Bwari’s Fertilizer Palava

A simmering war of trust or lack of it, is currently brewing among members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ushaffa Ward, Bwari Council Area chapter of the FCT. At the centre of the unfolding crisis is the question mark hanging over how a batch of fertilizer said to be from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, administration and meant for farmers in the ward was distributed.

The bone of contention is that the fertilizer consignment was hijacked by a few members of the party leadership, led by Audi Haruna Shekwolo, a former Council Chairman contestant, who doubles as the owner of WSG Hill Breeze Hotels, the contentious distribution venue.

Allegations

According to the allegations flying in and across the Bwari Council Area, the fertilizers consignment was cornered by the group, which includes the area council party chairman, Hon Ali Shere, and taken to the WSG Hill Breeze Hotel, where they were distributed to loyalists of the group instead of farmers in the ward as it was done in the other area councils.

The group is also alleged to have formed the habit of cornering items meant for people in the ward and distributing the same among their loyalists as was the case with the palliatives that were delivered by the FCT administration in the wake of Covid-19.

The incident, this medium gathered, caused so much brouhaha that it took time before it was finally resolved by well-meaning leaders of the party. The fear now is that with the dispute over the fertilizer distribution, another round of crisis is about to unfold.

Findings

Following receipt of the allegations, FreshNEWS went on a fact-finding mission, determined to unravel the truth. For a start, our correspondent visited the venue of the distribution to, among others, ascertain the veracity of the allegations-that the consignment was from the FCT, that it was distributed at the hotel instead of the party secretariat, that they were meant for farmers in the different wards of the council area and that the process was hijacked in order that only close associates of the fingered leaders of the party would benefit, all in a bid to tilt the advantage towards Shekwolo, owner of the hotel, in his quest to land the candidacy of the party in the forthcoming area council election. He lost the last council election to the incumbent chairman who flew the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

While at the WSG Hill Breeze Hotel, our correspondent was able to confirm that indeed, fertilizers were delivered and distributed among certain people. In one instance, he saw a number of beneficiaries ferrying the consignment out to their different locations. However, he could neither immediately ascertain why the distribution was conducted at the venue nor the conditions for qualification.

In the main, Shekwolo, the man said to be at the centre of it all, was not available for comment. However, our correspondent was able to contact him the next day.

Without mincing words, Shekwolo admitted that the items were indeed distributed at his hotel. However, he insisted that the allegations that it was from the FCT or that they were meant for farmers in the council area were far from the truth. He also debunked the allegation that he led the distribution process for whatever reason. He told FreshNEWS that he is aware that the fertilizers were from the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Ministerial Affairs, Hon Zephaniah Jisalo, not the FCT administration, adding that the items were in appreciation of party faithful in the six area Councils of the FCT for their steadfastness.

According to him, the share for Ushaffa and other wards in Bwari Council area were the ones brought to his hotel for distribution.

Emphatically, Shekwolo denied being involved in the collection, distribution and or the decision to use the hotel as a distribution centre. According to him, the decision was taken solely by party leaders, including the chairman, who concluded that the venue posed the least difficulty in terms of security and logistics.

“The fertilizers that were shared were from the Minister of Special Duties and InterGovernmental Affairs.. the person that had an explanation for that is the party chairman. They only told me that they wanted to use the hotel premises to share with each ward because the place is more open. I think they shared it with each ward,” he told FreshNEWS. 

“…one 'mudu', no body gave to me even though it was shared in my hotel. You can call the party chairman to confirm because I didn’t even want to be close to it.” he emphasized.

Shekwolo also distanced himself from allegations that himself or his hotel were involved in any Covid-19 palliatives scam. As he did while debunking the allegation that there is a hidden motive behind the decision to distribute the fertilizers from his hotel, he also referred our correspondent to the party chairman.

Asked why his name and that of his hotel keep popping up at the mention of controversial issues, he asked;

“Who shared palliatives in my hotel?”

The allegation is that you did but only to your faithfuls…, he was reminded.

“My brother, me I’m a straight forward person. I can give you the contact of some councillors. You can call them to ask them about how the palliatives that came to Bwari were shared since the inception of the FCT administration,” he counselled.

