BOB aware of moves 24 hours earlier – source

More facts have emerged on why the Kwara State Governor, Mallam Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman who also doubles as the leader of the party in the State stepped down the attempt to remove the State’s APC Chairman Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa.

Fresh Insight investigations confirmed the intervention of the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari through a phone call to the Governor, which was the whip that broke the camel’s back.

According to multiple sources, Prof. Gambari expressed the disapproval of the Presidency to the news making the rounds that the State’s party Chairman Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa had been suspended, he thus demanded that the Governor not only call his supporters to order, but also requested the Governor publicly disassociates himself from the move.

It would be recalled the Governor had, through his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye belatedly thrown its weight behind the Chairman via a terse Press release made available to the public around 12:30am on Friday, affirming BOB as the Chairman of the party.

Fresh Insight was also reliably informed that Prof. Gambari also among other things demanded that the Governor rescinds his decision to boycott the Town Hall meeting of the Federal Government organised by Alh. Lai Muhammed, Hon. Minister for Communication, Culture and Tourism scheduled for the following day (Friday).

According to multiple sources in the AA camp, “the Governor was left with no choice than to attend, even though he already instructed all his appointees, loyal party executives to boycott the gathering” a government source confirmed.

Meanwhile, more facts have emerged as to how and where the failed coup against Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, the Kwara State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was hatched and perfected.

It would be recalled several unsuccessful attempts had been made in the past to oust the party’s Chairman on trump up charges of embezzlement of campaign and elections funds, immediately after the 2019 general polls.

According to Fresh Insight findings, the new move started last week when loyalist of the Governor, under the leadership of Alh. Abdullahi Samari, the Deputy State Chairman of the party in the State met at City Inn Guest House, Ilorin.

In attendance among others include Mal. Abdullahi Samari, the State publicity secretary of the party, Hon. Folaranmi Aro, State secretary Alh. Mustapha Isowo, APC LG Chairmen of Ilorin West, Alh. Abdulwasiu Tejjidini, Abubakar Setraco (Baruten), AdeBayo Jimoh (Moro), Wale Awelewa (Ekiti) and ilorin South factional Chairman Mal. Abdulhakeem Jaji among several others.

According to multiple sources at their first meeting held last Thursday (29th Oct, 2020), most of the attendees expressed grievances towards the Governor, for not “compensating” them even when they have always been “sticking there necks out for him”.

One of the sources narrated the popular complaints at the meeting by saying “We’ve been loyal and fighting the Governor’s battle, yet we all don’t have anything to show for it. We’re now butt of jokes in our various domains.

“Why is it hard for us to be financially empowered by the Governor whom we all are working for, by continuing and fighting this battle? One of the attendees asked rhetorically, a question which received resounding applause and approval” he confirmed.

“While pleading for more patience, Alh. Samari informed us that the Governor is happy and taking notes of all loyal AA members, he has a good plan for us all, I’ll enjoin us to be more patient with him and ensure we go ahead with the plans to remove BOB, to make the Governor more happy.

“It was at that meeting the idea of stakeholders parley which had suffered multiple postponements was muted ones again, wherein it was agreed we will pass a vote of no confidence on BOB at the said parley and thereby finally remove him” he added.

Further checks by Fresh Insight revealed that Hon. Samari, Aro and Isowo relayed the resolution to the Governor and he quickly gave the go-ahead footing all logistical needs towards the stakeholders parley and perfection of the move.

Speaking further a source in the know, said “On Thursday (5th Nov, 2020), few hours before the parley, all LG party Chairmen in AA group and representatives from each of the other LGs where AA don’t have support of the Chairman gathered at City Inn again, to deliberate chiefly the petition prepared for the purpose of passing vote of no confidence on the Chairman and called for more contributions from the gathering, but all present said it was OK.

“Rev. Abel Adewunmi was picked to read the already prepared petition detailing the offences of BOB, while one Baba Muhammed from Kaiama was drafted to second the motion for removal.

“They all left the hotel in high spirits and set out for Kwara Hotels, venue of the parley to act their script, unknown to them, BOB already got wind of the move almost 24 hours before” she added.

Confirming the narrative, one of the party’s executive loyal to BOB while speaking with Fresh Insight on condition of anonymity confirmed that they got wind and details of the move hours before the parley.

He said “We got wind of the move to trick the Chairman to the parley and embarrass him, BOB called a high ranking government appointee to intimate him of rumours flying around and he in turn assured him that nothing of such was amiss.

“When hours before the parley, we confidentially received the prepared speech with which the vote of confidence will be moved, we all had to make quick arrangements of mobilising party members down to the venue to resist the illegal move. This was unknown to the AA group as we played along feigning ignorance of their ulterior plans” he enthused.

Confirming the involvement of the Governor and his aides via a video sighted by Fresh Insight, a source at the city inn Rendezvous, showed one of the Governor’s Special Assistant New Media, Fafoluyi Olayinka drove into the hotel and was immediately handed the anti-BOB petition with the mandate of circulating it widely to media practitioners.

Denying the Governor’s involvement however, an appointee who crave anonymity, said “The Governor that I know isn’t someone to start a thing and chicken out, he’s very strong willed, he couldn’t have orchestrated that avoidable incident and back out in 6 hours.

“I think what happened was the attempt to continue the fight which the Governor and party elders had been working assiduously to solve. This fight isn’t between the Governor and Alh. Lai as erroneously being postulated, it is purely between the executives of the party, with BOB on the one side and Sanmari on the other side” she added