Kwara APC faction dissociates from Barage’s group ultimatum

A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Kwara State has disassociated itself from the 7-day ultimatum issued by the Kawu Baraje led nPDP group to the President.

The faction made this known on Wednesday in a statement signed by its chairman, Mr Olayemi Olabanji and made available to our correspondent in Ilorin.

According to the chairman, members of his faction remained loyal to the President and the national leadership of the party, advising the leadership not to succumb to the Baraje group’s blackmail.

Olabanji pointed out that the APC under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari had performed exceptionally well.

He advised the APC leadership to be wary of the Baraje’s group, since its members are known as serial defectors the moment their personal interests are not met.

Olabanji noted that the group did the same to during the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan and cautioned the Buhari administration not to allow them destroy the party.

“We disassociate ourselves completely from Baraje group’s threat and blackmail.

“They do not speak for the teeming APC members in Kwara State who remain steadfast and loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari and our beloved party.

“We appreciate the president’s efforts in re-positioning the economy of the country, as well as his anti-corruption campaign which has positioned him as a leader who has the interest of the masses at heart,” he said.

Olabanji recalled that members of his faction, had early in the year protested against the inclusion of Baraje in the National Convention Committee of the APC.

“Our protest was based on his past record of doing hatchet jobs in such auspicious gatherings, we have therefore, been vindicated by this latest development.

“We assure Nigerians that the narratives will change in 2019,” he said.

Olabanji said it was not true that President Buhari sidelined members of the nPDP in Kwara State, adding that the Baraje group had benefited tremendously from the present administration.

“Aside from giving two powerful ambassadorial slots to Kwara, a substantive Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed is also from the state and he is making us proud at the national level.

“It should also be borne in mind that the state was a beneficiary of Federal Board Appointments which, ironically, were cornered by the Baraje’s group.

“Aside from juicy appointments from the Federal Government, the state is a beneficiary of the ongoing infrastructural development across the country, we are optimistic that more good things are underway.

“Arising from the foregoing therefore, we want to say, without mincing words that the letter by the group is a self-serving one and it is not in the interest of all party members.

“The faction is only crying wolf where there is none because in actual fact, it is the one depriving genuine APC members their dues, and not the federal government.

Our correspondent reports that the members of the nPDP in APC had on May 7, issued a seven day ultimatum to the president to correct what they called injustice meted to them within seven days.