Tunde Akanbi, Ilorin
The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday held its state congresses across the country.
In Kwara State, there was Parallel Congresses in the State where the one led by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki was held at the Banquet Hall, opposite Government House, Ilorin was attended by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, A Stalwart of the Party, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, members of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly.
While the other one was led by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, a former Member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Mashood Mustapha, a former Secretary to the Kwara State Government, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Saka Cook Olododo, and a serving lawmaker in the state, Saheed Popoola at Arca Santra Arena.
The exercise was supervised by the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with heavy security presence in and around the two venues.
The exercises started with the accreditation of delegates from the sixteen local government areas of the State before casting their votes.
The APC Congress led by Senate President returned all the incumbent executive committee unopposed with the incumbent Chairman, Alhaji Ishola Balogun Fulani emerging as State Chairman.
The new executive committee members had been picked through a consensus arrangement which was started during the ward Congress of the party.
Chairman of the Congress Committee of the Party, Senator Saliu Hussein who supervised the exercise expressed delight over the arrangement, saying that it had made his members job easy.
While addressing the delegates at the banquet hall, the Senate President, Doctor Bukola Saraki challenged politicians in Nigeria to learn political games from Kwara State.
He said the peaceful conduct of the previous congresses and today‘s state congress had further shown that Nigerian politicians have many things to learn from Kwara politics.
Senator Saraki also boosted of the existing peace and unity within the rank and file of APC in the state, saying that Kwara remained the only state in Nigeria where sitting and former governors maintain good relationship.
Meanwhile, the second Congress held at ARCA Santra Arena produced a former governorship aspirant in Kwara State, Bashir Bolarinwa emerging as its state chairman.
The National executive of the party, led by Mr. Ago Obisesan, conducted the exercise which was monitored by the INEC officials
Speaking at the Congress, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammad, noted that the party would continue to adopt democratic process to direct the affairs of its members towards sustaining the nascent democratic process.
