Theinformant247 in an attempt to investigate a report that has making round that a top chieftain of the All Progressive Congress and former aide to the recently out-gone Senate President, Alhaji Moshood Mustapha is involved in a tug of war with his blood brother, Alhaji Lukman Olayiwola Mustapha in a bid to outrightly hijack the party structure at the Alanamu ward in order to safeguard his gubernatorial ambition in 2023.
Theinformant247 engaged some APC executive members at the Alanamu Ward in an interview to give account of the situation.
Reacting to the report was the ward chairman, Alhaji Muyideen Okolaba he condemned the allegation in a strong term, saying some unscrupulous elements are bent on maligning the persona of Mashood Mustapha.
The chairman stressed that MM as he is fondly called by his supporters was the first person in the whole of Alanamu ward to push for party harmonisation, saying the ward previously comprised four distinct APC tendencies loyal to Professor Oba Shuaibu, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, Hon. Mashood Mustapha and his brother, Lukman Olayiwola Mustapha respectively.
He maintained that MM being a progressive therefore advised all the four tendencies be harmonised under one umbrella to ensure progress and smoothing running of the party.
Mr Muyideen in a frantic tune, said he was bewildered by the manner some retrogressive forces sponsored by Lukman Olayiwola Mustapha submitted petitions against his chairmanship to the local government executive committee in a bid to destabilise the party.
Lending credence to the chairman response, the ward secretary, Sharafadeen Omitiro posited that the different four groups before coming together held meetings at different venues, but with the financial help of MM and other concerned chieftains in the ward, they were able to acquire a neutral building for their meeting.
Mr. Sharafadeen lamented that Lukman Olayiwola Mustapha’s supporters within five weeks of joining the amalgamated group have been employing every possible antics to put the party in disarray by disrupting the ward’s meeting proceedings.
He further added that the fact that these disgruntled elements used a public address system carrying LOM’s owned Radio Station (Sobi FM) sticker was a clear pointer that their Anti-party behaviour was motivated by the Sobi FM boss.
The ward woman leader, Rashidat Kolaba in her message thereby called on the two warring factions to shealth their swords and surge ahead as this is not a time to engineer any uproar or skirmish, but a time to reap the expectant benefits of the Ó TÓ GE struggle which they all championed.
The Assistant Auditor, APC Ilorin West Local Government and Ward Youth leader, Abdul Yekeen Iyanda and Sulyman Olalekan Rabiu appealed to all aggrieved members of the APC in Alanamu not to be divided by sentiment and selfish interest.
They also reiterated that MM is committed to the progress of the party and the administration of governor Abdurrahman Abdurrazaq and youths should not about allow themselves to be used for hidden agenda.
An Ilorin-based political movement, Strategic Alliance Movement under the tutelage of Abdulhameed A. Abdullah; Comrade Ameen Akota; Comrade Oyindamola Qudus also published a statement exonerating Hon. Moshood Mustapha, stating that the allegation is a vindictive ploy by mischievous elements to drag MM reputation into sheer disrepute.
“What is happening in Alanamu ward is the manifestation of power struggle which is one of the major characteristic of politics. However, we urge those who are aggrieved to engage in healthy politics, character assassination and the maligning of an individual integrity is totally uncalled for. We urge people of Alanamu ward to desist from such. Hon. Mashood mustapha is a phenomenal politician with a track record of innumerable success. I wander what the followers of the politician nowadays have turned to, they are the major problem from what We observed in this ongoing brouhaha in Alanamu ward. We urge them to desist from inciting the public there are better way to ventilate their dissatisfaction, so let them explore it.”
