Date: 2021-02-05

...Development part of democracy, says Caretaker chair

A group under the aegis of Concerned Youth Stakeholders of Kwara state All Progressives Congress (APC) Thursday urged the national headquarters of the party to disband the state APC Membership Registration Committee.

The group's demand was informed by the mayhem that disrupted the APC stakeholders meeting called by Senator John Danboyi-led committee on Wednesday.

The concerned APC youths said that in its stead an independent registration committee that would be fair and just to all interests in the party should be reconstituted.

Addressing reporters in Ilorin, Kwara state the group spokesperson John Adegboyega said that is the only path to peace, noting that that "is our irreducible minimum demand."

Continuing, Adegboyea added that "the earlier things are straightened up, the better, not only for the progress of the party but for the peace of the state.

"Any attempt to go ahead with the registration exercise by the Danboyi-led team is an invitation to anarchy. Assuming our leaders are showing maturity at their level, it is doubtful if our members would be able to hold their cool at the grassroots when they face one another."

He said: "Our chairman, Hon Bashir Bolarinwa was assaulted and several members of the party beaten black and blue by the governor’s thugs when these innocent chieftains made attempt to attend a so-called stakeholders meeting that took place at the state Government Banquet Hall.

"They did not gatecrash, they were there on the invitation. But instead, the committee members did not rein on the aggressors. Rather they were watching openly as all these acts of violence were visited on those invited to the programme. It was clear that the Wednesday unfortunate event was an ambush.

"These and more are the reasons why we reject the membership of the APC registration committee. We have raised the alarm timely more to give our national leaders ample time to retrace their steps."

In his reaction, the state Caretaker Committee Chair Abdullahi Samari condemned the violent break into the venue of the party's stakeholders meeting allegedly by some loyalists of Hon Bolarinwa. Alhaji Samari said the violent destruction of the entrance door allegedly by some party members with Hon. Bolarinwa was unfortunate and uncalled for, adding that some persons have already been arrested.