The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has approved the suspension of 11 party members loyal to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Kwara State for taking legal action against the party and its state chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Samari Abubakar.
The minister had formed a faction of the party in the state and refused to recognise the leadership of Samari Abubakar who is loyal to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq with the backing of the national leadership of the party.
The suspension letter is dated February 5, 2021, signed by Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, Sen. James Akpanudoedehe, and addressed to the Kwara State Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Samari Abubakar.
The 11 party members loyal to Lai had approached the court to demand the removal of the approved State Caretaker Committee Chairman, Abubakar, contrary to the directive of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of 25th June 2020, where it was resolved that no member of the party should institute any court action against the party.
The letter read in part; “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.
“Consequently, the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee ratifies the decision of the Kwara State Caretaker Committee and upholds the suspension of the following party members:
“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.”
