Controversy over Kwara PDP youth leader’s ‘apology’ to Saraki

Controversy continues to trail a letter of apology said to have been written by the suspended youth leader of the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Haliru Dantsoho Mahmud.

Mahmud was suspended based on the recommendation of the disciplinary committee of August 16, 2023 and ratified by the State Working Committee of the Party.

The embattled former youth leader had demanded accountability over the spending of the 2023 presidential campaign fund from the Bukola Saraki-led leadership of the party in the state.

However, on Wednesday, reports (not by Daily Trust) surfaced that the national executive of the party had “set aside and overruled” the state chapter on the suspension.

The report said the decision was taken during the NWC at its 578th meeting and communicated to the state chapter of the party in a letter signed by the National Organising Secretary, Umar M. Bature.

But in a twist on Thursday, the state chapter of the party issued a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara (Sholyment) that Mahmud had “apologised for gross misconduct and pledged loyalty to Saraki and the PDP”.

Contacted on the development on Thursday evening, Mahmud told our correspondent that the letter was “forged and never emanated from him” threatening to drag the party to court.

“How would I apologise and for what? The accountability of the presidential election funds I demanded had not been provided. I know nothing about that letter and I am going to take them to court over it”, he added.

However, the spokesman for the party, in a telephone chat with Daily Trust maintained that the letter was from him (Mahmud) and “challenged him to go to court”.

“Why would we forge such a letter and copy the acting national chairman of the party? He wrote to us based on the national leadership directive in their efforts to make peace. But we have since replaced him with Abdulmumin Muhammed who also hails from his local government in Kaiama”, he added.