The chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Sunday Fagbemi, has promised aggrieved members of the party who lost out during the primaries that they will be considered favourably if the party retains power in 2023.
Fagbemi begged the disgruntled members to work for the victory of the party in the 2023 polls assuring them that ‘goodies’ will come to them.
He said the party has commenced the refund of the administrative fee to party members who lost out at the primaries election in the state as part of efforts to placate them.
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The APC Chairman, however, clarified that only aspirants in the lower cadre were being reimbursed to cushion the effect of their losses adding that several committees have been constituted to reconcile aggrieved members with the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Fagbemi noted that although it was clearly spelt out that the monies paid were non-refundable as it was part of administrative cost for conducting the primaries, the party opted to pay back the disgruntled members in the interest of peace.
“Internal mechanisms have been put in place, and it’s inexhaustible and even the national (leadership of the party) is coming into this to see all the little efforts we have been making. We have started on our part; all those people that lost the primaries at the House of Assembly level, we are giving them back the money they paid and that is in a way to sway their feelings and contain some of the losses they have incurred. Knowing full well that the government is continuous if we work together and we win again, goodies will come to them and they will be considered favourably,” he said in an interview with The Punch
“These are the little efforts we have been making. We have been pleading with them that this house we built together, we should continue to ensure that we maintain the house together so that the house will not fall and we have been sending leaders from each zone to them. Several reconciliation committees have been put in place and they are working assiduously.
“That is not to say that those people that are already enticed because of their selfish agenda can be brought back but all the same, we believe that we are doing everything possible to ensure that we bring everyone back onboard. We have started to give them back their money in the house of assembly. This money was clearly spelt out that it is nonrefundable because it’s supposed to be an administrative cost for conducting those primaries. The money has been expended but we are making sure that those that are at the lowest elm of the ladder get a refund.”
On allegations by some aggrieved members that the party did not hold primaries in the state, Fagbemi said, “Everyone knows the timetable of the party, when primaries were held and when results came out. There was room for appeal for those that were aggrieved. We have gone beyond that issue.”