The Chairman of the APC National Congress Committee in Osun State, Mr.Gbenga Elegbeleye, said that as far as his committee was concerned, there was no parallel congress anywhere in the state except maybe what he called Facebook congress.
Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State and Elegbeleye commended party members in the state for their peaceful conduct during yesterday’s exercise.
Speaking with our correspondent, Regional Integration and Special Duties Commissioner Olalekan Badmus said the consensus arrangement was a confirmation that “our party is united and stronger than before.”
He said: “There is no parallel congress anywhere as we consulted all the stakeholders within the party before this exercise. Governor Oyetola respects the decision of the party and our members have unanimously endorsed the consensus candidate in the Osogbo Federal constituency.”
The Nation learnt that some loyalists of Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola protested the consensus arrangement around Gbodofon Bridge via Ogo-Oluwa.
Governor Oyetola said he was proud of the congress committee for “being very fair and efficient in discharging their responsibility.”
He also congratulated the newly elected executives and described their choice as “a call to service.”
Elegbeleye said: “Things were very perfect. The atmosphere was peaceful and we were very impressed by the way and manner which the people conducted and comported themselves peacefully without any rancour whatsoever.
“As we all know, consensus is what the party has always subscribed to and this is what was largely adopted in the state. And with what we have seen so far, there is nothing like parallel anywhere except on Facebook.
“We are very glad to witness this congress in a peaceful atmosphere as this is in line with the principles of our party.”
We followed due process in Ekiti, says panel chairman
The Secretary of the congress committee in Ekiti State, Mr.Femi Akindele, said the exercise went well across the state.
“Let me tell you that there wasn’t any legal encumbrance to our local government congress. We followed the due process of the law,” Akindele told reporters when he was asked to respond to reports that a faction of the party had gone to court to halt the conduct of the congress.
He added: “The automatic delegates like the former governors and deputies, former and serving National and State Assemblies’ lawmakers, elected local government chairmen, deputies and councilors, elected party executives at the ward level all participated in the election.
“There are processes stipulated by the party. We saw that everything was done in compliance with the law. Whoever has grievances can channel that to the National Caretaker Committee through the appeal panel that will be sent to Ekiti soon.”
Delegates in Ado Local Government Area of the state affirmed 26 executive members to pilot its affairs for the next four years.
Leader of the three-man Local Government Congress Committee, Mr Olusola Amonimo, called the names of the executives while delegates affirmed them.
Ondo APC chairman applauds members
The local government congress of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State was relatively peaceful across the 18 local government areas.
Leaders of the Ondo APC had earlier agreed to use the consensus method to select local government leaders of the party.
In Akure South, Akure North, Ifedore and Idanre monitored by our reporter, the Ondo APC affirmed the consensus list after the names were read out.
Acting State Chairman of the party, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, applauded party members for improving on the ward congresses.
Engr. Adetimehin said the LG congress was peaceful because party members were well organised.
He said: “The local government congress is going on peacefully in Ondo State and we are doing it as required by the law.
“Ondo State is a state to be proud of under APC. Ondo APC members are well organised. They comport themselves to the rules and regulations.
“We held a stakeholders meeting and it was unanimously agreed that we were going to select our executive through consensus.
“Our Ward congress was the best across the country and we are going to build on it. All the leaders agreed on consensus.
The Ondo State Local Government Congress Committee Chairman, Gbenga Isiaka, who spoke after monitoring the exercise, described the process as wonderful.
He said issues arising from the Ward Congresses had been resolved, adding that all necessary materials had been distributed.
Ogun gets 27-man EXCO for each LG as committee declares Amosun’s parallel congress a nullity
Supporters of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State affirmed a 27-man executive committee to run the affairs of the party in each of the local government areas of the state with the governor commending leaders and members of the party for a job well done.
Addressing party faithful at the St. Saviour Anglican Primary, Ikenne, venue of the congress in Ikenne Local Government Area, Abiodun said the peaceful manner in which the party conducted the exercise was a strong indication that APC remains the party to beat, not only in Ogun but in Nigeria.
He said the consensus approach in electing the executive committee in each of the local government areas in the state would further entrench internal democracy in the party.
He thanked the Wale Ohu-led Local Government Congress Committee for ensuring a rancour free exercise in the state, saying the party would continue to welcome members from other parties.
The seven-man committee last night declared that any congress conducted in the state outside the one it conducted was dead on arrival, null, void and of no effect.
The chairman of the committee, Wale Ohu, spoke at the APC state Secretariat Abeokuta while fielding questions from newsmen following reports that loyalists of former governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, conducted parallel congresses in parts of the state.
Speaking on behalf of the Amosun’s faction, Tajudeen Lamboye, the SouthWest Legal Adviser of APC, insisted that the Amosun faction remained the authentic executive body of the party in Abeokuta South LG.
Lemboye said: “We have successfully elected our officers for Abeokuta South Local Government Area of the party. I’m a supporter of Senator Ibikunle Amosun and I’m one of his loyalists, and we all here are his loyalists and we believe in his leadership. That is why we are here.”
