Date: 2018-08-25

The executive members of the All Progressive Congress in Kwara state which was dissolved for anti-party activities by the National Working Committee of the the party said it will commence registration of new and validation of old members in the state.

About two weeks ago Kwara state High Court sitting in Ilorin restrained Hon Bashir Bolarinwa's caretaker committee from parading itself as the executive in the state.

The group which is being led by the acclaimed chairman of APC, Hon Ishola Balogun Fulani, insisted that they are still authentic executives of the party in the state.

Speaking yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital during a press conference, Balogun Fulani warned ward chairmen of the party along with their local executive committees, against rejecting prospective members as the party braces up for membership registration and revalidation.

He stressed that his leadership was ready to instil discipline and necessary sanction on any ward chairman who shows favouritism or intimidate old or prospective members who come for the registration.

He said the development followed the recent directive by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party for the commencement of registration of new members and revalidation of the identities of existing ones.

Balogun-Fulani commended the NWC for the initiative saying it would bring tremendous benefits to the party in Kwara state where according to him there are indications that many Kwarans are yearning to join the party. Just as well, he noted that revalidation of membership will assist the party in identifying its loyal members in the state.

He said: "As a loyal and responsible party in kwara state under our leadership, I therefore direct all our ward chairmen in conjunction with tier working committees to be fully ready for the registration of new members and revalidation of old members in their respective wards. The party register will be distributed to every ward. All old members coming for revalidation should produce for sighting their membership card for authentication.

"I use this medium to inform our registration desk not to reject anyone who wants to register, for the party is ready to instil discipline and necessary sanction on nay ward chairman that shows favouritism or intimidation to anyone. Our doors are wide open, we therefore implore all Kwara residents to come out in large numbers and take advantage of this open-door and register in their wards as bonafide members of the APC."

Asked how his group would secure the register needed for the exercise given the fact that the NWC had 'dissolved' them, Balogun-Fulani said the APC has in stock party registration materials but would still look forward to receive more documents from the NWC.

"We are sensitising our members to get ready so that any day the national executive says we should commence we would not be caught napping", he said.

In a related development, the Hon Bashir Bolarinwa led care taker committee of the APC paid a courtesy visit on the state Commissioner of Police, Aminu Saleh to familiarise the executives with him.

Bolarinwa who led other members of the committee said he was glad to meet with the CP and thanked him for his effort in getting rid of criminals in the state. And promised to do everything within their reach to support the work of police is ensuring peaceful environment in the state.

The CP in his response, said the visit is not only timely but important because it gave him opportunity to know them. He promised to continue with his efforts of making Kwara a peaceful state to be.

He also pledge to give support to APC and other political parties in the state and urged people of the state to always support the police in their job.