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From Fred Itua, Abuja
Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has given strong indications that it may sanction the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, over his recent outburst against Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq.
The minister had claimed he sponsored the electioneering of the governor in 2019. This has since been denied by the governor.
Responding to the development in an interview, yesterday, in Abuja, the APC Chairman, Caretaker Committee in Kwara State, Abdullahi Samari Abubakar, said the party may apply disciplinary measures according to its constitution.
Samari said: “Like I said earlier on. I still see the minister as a member of our party. Because he has not formally told us he is moving out of the party which I doubt if he will go. He is a minister where the APC as a ruling party is running the administration of government.
“So, I would not think he will want to move out. But from those utterances he made, the party, APC, as structure has guidelines over issues. If we feel what he said publicly amounts to disrespect or causing acrimony within the party, honestly, we are going to make sure the rules of the party are applied against him and any other person.”
When asked whether the minister will be suspended or expelled from the APC, the chairman said: “Well, there are guidelines like I told you. If the offence is commensurate to suspending him, or any other, definitely the rule of the party is going to apply because nobody is too big to be sanctioned. We want to have sanity in the party.”
The sanction, Samari said will take place very soon.
“Well, there are steps according to the party. It has to start from the particular ward of that fellow. Then come down to the local government then to the state. So, whatever decision is taken at the ward to local government, then to state, it will then be forwarded to the national level for ratification,” he said.
The APC chieftain also confirmed that Mohammed had earlier revalidated his membership of the APC in the state.
“There are certain facts that some of you don’t know. When the appeal committee came to Kwara, we met with them. There was this allegation that some people were not allowed to register. But mind you that was wrong. If you come in then, the rooms were open.
“It was just that some people were discouraging others not to come out and register. For whatever reason, we may not know. Let me tell you categorically that Muhammed as a minister registered. Quote me anywhere. I can show the date he registered.
“He registered at his ward at Oro, Kwara State. You can confirm that from me. The extension of registration is not a new thing. It is not that his group or camp has won anything.
“Remember that I also authorised a document that APC national secretariat should extend the registration in Kwara State for at least one week, because a lot of people came into the party. And, we just have to allow them as members whereby they will have the equal right to take part in whatever is going on during the congresses,” he said.
