Lai Mohammed escapes suspension as APC suspends Minister’s loyalists

By TONY EZIMAKOR, Abuja

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, escaped by whiskers as the All Progressives Congress (APC) slammed an indefinite suspension on eleven of his Loyalists, for dragging the party and the Kwara State Chairman, Abdullahi Samari Abubakar, to court.

Those slammed with the suspension 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 suspended party men had opposed the removal of Bashir Bolarinwa as Caretaker Chairman of the party in Kwara state, leading to the polarization and factionalization of the party in the state.

Recall that the factions loyal to Alhaji Mohammed had railed against Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as both lock horns over who controls Kwara APC.

As the struggle for control ensued, the eleven parties may approach the court and demeaned the removal of Samari the Caretaker chairman, contrary to the directive of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) of 25th June 2020.

The suspension letter, dated February 5, 2021, a copy of which was obtained by this Newspaper, was signed by Senator John James Akpanudedehe, Secretary, Caretaker/Extra-ordinary National Convention Planning Committee, and addressed to Kwara state chairman. Abdullahi Samari Abubakar.

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 Committee (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 ongoing registration and revalidation of membership exercise.”

The APC’s suspension order was however in response to disciplinary procedure initiated by Kwara APC 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).” (Daily Independent)