The unresolved crises and divisions in the party across the states reared their ugly heads on Saturday as party members filed out to elect state executive officers.
The crises which engulfed the All Progressives Congress (APC) state congress assumed monstrous proportion in some states with the emergence of parallel executive committees.
The unresolved crises and divisions in the party across the states reared their ugly heads on Saturday as party members filed out to elect state executive officers.
In all, only 20 states reported successful exercises while at least 12 states held parallel congresses.
According to Persecondnews, the states are: Akwa lbom 3 APC Chairmen, Kano 2 APC Chairmen, Bauchi 2 APC Chairmen,
Ogun 2 APC Chairmen, Kwara 2 APC Chairmen, Lagos 2 APC Chairmen, Rivers 2 APC Chairmen, Abia 2 APC Chairmen, Niger 2 APC Chairmen, Ekiti 2 APC Chairmen, Sokoto, 2 Chairmen and Imo 2 APC Chairmen.
In Imo for instance, a former governor and serving Senator, Rochas Okorocha, wrote off the exercise in the state.
“We are not aware that there was an APC congress in Imo State. What they did today was a birthday party.
“As long as we are concerned, Dan Nwafor is the authentic chairman of the APC in Imo State,” Okorocha said through his media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo.
In Kano, in spite of attempts to abort 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 Chairman.
A party member from the national headquarters, Sani Bello, supervised the congress in Janguza, Tofa local government area of the state and announced Zago as the Chairman among other newly elected executives.
A chaotic situation had reigned as security agents 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.
In Osogbo, Osun, violence also marred the exercise there while the congress was postponed in Taraba State.
Parallel congresses also held in Akwa Ibom, confirming the deepening crack in the state APC.
A group loyal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, conducted its congress at the Kara Event Centre along Stadium Road, Uyo, while 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 capital.
Niger State was not spared as it elected two EXCOs with a faction conducting its congress at a private building along Bay Clinic Road in Minna.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello’s faction held its Congress 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.
Ogun State had a parallel congresses — one attended by Governor Dapo Abiodun
at M.K.O. Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, and another congress at Ake palace ground, by the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led group.
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 Amosun congress 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), Abdulkabir Akinlade.
It was the same story in Abia State as two excos were elected.
However in Ekiti, APC leaders were able to manage their crisis as they elected an executive committee through consensus Members of the Ekiti State Executive of the APC emerged through consensus under the watch of Governor Kayode Fayemi.
In Lagos, the Centre of Excellence and the base of APC National leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s camp elected officials through concensus while former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led group organized another congress.
The exercise, held at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, formerly Onikan Stadium, had 1,615 delegates.
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 in Osun state, loyalists of lnternal Affairs Minister, Rauf Aregbesola and Governor Adegboyega Oyetola held parallel congresses.
Thugs who attempted to disrupt the congress organised by Aregbesola were repelled by some hired hoodlums, causing panic and riotous situation.
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