APC crisis deepens, holds parallel congress in Kano, Abia, Ogun, others

Saturday state congress of the All Progressives Congress may have further polarized members of the ruling political party with parallel groups holding different elections ushering in new state electives.

This was noticeable in states such as Kano, Abia, Ogun, Niger, Osun and Akwa Ibom, while violence marred the exercise in Osun; just as the congress was postponed in Taraba and Oyo.

Vanguard also reported a tale of woe across the country with just few states such as Delta and Ondo holding peaceful congresses without factions and chaos.

In Kano, in spite of attempts to prevent conduct of a parallel congress, the senator representing Kano Central, Ibrahim Shekaru, led his group to conduct their congress and elected Ahmadu Haruna Zago as the state party Chairman.

Others in Shekaru’s camp include senator representing Kano North, Barau Jibril, member representing Dawakin Tofa and Rimingado Federal Constituency, Tijjani Abdulkadir Jobe, member representing Karate and Rogo Federal Constituency, Haruna Isa Dederi and member representing Kano Municipal Federal Constituency, Shaaban Ibrahim Sharada.

 

 

 

A party member from the national headquarters, Sani Bello, supervised the congress in Janguza, Tofa local government area of the state.

 

Bello, at the end of the congress, announced Zago as the party Chairman among other newly elected executives.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, there was a mild drama as security personnel took over and shot tear gas into the air to disperse party supporters at the Sani Abacha Youth Centre along Madobi road, the earlier proposed venue for the parallel congress.

 

Parallel congresses in Akwa Ibom

 

 

 

The crack in the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the APC deepened, yesterday, during the conduct of the the party’s state congress.

 

Sunday Vanguard observed that while the group loyal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, conducted its congress at the Kara Event Centre along Stadium Road, Uyo, the faction loyal to the National Caretaker Committee Secretary of the party, Senator John James Akpanudoedeghe, elected its officials at the Sheer Grace Arena, Uyo, the state capital.

 

Disarray in Niger

 

In Niger State, the APC ended its congress with two factions emerging.

 

The first faction concluded  its congress at a  private building along Bay Clinic Road in Minna, the state capital.

 

This was few hours ahead  of the other faction exercise attended by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello at the Justice Legbo International Conference Centre opposite the Government House, Minna with Alhaji Nasiru Yusuf Ubandiya emerging as Chairman while the other has Alhaji Aliyu Jikantoro emerging as parallel Chairman.

 

One party, two excos in Abia

 

Also, the Abia State chapter of the APC conducted parallel congress.

 

While Chief Ikechi Emenike group held its own at the Ugwunchara area, loyalists of  Hon. Donatus Nwankpa gathered at the indoor Sports Hall of the Umuahia township stadium.

 

The congress by the Emenike group, monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was attended by eminent members of the party from the 17 council areas of the state.

 

They were the member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; former governorship aspirant, Sir Friday Nwosu; ex-Organizing Secretary of the Nwankpa faction, Chief Obi Aham; and the member representing Isuikwuato Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Emeka Okoroafor.

 

Ekiti APC leaders emerge through consensus

Members of the Ekiti State Executive of the APC  emerged through  consensus  with Governor Kayode Fayemi expressing hope   that   the party would produce his desire of a successor in 2022.

 

Those who emerged as the executives in the congress supervised by a six-member National Congress Committee chaired by Alhaji Yusuf Galambi are: Hon. Paul Omotoso, who was returned as State Chairman, while Sola Elesin was also retained as Deputy Chairman.

 

Others are: Segun Dipe(Publicity Secretary) , Mrs Asinkun Sunday(Youth Leader), Mrs Mary Afuye (Women Leader), Barrister Wale Adeyeye(Legal Adviser )Hon Isaac Fayiba( Organising Secretary), Hon Omotayo, Kolawole (Welfare Officer), Odekunle Raphael Bankoke(Vice Chairman Central), and Biodun Fatile (Treasurer)

 

The list also include: Akindele Akinbobola( Vice Chairman , South) and Ayo Kolawole(Vice Chairman North), among other executives that were elected at the congress.

 

Though, the congress held at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion in Ado Ekiti, was peaceful and orderly, members of the pro-Tinubu 2023 team called South-West Agenda for for Asiwaju 2023, boycotted the process.

 

Prominent members of the group like Senators Dayo Adeyeye and Tony Adeniyi were absent at the venue.

 

Imo  APC elects Ebere, Okorocha, Araraume stay away

 

In   Imo State, Macdonald Ebere was elected Chairman. He replaced the outgone Chairman, Marcillinus Nlemigbo.

 

The Chairman, Imo APC, Electoral Committee, Godwin Anughae, who conducted the election at Ndubuisi Kanu Square, Owerri, announced the elected officials, who emerged through consensus

 

They are Macdonald Ebere,   Chairman; Matthew Omehgara, Secretary: Greg Madu, Publicity Secretary, Cajetan Duke, Organizing Secretary, Ikechukwu Umeh, Woman leader, Lady Ifeoma Ndukwu, Treasurer, Bright Njeje, Youth leader, Udoka Iwueke, Auditor, Peter Madu among others.

