* The anti-Bolarinwa APC youths

By Steve Oni, Ilorin

The removal of  Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa as Kwara state caretaker chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sent  youths  at each other's throats in the the three senatorial districts of the  state even as one group  threatens not to allow forthcoming party's membership registration exercise hold in the state.

Addressing journalists in Ilorin, the state capital,  the pro-Bolarinwa APC youths,  described the purported removal as illegal and undemocratic, urging  the national caretaker committee of the party, led by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state, to rescind the decision in the interest of the party in the state.

* Pro-Bolarinwa APC youths

The spokesperson of the youths Mallam Ahmed Ishowo, argued that  "The recent political developments in the party in the state, sad as it is, is returning Kwara state to the bad old days of naked wielding of political power by few privileged to overrun the wishful will of the people.

"The purported removal of Bolarinwa was a move to return the state to the dark days of political self seeking by some people."

The APC youths added that suspension and subsequent removal of Bolarinwa from office on Wednesday, January 13, 2021, was without any prior properly instituted allegation in accordance to the party's Constitution against him, adding that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who allegedly claimed he could not work with Bolarinwa, recently affirmed his chairmanship of the party.

"It is now glaring to every Kwaran of good conscience irrespective of ethnicity, religious inclination, political affiliation and creed that 'OUR LOCAL DEMOCRACY IS BACK IN GRAVE DANGER!'. It is sad that we are at the verge of deviation from our long walk to a politically freed Kwara and an highway leading to progress. WE ARE NOW ON A JOURNEY TO THE DIRECTION OF AN ABYSS OF ANARCHY!

"We wish to let the whole nation know that we find ourselves in a situation where the soul of our collective struggle", which was proudly christened as " O TO GE" (Enough is Enough) is being sacrificed in the most crude manner on the altar of politics of selfish interest and desire for more power by a handful of individuals and their collaborators in the corridors of power". 

The youths appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the national caretaker committee of the party, headed by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state to address the alleged injustice, and save Kwara state from being thrown into an abyss of anarchy.. 

However, the anti-Bolarinwa youths who equally addressed   journalists in Ilorin, the state capital, at the weekend aligned themselves with the appointment of Alhaji Abdullahi Samari to replace Bolarinwa as chairman of the party's caretaker committee, describing the appointment as a round peg in a round hole. 

The youth said Bolarinwa ought to have resigned as chairman of the party in the state having shown from inception to date unhidden hostility and hatred for the governor and the party he was entrusted to lead by his actions and inactions, adding that he deserved the fate that now befalls him.

The APC youth through their spokesperson, Abdulmumin Lade Yunusa, said Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is the leader of the party in the state, and therefore urged members of the party to join hands with him in his quest to make the state great again. 

He said: "It is saddening that we have a good of people that are working against the interest of Kwara state and Kwarans because of their personal political interest which is totally different from the reasons why we said 'Otoge' (enough is enough) during the 2019 general elections. These people are more interested in what comes to them than what goes to the people.

"We expected him (Bolarinwa) to have resigned long ago for his undisguised hatred and disrespect for the state governor and the government elected under the party he led. It is therefore not surprising that the national headquarters of our party has done the needful. We hereby declare our support for Alhaji Abdullahi Samari (Bolarinwa's replacement), while urging him to work with every tendency in the party.

"We also warn against anyone wanting to constitute themselves into nuisance under whatever guise. Kwara is a state of harmony and no individual, no matter how highly placed, should be allowed to mess with the peace and security of lives and property in the state.", the maintained.