Date: 2021-01-20

The spokesperson for the Elders Caucus of the Kwara State All Progressives Congress loyal to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Revd Olubunmi Olusona, tells Tunde Oyekola why the APC chairman in the state, Bashir Bolarinwa, should not head the party's caretaker committee in the state How was the current Kwara APC executive formed in 2018?

The Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa-led caretaker committee of the Kwara APC was a child of circumstance; the committee was hurriedly put in place by the former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole. The Bolarinwa-led committee was not a product of any party congress; he was appointed as the caretaker committee chairman. His letter of appointment is in public domain for all to see. In any case, he would never have emerged from a properly conducted party congress; he was handpicked from the weakest bloc of the groups that formed the Kwara APC after the inglorious exit of the former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, from the APC.

When the Mai Mala Buni caretaker committee dissolved state executives and directed that they should be sworn in as caretaker committees you said such a decision would not apply in Kwara State. Why did you say that?

The simple reason why we are against the inauguration of Bolarinwa is because we feel it was improper to do so. He was a caretaker chairman who was meant to be there for a few months, we believe it is not right to reappoint him. We are also of the opinion that the reason we have the semblance of crisis in our party is because our members have not been able to elect party officials of their own since 2018.

There was a counter-argument by another group that the composition of the state party executive was challenged by Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani and that the Supreme Court had given a judgement on the issue. Is this true?

The argument that Bolarinwa-led caretaker committee was validated by a Supreme Court judgement does not hold water. Our party's constitution is clear on how to elect party executives at various levels. The Supreme Court judgement in question only validated the dissolution of the Balogun-Fulani-led executives by the National Executive Council of the party. Unfortunately, Bolarinwa and his friends believe that the judgement meant that he could be caretaker committee chairman ad infinitum. The Supreme Court never endorsed him as the life chairman of Kwara APC caretaker committee.

At a press conference you addressed before the swearing-in of the state caretaker committee led by Bashir Bolarinwa, you said a caretaker committee should not succeed another one, do you still hold that view?

We still hold the view that Bolarinwa shouldn't have been inaugurated as a caretaker committee chairman for the second time. He has polarised and weakened the party in the state. He is not a bridge builder but a fence builder. If he and his friends want him to continue as chairman, let him try his luck and test his popularity in a proper party congress.

Some elders of your party have alleged that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq went to Abuja before the swearing-in of the state caretaker committee to lobby against the swearing in of Bolarinwa as the chairman of the caretaker committee, what do you make of that rumour?

I think His Excellency, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq,'s name should not be dragged into this issue at all. He is a very busy man, and this is just an unnecessary insinuation by some so-called elders. The governor is the leader of our party and as the leader he has been trying to bring every stakeholder together for a stronger APC. He has provided leadership at all times so that the Kwara State chapter of the APC can be united. But unfortunately, there are some mischief makers who are feeding fat and benefitting from the crisis.

You alleged that some elders wanted to drag the party to the Dark Ages era, what do you mean by this?

There are some elders who are bent on returning Kwara State to the dark era when one man was the Alpha and Omega in this state. Unfortunately, when Bukola Saraki was in the APC, those so-called elders had no voice. They were either in Abuja or Lagos. Owing to the fact that His Excellency Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is a gentle man, they want to take advantage of his gentle nature. His Excellency is focused on governance and is less bothered about Bolarinwa or his sponsors.

You called for a fresh constitution of the caretaker committee of the party, do you think the present caretaker committee is unconstitutional?

I believe the Buni-led APC National Caretaker Committee is trying everything to reposition the party and prepare us for further victories. Remember, Kwara is just one out of 36 states. We have resolved to participate in the fresh membership drive of the party to bring in more people. We are also looking forward to the coming congresses from the ward to the state level, this will provide us the opportunity to freely elect our party officials.

What is the way forward in resolving the crisis in the state branch of the APC?

We fully support the difficult but great efforts of the Buni-led NEC to reposition our great party to new heights.