Abdulrazaq, Lai groups hold parallel congresses in Kwara

The local government congress held by the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday across the state witnessed a largely peaceful conduct and impressive turnout.

But parallel exercises were held by factional members loyal to the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

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At some of the centres visited across the metropolis, policemen were on ground to provide security and forestall breakdown of law and order.

At the Kwara State Council of Art and Culture, the venue for Ilorin West Local Government monitored by our reporter, some of the delegation from Abuja deployed by the party and INEC officials supervised the exercise.

Party delegates, it was gathered, in other centres across the state affirmed their consensus list in Baruten, Irepodun, Ekiti, Isin, Patigi, Edu, Moro, Kaiama, and Offa, among others.

An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Muhammad Kabir who monitored the process in Ilorin described the exercise as peaceful.

Some of the newly elected APC local government chairmen include: Sulaiman Tejidini (Ilorin West), Shehu Yahya (Asa); Ambali Hakeem-Jaji (Ilorin South) Lawal Habeeb (Ilorin East) and Olumide Ibitoye (Irepodun).

In his reaction, the state chairman APC caretaker committee, Abdullahi Samari expressed delight that the process was peaceful and orderly throughout the state.

“So far so good, the reports I have indicate that congress went on well in all the 16 local government areas. The congress was conducted peacefully. It was consensus all through,” Samari said.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Abdullateef Alakawa, for his part, urged party members to continue to work together, support the vision of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and work as members of the same family irrespective of their differences.

But the factional members of the party  under the Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa led caretaker group also conducted its Congresses adopting consensus.

When Daily Trust visited one of the venues of congress in Asa held at Eyenkorin, a large turnout of party members was on ground for the consensus exercise.

The Asa local government chairman of the factional group, Abdulkadir Imam Saadu said the party decided to adopt consensus to promote peace and unity.

When our correspondent visited the factional party Secretariat in Ilorin, the caretaker Financial Secretary, Tajudeen Mohammed said results from other centers are still being awaited.

He however said the court case instituted against the Buni led National caretaker leadership by Bolarinwa was a personal issue and does not foreclose the participation of his (Bolawinwa) faction in the exercise.