Violent parallel APC State Congress in Ogun as Gov. Abiodun, Amosun battle for party’s soul

The rivalry between governor, Dapo Abiodun and his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun was reenacted on Saturday as both factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held paralleled state congresses with hoodlums invading the venue of Amosun’s congress.

While the governor’s congress was held at the MKO Abiola Stadium at Kuto, Amosun’s loyalists massed at the Ake Palace ground within the precincts of the Alake of Egbaland’s palace, also in the state capital.

Persecondnews reports that no sooner than the members started coming into the palace that the gun-wielding hoodlums started shooting outside the venue thereby desecrating the paramount ruler’s official residence.

Some of them forced their way into the palace and in the stampede, several people were injured as they ran helter-skelter to safety.

They were, however, repelled according to a party chieftain, Mr Wole Elegbede, who later emerged as the factional State Publicity Secretary.

“The congress was peaceful, some thugs from the other faction started shooting just before it commenced. They made an unsuccessful attempt to enter the arena, the traditional ruler’s palace, to disrupt the congress.

“Two people were injured but nobody died, ’’ he told Persecondnews on the telephone.

Elegbede said former Governor Amosun was unavailable for the exercise which was attended by Senator Tolu Odebiyi (Ogun West) and the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite and other party bigwigs.

INEC officials, security agents and other well-meaning people also attended the Ake palace congress while the state congress committee was chaired by Mr Bayo Ohu and the Resident INEC Commissioner in Ogun, Mr Olusegun Agbaje observed the exercise at the stadium in line with Article 12.7 of the APC constitution.

At the governor’s factional congress, Mr Yemi Sanusi (former Chairman of Caretaker Committee) emerged chairman, while Aderibigbe Tella and Tunde Oladunjoye were by consensus elected as State Secretary and Publicity Secretary respectively.

On the Amosun’s side, Chief Derin Adebiyi, a former chairman of the party, (Chairman), Chief Jide Ojuko (Amosun’s ex-commissioner – Vice-Chairman), Mr Toyin Ayebusuwa (Secretary), and Wole Elegbede, a one-time Chief Press Secretary to ex-Gov. Olusegun Osoba (Publicity Secretary), emerged unopposed.