dumped.
Warning that if they fail to resign from the appointments as directed,the Federal Government would sack all of them unannounced.
The minister, who said that the consultations that led to the directives in Kwara state were with the knowledge of the national chairman of the ruling party Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, urged members of the party in the state to remain calm.
He however noted that the doors of the party is wide open to members who are willing to return to the party.
The minister also exuded confidence that the party would win the gubernatorial election in the state in the 2019 election, boasting that the electorate will also vote overwhelmingly for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari and his Deputy Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
He added that the resolution of the party would be made known to the national leadership of the party, which would also decide the date of new convention for the leadership of the party in the state.
According to him: ”For six members of House of Representatives to decamp from All Progressives Congress 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 appointments of a party they have dumped, while those who are our genuine members, still in the party don’t have such benefits”
The statement issued by the Minister read: ”A meeting of stakeholders in Kwara State, held at Oro, on Sunday, 29 July 2018, resolved as follows:
1). That the Balogun Fulani-led Kwara APC executive committee be immediately dissolved and a fresh congress that will include all Kwara APC members and those who are just coming into the party be held at the various levels to constitute a new executive.
2). That all those who got appointments by deceit, hiding under the facade of being party men and women, should immediately resign such appointments or be fired.
3). That the recent gale of defections has now put the APC in a position of true majority in the National Assembly, as those who remain are the ones who are truly committed to the ideals of our great Party.
4). That all members and supporters of our great party restate their unflinching support for President Muhammadu Buhari and assure him of a harvest of votes from Kwara State in the 2019 General Elections. 5) That all members should remain calm because there is no cause for alarm.”
Vanguard
