Kwara APC crisis: Faction files suit against Saraki’s group

May 21, 2018 11:44 pm

A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has filed a suit against the group of Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Both groups held their congresses in Ilorin, the state capital, on Saturday.

The faction is made of members from the legacy parties — CPC, ANPP and a faction of ACN (including Lai Mohammed, minister of information), as well as GRS, a group led by Gbemi Saraki.

They allege that they have been marginalised by the nPDP group, led by the senate president.

Bunmi Olusona and Toyin Ayinla, the plaintiffs, in the suit dated May 21, prayed a state high court for an order restraining the APC, John Oyegun, national chairman of the party, and Mai-Mala Buni, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively, from recognising or acting through Ishola Fulani, the 4th defendant, as the state party chairman.

In the affidavit filed in support of the motion, Ayinla claimed he emerged the secretary of Kwara APC while Olusona won the chairmanship position.

He, however, added that it was after the congress held by his faction at state party secretariat “where we emerged as the executive members that we heard that a parallel congress held at the Kwara state banquet hall Ilorin”.

“That at the congress, the 4th defendant and other people were declared and appointed as the state executives of the 1st defendant,” the court papers read.

“That I know for a fact that the defendants are boasting around that nobody can stop them from according the 4th defendant recognition of the executive members of Kwara state.

“That I know as a fact that the defendants will not be prejudice if this application granted. That it will be in the interest of justice and fair play to grant this application.”

In its three prayer suit, the claimants urged the court for an interlocutory injunction restraining Fulani and others elected alongside him from “parading himself/themselves as the chairman and executive members of the state APC exco” pending the hearing and final determination of the case by the court.