Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state have kicked against the alleged imposition of leadership within the party.
Addressing journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital on Wednesday, the APC members also rejected the appointment of Lukman Abubakar as the new party chairman for the local government.
The people said that the state chairman of the party, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, allegedly imposed and undermined the state deputy governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, and other leaders of the party in the Ifelodun local government area.
The leader of the group, Prince Owolabi Olatayo Razak, claimed that he is the acting chairman of the party, following the resignation of the former chairman.
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According to him, the state party chairman’s alleged divisive tactics had caused a crisis in the party, adding that the council was becoming a battleground for power struggles ahead of future elections.
They said the state chairman disregarded the party’s constitution by bypassing established succession protocols in the appointment of Abubakar.
They noted that the decision to announce Abubakar as the chairman of the party at Razak’s expense as stipulated by APC constitution in the event of a vacancy, was ignored by Fagbemi.
They, however, expressed support for Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s leadership and called on his intervention to address the internal strife threatening to destabilise the party’s stronghold in the LGA
The group further urged the governor to take a closer look at the situation to ensure adherence to democratic principles and party processes.
When contacted for his reaction, the state party chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, asked for some time to investigate the matter, adding that he would be addressing a press conference thereafter. .