The leadership of the Kwara State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) is still sharply divided.
The tussle is between Bashir Bolarinwa, chairman and his deputy, Samari Abdullahi.
There was confusion after the APC national leadership acknowledged Abdullahi as the acting chairman of the state caretaker committee.
The camp of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is against Bolarinwa, while Abdullahi has the backing of Ministers Lai Mohammed and Gbemisola Saraki.
The internal crisis started months after the new government in Kwara was sworn in. Since then, different interventions by the headquarters in Abuja is yet to re-unite warring factions.
On Thursday, Bolarinwa insisted he remained the state chairman. He addressed party members in Ilorin at a briefing on the outcome of the Abuja peace meeting.
Bolarinwa said the leadership explained that the letter issued to Abdullahi, confirming him as chairman, was done in error.
He told the members to avoid any provocative act that could lead to breakdown of law and order.
The chairman urged them to embark on membership drive and be registered as well.
“You are to register at your polling units where you will be attended to by your wards registration officers. You will be required to fill a membership form with two passport photographs and thereafter issued a temporary membership slip.
” As you go about your mobilisation, sensitisation and registration, I urge you to conduct yourselves peacefully and avoid any act of provocation that will amount to a breakdown of law and order,” he said.
Abdullahi is expected to react to Bolarinwa’s “affirmation” by the national leadership.
The stalwart has the backing of Kwara House of Assembly Speaker, Yakubu Salihu, 21 members, and at least six out of the nine APC lawmakers in the National Assembly.
Reacting after Abdullahi’s earlier recognition, the state legislators in a letter to APC Caretaker Chairman, Governor Mai Buni, commended the development.
“The bold step taken at suspending the ex-chairman (Bolarinwa) over a plethora of misdeeds that had been allowed to linger on for a long period unchecked will hopefully put an end to the embarrassment that we went through painfully”, the lawmakers said in their letter”, the said.
Meanwhile, the Concerned APC Youth Stakeholders have warned against a full-blown crisis in the Kwara chapter.
Abdulyaqub Ishowo, John Adegboye and Adam Abdullahi, representing Kwara Central, Kwara South and Kwara North respectively, advised leaders to sheathe their words as the party commences its nationwide registration exercise.
