The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State yesterday threw its weight behind the reappointment of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in the next cabinet.
This is just as the party dissociated itself from the statement credited to the duo of Chief James Bamisaye Ayeni and Mr Jide Usman under the banner of Kwara South Elders Forum, asking President Muhammadu Buhari not to consider the Minister for reappointment.
A statement issued in Ilorin by the APC Chairman in Ifelodun local government area, Mr Mohammed Awobimpe Shilo, lambasted both Ayeni and Usman, saying that they did not have the mandate to speak for the party.
Shilo clarified that there was never a time the party leadership in the local government area deliberated on issues bordering on the reappointment of the Information Minister let alone move against Lai Mohammed.
He particularly noted that the APC in Ifelodun LGA was not aware of the membership of Jide Usman in what he referred to as “illegal body” known as Kwara South Elders Forum and was not in position to represent the party.
Shilo added that the APC support for the reappointment of Lai Mohammed, who hails from Oro in Irepodun local government area, was based on the fact that he was born and raised in Igbaja, a community in Ifelodun local government area.
The statement read, “The APC executives and the people of Ifelodun Local Government Area wish to dissociate themselves from the purported press release by one Chief J.B. Ayeni and Jide Usman calling the President not to reappoint the Honourable Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. The Minister is a true son of Igbomina from Oro in Irepodun Local Government Area but born and brought up in Igbaja, Ifelodun local government area.
“We want the whole world to know that there was no time that the APC executives and the people of Ifelodun sat and deliberated on the said issue nor the said Jide Usman consulted anybody in the local government before, during and after the said release. The said Jide Usman does not have our mandate before making that statement.
“However, the said Jide Usman could not be said to be a committed member of our party in Ifelodun because the last time we checked, he was the senatorial chairman of ADP. So, why would he have to make statement on behalf of APC Kwara South?
“Also, the local government is not aware of his membership of the illegal body called Kwara Elders Forum, so he could not be speaking for Ifelodun elders.
“Finally, we want to reaffirm our support for Alhaji Lai Mohammed and indeed recommend him for reappointment as the Minister of federal republic of Nigeria”.
