BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The aftermath of the 2023 general elections has thrown the People’s Democratic Party in Kwara State into bedlam, culminating in the mass resignation of its officials and stalwarts.
At least, two members of the State Working Committee have resigned their positions over the alleged misappropriation of campaign funds released to the party by the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organization.
The state Deputy Chairman, Umar Muhammed Gunu, has tendered his resignation letter from the party while the Secretary of the party, Abdulrazaq Lawal, has followed suit
In their separate resignation letters sighted by The Point, the party executive members cited “personal reasons” for their decisions to quit the opposition party in the state.
It was reliably gathered that their exit from the party was not unconnected with the crisis over the presidential campaign funds and how they were expended by some leaders of the party.
Lawal’s resignation letter dated July 18, 2023 and addressed to the party chairman in the state, Babatunde Mohammed, reads, “This is to inform you of my decision to resign from my position as the state secretary of the People’s Democratic Party. As the adage says, “everything that has a beginning must have an end. Therefore, my decision to resign from my position is for personal reasons.”
Before the party officials’ resignations, the state Youth leader of Kwara PDP, Haliru Mahmoud Dantsoho, had called out a former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and other leaders of the party in the state to account for Atiku’s campaign funds which they allegedly received before the polls.
Dantsoho, in a viral video sighted by The Point, demanded for the accountability of the funds meant for the 2023 presidential campaign in the state.
He said, “We are not fighting the leader, Saraki. But we want accountability and independence of the party.
“And the fundamental questions are that we want to know how much was received for the 2023 presidential election, who received the money and how it was spent, that is all.”
Reacting to allegations made by the Youth leader, the party’s State Working Committee lambasted Dantsoho for seeking probe of the campaign funds saying his utterances had brought the SWC and party members into complete disrepute.
The party leadership, in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Tunji Moronfoye, said Dantsoho would face a disciplinary committee for making allegations against it.
“Our concern is the state Youth Leader’s viral video and unguarded outbursts where he came out to cast aspersions on certain party members. In addition to the above, the state executive committee and PDP members were brought to complete disrepute by the state youth leader.
“Consequently, the SWC has set up a disciplinary committee that would look into the Youth Leader’s actions and report back to the party within seven days. Party members will be notified of the outcome of the disciplinary committee’s findings and appropriate recommendations,” it reads.
Also, the head of Media Department for the 2023 campaign council for Kwara State chapter of PDP, Olusegun Olusola, berated Dantsoho over his outburst against Saraki.
In a statement on Tuesday, Olusola said Dantsoho needed to face some disciplinary committees over his “unguarded utterances.”
He said, “I have just been informed that the embattled state Youth Leader, Daniya has written to the Police headquarters for the arrest of prominent PDP leaders, including candidates of the party who have voiced out to condemn his sudden behaviours against the party.
“Many party stalwarts as at press time are writing statements at the Police headquarters. This is highly ridiculous and unacceptable from a top official of the party.
“This is the scenario that Yoruba describes as ‘Aitete mu ole, ole n mu oloko (failure of the farmer to act fast in taming the thief, the thief turns around and accuses the farmer of theft)’.
“Daniya, who has committed serious defamatory crime against Dr. Bukola Saraki and the party by publicly telling lies about campaign funds when he knows such does not exist, is the one who should be behind the bars writing statements; if not for the magnanimity of the Sarakis who believe politics should be played with decency.
“The fact that we are magnanimous and peace-loving however should not be translated to foolery before Daniya. If this war he is about to start begins fully, he will definitely be the first to be consumed by it.”
He thereafter enjoined the party chairman, SWC and other top party leaders to rise to the occasion.
