The All Progressives Congress in Kwara State has just been divided into two warring factions following the purported removal of the State Chairman of the party, Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa who was swiftly replaced by his former deputy Alh. Abdullahi Samari.
The news broke yesterday by an online media platform in Ilorin which was later to be confirmed by a letter of appointment of Alh. Samari purportedly from National Caretaker Committee Chairman which was circulated to various online platforms by Aides and supporters of the Kwara State Governor Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
There has been several failed attempts made by Governor Abdulrazaq and his loyalists in the past to remove Bolarinwa, however, the recent letter in circulation is indicative of a possibility that the Governor’s camp might have finally secured the buy in of the National Caretaker Committee in this bid.
Following the news of Bolarinwa’s removal, some stakeholders and majority of the Gubernatorial Aspirants in 2019 general elections in the APC came out with a publication to debunk Bolarinwa’s purported removal, affirming that he, Bolarinwa, remains the authentic Chairman if the party in Kwara State.
There was also a new report in the online media platforms that the National Caretaker Chairman Gov. Maimala Buni has declared that the party would only recognize and work with the State Caretaker Chairmen inaugurated in December last year for the party membership validation and registration exercise.
Bolarinwa, a former Local Government Chairman in Lagos State and a former Member of the House of Representative is a loyalist of the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He was reported to have participated in the manipulation of the 2019 primary election processes of Kwara APC to favour Governor Abdulraman Abdulrazaq with the support of the Minister of Information and Culture Alh. Lai Mohammed. Both Bolarinwa and Mohammed have since fallen out with the Governor.
The in-fight within the APC in the state is not just affecting Kwara State but also most of the States in Nigeria. It is reported that the power tussle between Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and some Governors in the APC led by Gov. Kayode Fayemi and Gov. Nasir Elrufai is fueling the crisis across the states.
Events of the next few days would further show the clear direction of the APC stakeholders towards the 2023 general election which no doubt would determine the much touted progressive motto of the party.
As all these events are unfolding and just as the public focuses it’s attention on the seeming implosion within the APC, it is clear that the national convention of the party slated for a date yet to be fixed will have alot of stone to grind if the party will progress beyond 2023.
