Suspended Kwara LG chairs attend APC campaign flag-off in Patigi

•Chairmen divide over “defection”

Some suspended Local Government chairmen, on Monday, attended the All Progressive Congress campaign flag-off for the Patigi state constituency bye-election.

The chairmen numbering 14 including the ALGON head, Joshua Omokanye Jalala showcase their presence at the flag off to show solidarity to the candidate of the APC ahead of the March 14 elections.

According to sources who spoke to THE INFORMANT247, The suspended LG bosses were advised to attend the campaign rally of the ruling party to “appease the governor”.

Facts further gathered by our correspondent revealed that information were circulated among the suspended chairmen, on Sunday night, that the governor “will deal with anyone that doesn’t attend the rally”.

Sources at the Flag-off however said the 14 cahirmen who attended the rally were not recognised. The source said, “Yes, they came, but they’re not recognized. The governor did not even take notice of their presence. Except if he reads it elsewhere.”

Meanwhile, The 16 council chairmen were reported to have officially decamped to the ruling APC from the PDP at the event.

The report quoted the suspended chairman of Ifelodun LG, Hon. Fatai Labaka, on behalf of others, to have officially announced the defection.

When contacted, the embattled chairperson of Ilorin West, Hajia Aminat Omodara denied the position of the ALGON chair saying she never defected.

“What we did there was only solidarity to the APC candidate and not decamping,” she stated.

Also, Comrade Yinka Dallas of Ekiti Local Government denied knowledge of the defection. Dallas said, “I was not at the rally because it is an APC campaign, though I support the achievements of governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, but I’m yet to defect to the APC.

However, the ALGON chairman, Hon. Joshua Omokanye Jalala when contacted by THE INFORMANT247 confirmed decamping to the ruling party. He said, “Yes, it’s true, we all decamped from APC to PDP.”

Correspondingly, the chairman of Ilorin East LG, Engr. Abdulmumeen Lah attest his defection from the opposition to the ruling party.

Recall that the Kwara state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on June 18th, 2019 suspended the executive chairmen and legislative councillors in line with a recommendation of the State Assembly over alleged financial missaproprations.