Date: 2014-08-30

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has warned the State Coordinator of Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Mr. Moses Ibiyemi to halt, without delay, the unlawful plan to replace beneficiaries of SURE-P in the state with members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the APC said, "Aside the fact that such replacement will be highly political and unlawful, this warning is essential so that Mr Moses Ibiyemi and his ilks will not incur the impending wrath of the good people of Kwara State".

"We have full and incontrovertible report on a meeting organised by the State Coordinator of SURE-P, Mr Moses Ibiyemi with SURE-P Coordinators from the 16 local government areas of Kwara State in attendance. In the meeting, an evil plan to replace the list of present beneficiaries of SURE-P with a list of selected PDP members was perfected.

"This evil plan is unacceptable to the good people of Kwara State. We are aware of the conditions and provisions that must be met before any SURE-P beneficiary could be either sacked or replaced, there is presently no basics for any replacement. And Mr Moses Ibiyemi must be reminded that he has no such power to replace beneficiaries of SURE-P in Kwara State with members of the PDP and his family members. Mr Ibiyemi should not kickoff a battle he can never win with the people of Kwara State. Mr Moses Ibiyemi should immediately back down on this evil plot in order not to incur the impending wrath of the good people of Kwara State.

"Meanwhile, the APC recalls that in May, 2011, Mr Moses Ibiyemi and his ilks had perfected a plot to replace members of SURE-P Implementation Committee with a short-listed names of people whose only qualifications are membership of the PDP just before the APC uncovered the evil plot. The plot was abandoned due to the public outcry that enveloped the evil plot. Just like the evil plot was defeated by the people, this amended evil plot will also fail.

"We maintain that any attempt to reduce SURE-P to a PDP affair, in an environment where 25 political parties exist, will perfectly mess up the struggling scheme.

"Mr Moses Ibiyemi should be reminded that the hardship stimulated by the hike of fuel price to N97/litre from N65/litre is felt by members of all political parties and apolitical Kwarans. Even the palliatives from SURE-P are grossly insufficient to reduce this stimulated hardship. Therefore, the planned politicisation of SURE-P in Kwara State must be halted in the interests of the good people of Kwara state.