Politics

Kwara APC Crisis Deepens As Eleven Lai Mohammed’s Loyalists Suspended

Published

4 years ago

July 15, 2021

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has taken a new dimension as the party suspended eleven party members loyal to the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji, Lai Mohammed.

They were suspended for taking the party and the Kwara State chairman Hon. Abdullahi Samari Abubakar to court.

The Minister’s group had opposed to the removal of Bashir Bolarinwa as the caretaker chairman of the party in Kwara state, leading to the protracted crisis which has broken the party into two factions and pitted Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq against the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, in a struggle for the control of the party.

The eleven party men had, however approached the court to demand the removal of the approved State Caretaker Committee Chairman, Samari contrary to the directive of National Executive Committes (NEC) of 25th June 2020, where it was resolved that no member of the party should institute any action in court.

The suspension letter, a copy obtained Thursday in Abuja, was signed by the National Secretary, Caretaker/Extra-ordinary National Convention Planning Committee, Sen. James Akpanudoedehe, and addressed to Kwara state chairman Hon. Abdullahi Samari Abubakar.

The Minister’s men suspended include: Joseph Tsado, Bamidele Ogunbayo, Issa Fulani, Imam Abdulkadir, Morufu Olaniyi Yusuf, Saludeen Lukman, Kerebu Fatai, Bola Ajani, Nurudeen Fasasi, Salman Shehu Babatunde and Abdullateef Ahmed Kolawole.

The letter read, in parts, “The Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee considered the decision of the Kwara State Caretaker Committee dated 5 February 2021 on the resolution of the Kwara State Disciplinary Committee to suspend erring members who Instituted SUIT NO: CV/241/2021 BETWEEN JOSEPH TSADO AND 10 ORS VS ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS & 2 ORS against the party.

“After due consideration of the decision, the members of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee found the decision meritorious on the grounds that the members who instituted the above mentioned suit against the Party had flouted the directive of the National Executive Committes (NEC) of 25th June 2020, wherein the NEC resolved that no member of the Party should institute any action in court and to withdraw all pending cases in Court in order to explore the internal conflict resolution mechanisms of the party.

“Consequently, the Caretaker/Extraordinary. National Convention Planning Committee ratifies the decision of the Kwara State Caretaker Committee and upholds suspension of the following Party members.

“TAKE NOTICE; that this suspension constitutes a bar on the above-named persons from participating in the on-going registration and revalidation of membership exercise.”

The APC national secretariat approval followed a notice of disciplinary action letter signed by the state Caretaker Committee Chairman, Samari Abubakar and Mohammed Mustapha Salman Secretary of the Caretaker Committee.

The letter read: “We write to inform you that our State Caretaker Committee in Kwara State constituted a Disciplinary Committee to hear and determine the complaint against Plaintiffs in SUIT NO: CV/241/2021 BETWEEN JOSEPH TSADO AND 10 ORS VS ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS & 2 ORS.

“The Plaintiffs instituted the above mentioned suit against the Party and flouted the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) wherein all members were directed not to institute any action and withdraw their cases in Court in order to explore the internal conflict resolution mechanisms of the Party.

“The Kwara State Caretaker Committee has received and adopted the report of the disciplinary Committee in respect of Joseph Tsado & 10 Ors. This is pursuant to Article 21 (B) (i) & (iii) of our Party’s Constitution (October 2014 as amended).”

Politics

What PDP Said About Wike’s Media Parley

Published

11 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, of being a constant agent of provocation in the political space, alleging that he creates trouble to mask selfish intentions.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, stated this in a statement issued on Monday in response to Wike’s media parley with selected journalists in Port Harcourt, also held on Monday.

According to the PDP, remarks made by the minister on several occasions are proof that he falls short of being a locus classicus of anti-democratic adventurism.

The party said Wike’s conduct was not new, stressing that he has consistently acted as an agent provocateur in the political arena, stirring controversy to advance personal interests.

The PDP further stated that since Wike assumed office as Governor of Rivers State in 2015, he has remained a recurrent source of trouble within the party’s leadership.

“From the Sheriff era, where he was a forerunner in the Sheriff-for-National Chairman movement and later turned to fight and remove Sheriff; later he championed the Uche Secondus-for-National Chairman movement (in fact, he granted a very combustible interview that polarized the party just before the convention) and then was the same person fighting to remove Secondus.

“The same Wike led the movement to produce Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman against the advice of many party leaders, and so soon thereafter, it was Wike again who led the Ayu-must-go struggle.

“By his end-of-year media chat, Minister Nyesom Wike has reiterated his support for, and in fact declared that he is the ‘number one supporter’ of the presumptive candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 Presidential election, while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, confirming the basis of his expulsion from the PDP, for anti-party activities,” the statement said.

Politics

JUST IN: INEC Excludes PDP From Ekiti Governorship Election

Published

13 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election, Dr Wole Oluyede, and his deputy were conspicuously absent as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, released the provisional list of party candidates ahead of the election.

INEC on Monday posted the list of candidates from 12 political parties vying for the state’s top job at its office on New Iyin Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The list shows that the All Progressives Congress, APC, is fielding the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, with Monisade Afuye as his running mate.

Other candidates include Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, with Omoyemi Olaleye as deputy; Akande Oluwasegun of the African Action Congress, paired with Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe; and Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party, with Itunu Ibitoye as running mate.

Similarly, the African Democratic Congress is presenting Oluwadare Bejide and Paul Olowoyeye, while the Action Peoples Party has Bidemi Awogbemi and Akinyemi Adewumi on its ticket.

The PDP’s absence may not be unconnected with the leadership crisis currently rocking the party at the national level.

Politics

Wike Speaks On Defecting To APC

Published

17 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, dismissed any possibility of dumping the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Wike, however, disclosed that a lot of PDP leaders will join him if he decides to defect to the APC.

The Minister, who spoke during his media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said: “Today, if I say that I want to go to APC that will be the end of even talking about it.

“You will see other states, joining, leaders in other states joining, I’m not a leader that’s concentrated in the state. No.

“If today I say gentlemen, we have had enough of PDP we have to move, watch those who will decamp in Benue, Plateau, Abia, Edo.”

The Minister also declared that he is still a member of the PDP, hence Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is unhappy.

“I’m a member of the PDP, that’s why I’m still there and Seyi is not happy. That’s not correct, that you are a member of the assembly or council Chairman or National Assembly does not mean that there is no other person,” he added.