The All Progressive Congress, Kwara State, has disclosed that it has commenced the refund of the administrative fee in a bid to placate aggrieved members of the party in the state.
The Chairman Kwara APC, Mr. Sunday Fagbemi revealed this at a session with journalists yesterday, saying only aspirants of the lower cadre were being reimbursed to cushion the effect of their losses.
Fagbemi said internal mechanisms “have been put in place. It is 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,”Fagbemi explained.
He observed that the party had been making efforts “to plead with the aggrieved members. 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 non-refundable 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.”
He faulted the allegation by some aggrieved members that the party did not hold primaries in the state.
According to him, 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.
