Kwara APC G15 Members Rally Against Governor AbdulRazaq's Style

A significant protest unfolded in Ilorin on Monday, as a group comprising governorship aspirants and other key stakeholders within the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) converged for a solidarity rally. Their demonstration was aimed at denouncing what they termed the party's exclusionary leadership approach and concurrently, they urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the state chapter's internal affairs. This rally occurred just one day after APC candidates had conducted their own thank-you procession across Ilorin on Sunday, expressing gratitude to the populace and President Tinubu. The state APC has been grappling with internal divisions since its May primaries, with some contenders alleging that the state leadership unfairly selected candidates rather than ensuring free and transparent processes.

Operating under the banner of the Kwara APC G15, the aggrieved coalition, on Monday, announced a "relaunch" of the "Otoge" movement. They contended that the core principles which led to the dismantling of the Saraki political dynasty's influence in the state back in 2019 have been forsaken under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's administration. The G15 coalition is a formidable group, encompassing ten prominent APC governorship aspirants, all three serving senators from the state, a majority of the APC members in the National Assembly, members of the state House of Assembly, the party's elders caucus, alongside youth and women leaders, and various other stakeholders.

Among the notable figures present at the demonstration were Dr. Bashir Bolarinwa, Ambassador Yahaya Seriki, Dr. Yahaya Oloriegbe, Lola Ashiru, Umar Suleiman Sadiq, Chief Dele Belgore (SAN), Alhaji Tajudeen Audu, Omar Mohammed Bio, Dr. Oluwatoyin Alabi, Dr. Azeez Salako, Captain Ahmad Mahmud, Yinka Aluko, and Ismail Tijani. Thousands of party loyalists participated in the march, which traversed significant areas of Ilorin before concluding at the Post Office. There, the coalition addressed both journalists and their supporters. Protesters displayed placards bearing pointed messages, including “Kwara APC is in danger,” “We reject Ramoni’s leadership,” “Ramoni is not bigger than the APC,” “Kwara rejects another godfather,” and “APC is not Ramoni’s private estate.”

Following the rally, Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central Senatorial District and a leading governorship hopeful, spoke to journalists. He asserted that the protest underscored deep-seated discontent among party stakeholders regarding the stewardship of the APC in Kwara. Mustapha stated, “It has been a spontaneous rally featuring key stakeholders who are card-carrying members of the APC protesting for one single reason. We are not very happy with the kind of leadership that has bedevilled us in the state in recent times in terms of party structure.”

He further clarified that the coalition's objection stemmed from the alleged endorsement of a particular governorship candidate without proper consultation among all stakeholders. “We are protesting with this march so as to register our rejection of whatever processes and the way and manner the so-called leadership of the state has endorsed a particular candidate,” Mustapha explained. He added, “We are not saying that we don’t like anybody. What we are saying is that the process and the manner in which it was arrived at is unacceptable.”

Mustapha emphasized that the principles of fairness, equity, and extensive consultation are vital for maintaining the APC's cohesion and electoral strength in Kwara. He remarked, “As stakeholders, we believe that if there must be equity and fairness, then we should all have some form of consultation, a sense of belonging, and for all of us to arrive at a just conclusion so we can retain the glory we have enjoyed in the APC nationally.” He stressed that the rally was motivated by the collective welfare of the party, not individual political aspirations. “We are not doing this rally out of selfishness, but because we believe APC has better opportunities in this state and we have much to give. That is why we are registering our dismay,” he stated. “It is not an individual decision, but rather a collective one. By the time all the stakeholders meet, we will make a decision.”

In a joint communiqué released after the protest, the coalition revealed that they had recently engaged in high-level consultations in Abuja with senior APC stakeholders and national leaders concerning the ongoing developments within the state chapter. The group indicated that these discussions centered on preserving party unity, safeguarding the political future of Kwara, and ensuring the successful implementation of President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.” The statement affirmed, “We have come to the firm conclusion that we owe it to our supporters, to the people of Kwara State, and to generations yet unborn to subordinate our individual political aspirations to one collective ambition: the rescue of our party and the rescue of Kwara State.”

The coalition contended that the “Otoge” movement was established upon tenets of inclusion, justice, accountability, and a rejection of political dominance, but these foundational ideals had regrettably diminished. “Sadly, this is not the Kwara State we all bargained for. This is not the Kwara State we promised our people during the Otoge Revolution,” the statement read. They further alleged that both governmental processes and party management had become excessively centralized, advocating for a more inclusive leadership in the state that would embrace diverse viewpoints. Consequently, they appealed to President Tinubu and the APC National Working Committee to ensure that the leadership and succession processes in Kwara genuinely reflect the aspirations of the majority of party members.

Furthermore, the coalition put forth a comprehensive 10-point demand. These demands included the outright rejection of what they described as flawed party primary processes, a call for transparent and inclusive party administration, a plea for merit-based leadership succession, an end to political godfatherism, the protection of dissenting voices, a demand for accountable governance, a push for genuine reconciliation, and an urgent review of the state’s security strategy. They also explicitly rejected any attempts by a minority within the party to impose its preferences on the majority, asserting that “Democracy derives its legitimacy from the consent of the majority, not from the preferences of a select few.”

In a separate address, Dr. Bashir Bolarinwa, a former Kwara APC Chairman and governorship aspirant, elucidated that the coalition’s grievances primarily revolved around the conduct of the party's primaries and the alleged marginalization of critical stakeholders from crucial decision-making processes. Bolarinwa stated, “When we’re talking about process, we are talking of the primary process, starting from the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and governorship. What we are saying is that there should be inclusiveness and there should be a situation where every stakeholder is carried along.” He lamented that many prominent leaders instrumental in the APC's 2019 victory had been sidelined. “We have photographs with our elders who are within the age range of 80 years and above. In the state APC, we have only three former senators and all of us are here. None of us was carried along,” he asserted. Bolarinwa continued, “We have people who fought for APC to emerge in 2019. More importantly, we have a leadership that doesn’t carry anybody along as far as party structure, governance and the primary is concerned. That is why all of us have come together to say that we have to rescue our party.” He conveyed the coalition's expectation for the President and the APC national leadership to intervene before the crisis escalates further. “We expect appropriate intervention from the leadership of the party, starting from Mr President, and we hope it will happen. Whatever it is, collectively we shall get to it,” Bolarinwa said, adding, “We thank our father, President Bola Tinubu. We have shown him our strength that Kwara APC is one family, and we believe in his leadership. We are here because we want to protect the legacy of President Bola Tinubu. We are facing a situation that, if we are not careful, there could be a midnight co”