Kwara State APC Caretaker Chairman Alhaji Abdullahi Samari has condemned the violent and needless break in upon the venue of the party’s stakeholders meeting by some loyalists of Information Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed led by former chairman Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa.
Addressing a news briefing on Thursday in Ilorin, Samari said the violent destruction of the entrance door by some thugs led by Bolarinwa was unfortunate and uncalled for, adding that some persons have already been arrested.
“We are shocked at the level of barbarism on display yesterday. The violent entry by Hon. BOB was unwarranted and embarrassing. He was among the stakeholders invited for the meeting. Nobody could have prevented him from joining the meeting. His conducts left so much to be desired and we urge him and other leaders of the party to have deeper introspection as senior citizens. While party democracy is not without its challenges, introducing hooligalism to the mix is not acceptable,” Samari said.
“We therefore condemn in the strongest terms possible the show of shame by erstwhile party chairman and my brother Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa and a few others with him. His decision to disrupt the meeting that he was invited to as a leader of the party was unfortunate, in bad faith, and definitely contrary to the spirit of the meeting.
"BOB was willingly invited like others. Forcing himself through the door with the aid of some thugs is an affirmation of the threat by some youths who had threatened violence if they do not have their way is uncalled for. Violence helps no one. We can disagree to agree. As I said above, whatever that is happening is within what is accommodated in a democracy.
"This does not make us enemies to one another. We call for decorum and civility even if and when we do not agree on every issue as human beings. We sincerely apologise to the Senator Danboi Committee, which witnessed the show of shame, and to the government which had given us access to the State Banquet Hall. We reiterate that the party is bigger than all of us. We therefore appeal for peace and good conduct.”
Samari said the registration exercise is being coordinated by the Danboi committee, adding the stakeholders meeting was meant to brief everyone in the party on the modalities to adopt for the process in Kwara.
“As part of the activities to herald the membership registration and revalidation exercise, there was supposed to be a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss the modalities of how to go about the exercise in Kwara State. It is important to mention that this registration exercise is strictly coordinated by a seven-member Committee appointed by the National Caretaker Committee from Abuja.
"Our role as stakeholders is to support the committee led by distinguished Senator John Danboi to succeed in their assignment. The committee in its wisdom felt it was proper to properly brief all stakeholders in the party.
"The committee rightly generated a list of stakeholders that recut across all democratic tendencies within the party. Before proceeding, let me make it clear that there is nothing unusual about having tendencies within a party. Pluralism of opinion is healthy for democracy. What is not good is anyone resorting to self help or insisting on being right all the time. Such domineering attitude can only breed unsavoury development,” he said.
It would be recalled that some young people loyal to the Minister and BOB had recently threatened to disrupt the upcoming registration exercise.
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