The youth leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, Prince Haliru Dantsoho Mahmud, has confirmed the rift between the members of the state working committee of the party and their leader, Dr Bukola Saraki over the 2023 elections campaign funds.
Accuratenews had on Saturday exclusively reported the brewing crisis in the state’s chapter of the PDP over the manners its campaign funds were handled during the 2023 general elections.
Though, the state publicity secretary of the party, Prince Tunji Moronfoye, had on Monday some three days after our publication issued a statement to deny any rift between the party’s executives and Saraki over campaign funds, the youth leader in a statement on Tuesday faulted Moronfoye’s denials.
The reaction of the PDP youths leaders reads:” My attention has been drawn to a press release by the Kwara PDP Publicity Secretary, Prince Tunji Moronfoye, debunking the rift between Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki and State Working Committee of the party.
I’m not only disheartened by the response of the Publicity Secretary but also disappointed by his pretence not to be one of the aggrieved persons.
“The reward for hypocrisy and betrayal is temporary. There’s no gainsaying there is a rift between the Leader and the SWC.
We are all aware of how the SWC members were ridiculed and excluded in the affairs of the party before, during, and after the elections, and our functions were usurped by Saraki’s favorites.
Kwarans are all aware that candidates to various elective offices in the 2023 elections were single handedly picked by Saraki without consultation and input from the party.
“The world is also not unaware of how the party has been underfunded since 2018 and how the 2023 Presidential Campaign funds were concealed from the State Working Committee and scientifically siphoned.
These unpatriotic and nontransparent attitudes resulted in our total failure, and that’s why we struggled to win only 1 House of Assembly seat out of 24 and lost 6 House of Representatives and 3 Senatorial seats in Kwara State respectively.
“However, even if all allegations contained in the write-up are not totally true, it’s the constitutional responsibility of the State Working Committee to meet, deliberate on the matter, and reach a resolution before the Publicity Secretary is directed to issue a press statement to that effect.
“I’m dismayed by the singular decision of the Publicity Secretary to purportedly write on behalf of SWC. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have reacted to this balderdash, but for the purpose of correction and the benefit of unsuspecting readers, I need to put the record straight:
1. We, as members of the State Working Committee of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) Kwara State Chapter, wish to debunk the purported press release by the PRO, Prince Tunji Moronfoye, as he was not authorised to do so and has no right to issue any statement on behalf of the party without being given directive by the State Working Committee and / or the State Executive Committee.
2. All members of the SWC, including Prince Tunji Moronfoye, were all aggrieved and resolved to challenge the anomaly with the view of rebuilding the party for future prospects. Unfortunately, 1 or 2 of our members are derailed because they can not hold their thirst for money for too long. Hence, they betrayed the course.
2. As a matter of urgency, the P.R.O. should withdraw the press statement and apologise to the SWC within 24 hours or face disciplinary actions for issuing an unauthorised press statement.
3. Finally, no member of the party should issue any press statement or take action on behalf of the party without permission or clearance from the exco of the party at the Ward, Local, Senatorial or State levels.” Dantsoho, said.
The party publicity secretary, Prince ‘Tunji Moronfoye, had earlier reacted to the Accurate News Nigeria report where he denied any rift within the party as a result of the 2023 general election funds.
The party publicity secretary’s reaction read in parts “It has come to the notice of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that an online publication Accuratenewsng published an imaginary scenario, where the undisputed Leader of the Kwara state PDP Dr. Abubakar ‘Bukola Saraki (CON) was pitched against the state working Committee (SWC) of the PDP over “Elections funds.
“The PDP hereby refutes that there are cracks within members of the SWC and the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State and former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar ‘Bukola Saraki (CON).
“We also wish to authoritatively state that there are *NO* brewing crisis of confidence between the party executives and our Leader emanating from the way the campaign funds for the 2023 general elections were handled.”