FreshNEWS contacted both the chairman and spokesperson of the party, Hons Ali Shere and Folorunso Ore Olusola Emmanuel.

While responding to the allegation that he was involved in diverting what was meant for farmers in the council area, the chairman explained that though fertilizers were received and distributed from the hotel as alleged, the items were neither from the FCT administration nor meant for distributions to farmers generally.

He also confirmed that they were from Hon Jisalo, pointing out that the decision to use WSG Hill Breeze Hotel was informed by security fears given that the party secretariat was previously burgled, with items kept in it carted away by unknown persons.

He added that the fear that the presence of fertilizers inside the complex might trigger another attack led to the decision by party leaders in the council to use the hotel as the distribution venue given its easy access from all the wards of the council area.

“...that day we felt we cannot do the sharing at the party secretariat because there is no proper security at the place. That is why we decided to go to the hotel. The following morning, we asked the ward chairmen to come and take their fertilizers. We sent the messages through the Council PRO to the ward chairmen to come and carry their consignments to the various 10 wards of the council. That is how they shared it. That is exactly what happened,” he said.

Shere also disclosed that Hon Jisalo, who brought the items, directed that it was strictly in appreciation of party faithfuls within the 10 wards of Bwari Council Area, not farmers as alleged.

“No. That’s misinformation. The fertilizers were not from the FCT Minister. The person that gave us the fertilizers is the minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs. They were given to the six Area Councils that make up the FCT.” he explained.

On the alleged palliative diversion, Shere disclosed that like the fertilizers, the palliatives were distributed among the 10 wards of Bwari Council Area but that the ones for Ushaffa Ward were sometimes taken to the hotel more because Shekwolo is from there. Otherwise, there is nothing concerning the party that is taken there for any ulterior motive.

“No. The palliatives were shared among the 10 wards but the one for Usaffa ward which is sometimes taken there because he is from that ward. There is nothing we share from the FCT that is taken to the hotel. That is not correct.”

Spokesperson for the party in the area council, Hon Olusola, told FreshNEWS that he was a member of the committee mandated to convey the fertilizers from the donor, Hon Jisalo. However, he pointed out that the decision to distribute it from WSG Hotel was not informed by any ulterior motive but that of security.

“Yes, I’m part of the committee that went to carry that fertilizer from the Minister, Minister of Special Duty, Hon Jisalo. At that point we discovered that because of the situation in the country. We were there with the party chairman and some stakeholders, five stakeholders from different Wards. Our party office is isolated, around Bwari there. We’ve had occasions where they came to steal things from there. So we now said, let us find a place that is more opened and that is protected. We even said that the fertilizers would be shared that day but unfortunately the fertilizer did not come early. So we had to shift it to the next day which was a Saturady. On that Saturday, I was the one that handed over the fertilizers to the 10 Wards of the council area. We just made the place like a makeshift sharing place. That is why you saw it by that gate side. That is exactly what happened.”

He also emphasized that the fertilizers were not meant for farmers just as it was not from the FCT, adding that the alleged palliatives handed over to Shekwolo were from the Minister of state. They were handed over to him at the time because he was the party candidate in the council election which took place at the time.

“The palliative they are talking about came from the Minister of State. At the time, it was handed over to Shekwolo because he was the candidate of the party for the Council Area. That is why it was taken down to the place,” he explained.

Meanwhile, despite the explanations being offered, allegations still abound to the effect that there is more to the sharing of party materials at the WSG Hotel than meets the eye. Among others, it is alleged that the facility was deliberately chosen to enhance the chances of Shekwolo, who was the APC candidate in the last council election, to also emerge as the flag bearer in the next election.

They add that he is attempting to corner leaders of the party into a compromise that will have him emerge the candidate for the second time, using every available opportunity, including the fertilizer distribution process, to scheme his way through.

Misconceived as the allegation may appear, there are indications that the evolving simmering crisis may affect the chances of the party in the forthcoming area council election. That is, if leaders of the party fail to take proactive measures towards resolving all issues amicably.