The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled by the Olusola Saraki dynasty is no doubt unique and stands tall among its peers in the country. Moving en-masse from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and retaining the political leadership of the state, the leadership has unassailably established its political invincibility at least for now.
Not even the largely bellicose opposition PDP could stop the APC victory in the last elections as the party recorded even more sweeping victory than what obtained in 2011 when the opposition managed to win two out of the 24 House of Assembly seats.
In the current dispensation, victory was recorded by the opposition in all elections including the legislative polls comprising three senatorial seats, six House of Representatives positions and 24 state constituencies.
Though the APC may be gloating over its total victory at the polls, it cannot boastfully say that its house is in order.
The Kwara APC, just like the national body, currently lacks cohesion and there is mutual suspicion due to the ambition and aspirations of members.
It also harbours pockets of disagreement especially those emanating from the conduct of its nomination process.
Unfortunately, the Kwara PDP as currently constituted lacks the tact and the tactics to gain political capital from the internal strife of the ruling party to shore up its chances in the elections.
Nothing better explains the scenario in APC than the recent gale of suspensions that have plagued the party and caused uneasy calm within the party. The suspensions were high profile and the handwriting is so clear for any observer to understand the implications.
A day to the inauguration of the new administration, on May 28, the APC slammed a one year suspension on five of its members in Baruten local government area of the state for alleged anti-party activities.
The members are Senator Mohammed Ahmed who represented Kwara North senatorial district from 2003 to 2011 and Alhaji Adamu Sabi, a member of the state House of Assembly, who were suspended for one year, as well as the Baruten LG council chairman, Muhammed Omar Bio for six months.
Others are Alhaji Aliyu Kora Sabi and Muhammed Sunu Gofe who were suspended from the party for one year each.
The suspension followed a report submitted by a panel of enquiry set up by the state APC. All the suspensions are with immediate effect, it added.
Barely a month after, the party also used its big stick on other chieftains of the party, this time in Ilorin East Local Government with a former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Saka Cook Olododo, topping the list of those suspended for the duration of one year.
Another member, Alhaji Tunde Saad was also placed on one year suspension while the remaining 16 members were suspended for six months for what the party describe as “anti-party activities”. All the suspended members hail from Ilorin East Local Government.
This was contained in a statement signed by the party’s state publicity secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari.
According to the statement, the suspension followed the recommendations of an Investigative and Disciplinary Committee (IDC) chaired by Alhaji Dare Garba which probed the anti-party activities of the affected persons during the 2015 general elections.
The suspended ex-SSG served during the tenure of former Governor Bukola Saraki. He was one time Chief of Staff to Saraki and at another time commissioner in the same government. He was also a SURE-P coordinator for Kwara Central in the last government.
The two reports of suspension followed similar pattern of anti party activities during the elections. It was however gathered that the problems actually emanated from the nomination of candidates for various positions during the elections.
Daily Trust reliably gathered that trouble started between the former SSG and the APC leadership during the nomination for the House of Representatives seat for Ilorin South/East federal constituency which he indicated interest but the ticket was later given to Dr. Abubakar Amuda Kannike who was eventually elected.
Sources told our correspondent that the aggrieved former SSG was later accused of working for PDP in the last election which prompted the constitution of the panel to probe the allegation.
Also, the party chieftains in Baruten were miffed by the emergence of Rep. Zakari Mohammed as the candidate for Baruten/Kaiama federal constituency. The development caused division in the constituency with members having divided loyalty, one to Zakari and the other for the ex-senator. Both chieftains of the party fought relentlessly and fiercely for the control of the party in the two local governments.
However, one group triumphed over the other having secured the backing of the party’s leadership.
Interestingly, the suspended members have restrained themselves from making comments on their suspension in a rare move which has portrayed them as lilly-livered or hopeless about their suspension. Senator Ahmed said he bears no grudge about his suspension while Olododo declined comment when contacted. This posture, it was gathered was borne out of their desire to make peace with the party especially when there seems to be no alternative.
One of the suspended members, Hon. Sabi, who left the House of Assembly in June, said he remained a loyal party man and would continue to be notwithstanding the suspension.
Though, some members of the party were quick to jubilate over the suspension of their colleagues, the development has created bad blood and tension within the APC family with some members expressing apprehension that such fate could befall them in future.
Luckily, the party has reportedly slashed the suspension of Baruten council chairman from six months to three months following a letter of apology he wrote, it is imperative that the party explores its internal mechanisms in finding amicable resolutions of the issues and reconciling the warring factions especially ahead of the local government polls that should be held in barely a year.
According to the APC leadership, the suspension would serve as deterrent to other members of the party to respect its constitution and laid down rules and regulations. Some members of the party however stressed the need to douse the tension by lifting the suspension on the members in order to restore peace back to the affected local government chapters.
