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There seems not to be an end in sight over the crisis rocking the Kwara state chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as some youth caucus in the party on Tuesday called for the suspension of the state youth leader over what they describe as incessant verbal attacks on a former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
The group in a statement issued under the banner of youth leaders from the 16 LGAs of the state and signed by AbdulHamid Issa, Jibril Audu and Sulyman Kehinde from the
three senatorial districts, Central, North and South respectively sought immediate suspension of the state youth leader, Prince Haliru Dantsoho Mahmud ‘Dan Iya’ from the party.
The statement read in part, “We, the Kwara PDP Youth Leaders across the sixteen LGAs and three Senatorial Districts have monitored with utmost dismay the countless outrageous claims and unruly attacks by a roundly-failed marauder like one Haliru Dantsoho against the Most Distinguished Leader of our great party in Kwara, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki CON., and by extension the major financier of the party in the state.
“We daresay it is not surprising that a renowned character like ‘Dan Iya’ who is always found wanting in several frauds and scandals of all sorts could once again attempt to cause disharmony within the party ranks and soil the untainted pedigree of our Most Distinguished Leader. For a dubious character like ‘Dan Iya’, who was recently rebuked by party stakeholders after being caught for illegally selling off equipment belonging to the PDP at its Asa-Dam office in Ilorin, to ask for transparency and accountability in the party sounds absurd to the hearing as party youth leaders in our various localities.
“We disassociate ourselves from any activities superintending by Prince Haliru Dantsoho and his ilks. Also, we demand his immediate suspension from the party forthwith to restore sanity and allow for a comprehensive investigation of his unguarded conduct.”
Accurate News had earlier did a report on an intraparty crisis that erupted during a meeting of the members of the State Working Committee (SWC), summoned on June 1, 2023, to review the performance of the party in the 2023 general election where the party perform woefully.
According to a source within the party, it was revealed that most SWC members agreed that the abysmal performance of the party in that election was traced to the issue of funds.
The source said “They (SWC) are of the opinion that the major factor that led to total failure at the poll was the issue of fund.
“Normally, election funds from the National Secretariat of the party ought to come through the state party chairman. The state chairman and members of the SWC know nothing about how the money was collected and how it was expended/disbursed during the election. It is crystal clear that the election was grossly underfunded compared to what Abuja dropped.
The source added ”another crucial point that came up at the meeting was that the executives decried how Saraki single-handedly picked almost all the candidates, all in the name of consensus without any input from the state executives and other party leaders. This did not go down well with most of the party supporters and stakeholders, and it led to apathy and lack of enthusiasm among party members during the election.”
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the state publicity secretary of the party, Prince ‘Tunji Moronfoye, to react to the story of Accurate News ‘Disquiet In Kwara PDP Over 2023 Elections Funds’ he refuted that there were cracks within the members of the SWC and the leader of the Party in the state and former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar ‘Bukola Saraki.
Moronfoye in the statement said “We 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.”
Also reacting to the party publicity secretary’s statement, the youth leader, expressed disappointment over what he called a pretense not to be one of the aggrieved persons said “There’s no gainsaying that there is no rift between the Leader (Saraki) and the member of 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 usurped by Saraki’s favourites.
“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 in the 2023 general election.”
Also in a viral video by the state youth leader (Dantsoho), he made known that he and some other members of SWC are not fighting the party leader (Saraki) but only seeking clarification in some party activities.
“I don’t want people to misconceive the position of some of us in the Kwara PDP SWC. We are not fighting our leader Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
“The fundamental questions we are asking are: how much did we receive as campaign funds for the presidential election, who received the funds, and how was it spent? No fight. And if there is no fight, there shouldn’t be any reconciliation,” he said.
He added: “These fundamental questions require answers. Anything short of it, count me out.
“Another thing is that we cannot be excos and some people are performing our duties. That is our position.”
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