 

Meanwhile, the congress was boycotted by Senators Rochas Okorocha and Ifeanyi Araraume and their loyalists.

 

Edo averts parallel congress

 

What would have resulted into a parallel congress in Edo was averted as a result of a stakeholders meeting held in the early hours of yesterday before the exercise.

 

The Edo Central Vice Chairman, Chief Francis Inegbeneki, had threatened to hold a parallel   congress if he was denied his right to contest the state chairmanship position.

 

But a party caucus meeting hosted by a  former National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, which lasted till yesterday morning, was able to prevail on Inegbeneki and others to allow  a consensus arrangement.

 

Parallel congress in Ogun

 

The Ogun State chapter of APC had a parallel state congresses to elect officers that would steer the ship of the party in the state for the next four years.

 

While the mainstream of the party, which had Governor Dapo Abiodun as leader of the party,   former Governors Olusegun Osoba and Otunba Gbenga Daniel; as well as former Deputy Governor  Adegbenga Kaka had their congress at M.K.O. Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, the faction led by Senator Ibikunle Amosun had its congress at Ake palace ground, Abeokuta.

 

The congress of the faction loyal to  Abiodun was conducted by   a -7 man State Congress committee led by Chief Wale Ohu. It produced Chief Yemi Sanusi as the State Chairman of the party.

 

The congress held by the Amosun faction had in attendance the Minister for Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Olalekan Adegbite; senators representing Ogun East and West, Lekan Mustapha and Tolu Odebiyi; former governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Hon. Abdulkabir Akinlade,and  elected Chief Derin Adebiyi  as the State Chairman of the party, while Chief Jide Ojuko and Mr. Toyin Adesiyan were elected as State Deputy Chairman and State Secretary respectively.

 

The Congress was equally monitored by Mr. Gbenga Opaleye, the Chairman State Congress committee.

 

Earlier, there was pandemonium at the Ake venue of the Congress as hoodlums suspected to be political thugs attacked loyalists of Amosun.

 

RIVERS:  Why we refused opposition camp’s appeal for positions sharing -Amaechi

 

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, mocked candidates and leaders of Rivers State APC opposition camp for calling for mutual sharing of positions against open voting in the state congress held to elect new party executives.

 

Amaechi, before casting his vote in the Port Harcourt held state congress in which his loyalist, Emeka Beke, emerged as new Rivers APC Chairman, said it was laughable that those who refused selection of candidates by consensus in 2019 were now asking for sharing of positions.

 

Apparently referring to the Sen Magnus Abe’s faction, Amaechi said: “This was the reason they used the courts to stop us from having a governorship candidate in the 2019 elections.

 

“Now we are following the process. If you remember in 2019, the reason for which they stopped us was that we didn’t hold a congress. Same people who stopped us for not holding a congress are coming to say no need for congress, let’s share. Share what?”

 

Consensus in Lagos, Sanwo-Olu dismisses parallel congress

 

At the primary of the mainstream APC loyal to   Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a former Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr. Cornelius Ojelabi, emerged as state Chairman while Mr. Sunmi Odesanya was elected as Secretary in a consensus arrangement.

 

The exercise, held at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, formerly Onikan Stadium, had 1,615 delegates.

 

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led other personalities at the event held under the supervision of INEC officials and Electoral Committee members appointed by the party’s National Caretaker Committee.

 

Sanwo-Olu described the exercise as “fair, non controversial, seamnless, credible, devoid of acrimony and violence.”

 

He dismissed parallel congress allegedly held by some as “mere naming ceremonies”, saying the authentic congress was the one attended by card-carrying members of the party at the venue announced by the State Congress Committee and supervised by INEC and the party national executive committee.

 

Also elected into the party’s executive are Deputy State Chairman, Hon. Moshood Maiyegun; State Secretary, Hon. Sunmi Odesanya; Assistant State Secretary, Hon. Mariam Animashaun; Publicity Secretary, Hon. Seye Oladejo; Legal Adviser, Barr. Folashade Bakare; Assistant Legal Adviser, Barr. Adebola Adewunmi-Ladigbolu, and State Women Leader, Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas.

 

Osun: Aregbesola’s loyalists hold parallel congress

 

Prince Gboyega Famodun was  re-elected as APC Chairman in Osun State emerging with 1,840 votes.

 

Meanwhile, the party faction loyal to the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, held it congress at an open field at Ladsol area of Ogo-Oluwa.

 

At the APC Congress held inside Osogbo City Stadium, supervised by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye led National Committee, and observed by INEC officials Alhaji Tajudeen Lawal emerged as Deputy Chairman while Mr Kamaru Adebisi emerged as  Secretary.

 

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, while addressing party delegates after the congress, reiterated his commitment to a vibrant and rock-solid APC in Osun, calling on all stakeholders to follow suit.

 

Meanwhile, thugs, attempting to disrupt the congress organised by the faction loyal to Aregbesola, were repelled by another set of hoodlums before they could reach the venue.

 

A statement issued by Chairman, The Osun Progressive, TOP, Adelowo Adebiyi, said two persons,  sustained gunshots injury after the attempted disruption.

 

The group claimed that Alhaji Rasak Salinsile was affirmed as Chairman at the congress while Mr Lani Baderinwa emerged as Secretary.