Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara on Thursday reaffirmed their support for Bashir Bolarinwa as chairman of the party’s caretaker committee.
The stakeholders, in a communiqué after their meeting in Ilorin, also commended Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, and the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, for their support to the party in the state.
The 10-point communique was jointly signed by Ade Ahmed, Sunday Oladiji and Dr Bolaji Afolabi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders’ meeting was attended by party members from the 16 local governments in the state.
The communique stated in part: “ The meeting was attended by about 10,000 delegates from across all the 193 wards of Kwara State and other critical stakeholders.
“The meeting deliberated and critically examined the “Kwara APC Journey So Far” and at the end of the deliberations, we agreed and affirmed as follows:-
“That APC loyal members in Kwara State stood and are irrevocably committed to the decision of National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great party, APC, which transmitted all the party executive nationwide into Caretaker Committee.
“We affirmed that Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, having been legally sworn in as the Kwara State Caretaker Chairman of APC by the NEC of the party, remains the legally and authentic chairman in Kwara State.
“We do hereby pledge our loyalty to Hon Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa as the APC Caretaker Chairman in Kwara State.”
The communique, however, decried and condemned the non-inclusive nature of governance being currently experienced in the state, saying it ran counter to the intent and spirit of the ‘O TO GE’ mantra as well as normal democratic norms.
It condemned the recently concluded registration and revalidation exercise conducted in the state, saying the initiative by the Sen. Danboi Committee ran foul of all laid down party guidelines.
“We affirmed and stood by our positions as presented to the APC registration Appeal Committee that all our over 500,000 loyal members that were shut out of the jaundiced registration/revalidation exercise be duly registered/revalidated immediately.
“That, the registration/revalidation of those our members be done before the commencement of various congresses of our party,” the communique also said.
It further called on national leaders of the party to ensure that congresses of the party at all levels be transparently conducted to the satisfaction of all.
“We call on the leadership of APC at the national level that these requests are our irreducible minimum as committed and loyal APC members.
“We all remain resolute, strong and steadfast in moving our party, APC, forward,” the communique added. (NAN)
