By Dele Moses, Ilorin
Former Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Babatunde Mohammed, has emerged the new chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state as the party on Saturday held its state delegates congress to elect new members of the state working committee.
Mohammed and all other members of the committee emerged through a consensus arrangement.
This happened as the caretaker chairman of a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Bashir Bolarinwa, emerged the substantive chairman of the faction at a congress held also in Ilorin separately from that of the faction to which the state governor, Abdulrasaq Abdulrahman, belongs.
Bolarinwa’s faction which its members tagged the “APC Loyal” is where the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed belongs.
APC of the governor’s faction also resolved on consensus arrangement which saw Sunday Fagbeni emerging as the new chairman of the faction.
The former caretaker chairman of the faction, Abdullah Samari, is now the deputy chairman.
Samari had been the deputy chairman of the party when the party was not yet split into factions but emerged the factional chairman when Bolarinwa was removed as the chairman.
The new secretary of the faction is Mustapha Isowo while Financial Secretary is Kure Yusuf.
This faction which is tagged “APC AA” (the AA being the acronym of the governor’s name) also held its congress at the state capital.
At the PDP congress some others who alongside Mohammed emerged as the new members of the state working committee of the party include, Hon. Umar Gunu who is the deputy chairman, Alhaji Rasaq Lawal (state Secretary), Comrade Bisi Fakayode (Kwara South Senatorial Chairman), Shuab Baba Jimoh (Kwara North Senatorial Chairman), Isiaka Owolabi (Kwara Central Senatorial Chairman), Bilikisu Oniyangi (Organising Secretary) Moses Ibiyemi (Financial Secretary), Tunde Ashaolu (Publicity Secretary), Riskat Abdullah (Women Leader) and Haliru Dantshoro (Youth Leader).
They were sworn in after the affirmation conducted by an electoral team led by Hon. John Akparashi from the national secretariat of the PDP.
At the congress of the APC of Bolarinwa’s faction, the returning officer, Dr Bolaji Afolabi, said the new executive emerged by wish of the majority members of the party.
Chief Theophilous Adeboye Sunday, Issa Isiaka Agboji emerged as vice chairman and Secretary respectively, Abolaji Olaide Rahmat, women leader, Joseph Ndanusa Tsado, senatorial chairman North, AbdulRaheem Yusuf Akorede, Central and Barr. Rasak Alabi, South while comrade Sunkanmi Afolayan emerged Youth leader among other executive members.
Addressing journalists after inauguration of the new executive, vice chairman, Chief Theophilous Adeboye Sunday, said the new executive was ready to move the party forward through activities that will attract more people to the party.
Sunday while explaining that the group adequately informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and National secretariat of the party of its congress said “we hope to see them before leaving the venue”
He, however said that the new chairman, Bolarinwa could not make it to the venue of the congress due to some reason, saying “BOB is absent for one reason or another, but as you can witness, people have clamoured for his return as chairman and that is the wish of the majority members of our party”
Among notable APC stalwarts at the congress were a serving member of the Federal Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Shuaib Yaman Abdullahi, member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Ilorin East/South constituency, Hon. Ganiyu Cook Olododo, and Hon. Saheed Popoola of the State House Assembly.