Enugu LG congress is democracy in action, say Onyeama, Nnamani
Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffery Onyeama and former Senate President Ken Nnamani said the conduct of the LG congress in Enugu State was exactly what the people wanted.“This is democracy in action. This is what we want – democracy. Enugu APC is leading in democratic process and we’re going to extend this to the entire state,” Onyeama said after participating in the exercise in Udi Local Government Area of the state.
He added: “You have shown that democracy is at work in Enugu. I assure you that you will reap the results of this in 2023. We will make sure that Enugu is an APC State by 2023.”
Nnamani, who joined party members at Amechi Awkunanaw in Enugu South LGA for the exercise, said it was heart-warming that leaders and members in all 17 local government areas participated actively, responsibly and peacefully.
He described the keen grassroots interest in the congress and massive turnout everywhere as particularly encouraging.
Nnamani said: “Our people simply reaffirmed the reality that the APC has truly attained new, robust strategic electoral strengths to dominate the politics of Enugu State and Southeast.
“I am glad that right candidates emerged. I can vouch for the elected persons. So, what you people have done is the correct thing. Any other person doing anything outside this will have to answer questions from security agencies.”
Chairman APC LGA Congress Committee in Enugu State, Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu, said the national leadership of the party led by Governnor Buni “certified this election here today.
“The constitution of the party was clearly observed and the entire process followed the guidelines and I believe that the best foot was put forward here.”
AbdulRazaq, Lai Mohammed’s supporters hold parallel congresses in Kwara
The rivalry between supporters of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Information Minister Lai Mohammed continued on Saturday as they held parallel LG congresses in the 16 local government areas.
Chairman of the state Caretaker Committee, Alhaji Abdullahi Samari, however said he was not aware of any parallel congress.
Members affirmed executive officers who had been picked by consensus.
The Lai Mohammed group led by Hon Bashir Bolarinwa also said it had picked its officials by consensus to promote peace and unity.
Legal Adviser to APC in the state Ladi Mustapha told The Nation that “we held congresses across the 16 local government areas.”
Gombe gov to party members: Let the world know we’re in charge here
All Progressives Congress (APC) members in Gombe State also elected officials to run the affairs of the party in the 11 LGAs in the state on Saturday through consensus while the ward executive members earlier elected were sworn-in.
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya who participated in the exercise in Gombe metropolis charged all the councils party executive members to remain committed and loyal to the party.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya noted that with the continuous growth of the APC in the State through mass decamping, opposition parties would find it extremely difficult to put in any meaningful showing in future political contests in the state.
“We are ready to face any political party and I have the firm belief that as a party we shall beat them squarely and continue to provide dividends of democracy to our teeming populace.
“There is no shaking. Let the world know that we are in control. Let the world know that we are in charge and let the world know that we are ready to deliver APC from the local government to the state and to the national level.”
Kebbi, Taraba, Yobe, Katsina, Jigawa, Benue too go for consensus
It was the same consensus story in Kebbi, Taraba, Yobe, Katsina, Jigawa and Benues states on Saturday.
At the Justice Ibrahim Umaru Primary School, venue of the Birnin Kebbi Local Government Congress, the APC National Congress Committee chairman, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, applauded the Kebbi State chapter for the peaceful conduct of the exercise, while Prof Dalhatu Sangari, a member of the APC Board of Trustees, said in Jalingo, Taraba State that all the political zones in the state had adopted consensus to ease the process of selecting leaders at the local government level of the party and expressed optimism that the outcome would be hitch-free.
Sangari called on the party members to unite for a common purpose.
Yobe State Deputy Governor Idi Gubana, speaking in Damaturu, hailed APC stakeholders for their sense of maturity and selflessness in the interest of the party.
The deputy governor noted that the congresses would give the party a strong foundation to consolidate on its successes in the state and the country at large.
Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said in Dutsi Local Government Area of Katsina State that the APC being one family considered consensus as the best for its LG congresses.
“We have adopted the consensus method for the election of our party leaders at the ward, local government, and state levels because we are all family members,” he told reporters.
“There is no problem with consensus. We have always been one family, a very big and destiny family and we believe in ourselves.
“We are the people that understand the political goings around our locality.
“And we are not Abuja politicians; we are well grounded at the grassroots.
“We established all the villages and towns around this area; we nurtured them and nursed them. Hence, we are always with them.
“Anybody you see here at the venue of the congress is a happy member of the family, both politically and socially.”
The Jigawa State chapter of the party made it a two in one affair on Saturday when it inaugurated its newly elected officials in all the 287 wards in the state and also held its LG congress.
Representative of the local congress committee, Alhaji Haruna Musa, was happy at the turn out of the congress and commended party members for exhibiting a high sense of maturity and patriotism during the e congress.
He said the success of the congress was a step forward toward APC’s victory in the 2023 elections.
The conduct of the LG congress in Benue State was generally peaceful on Saturday.
Party spokesman, James Ornguga, said that with the peaceful conduct of the exercise, the APC was now ready to take over power in 2023.
APC governorship aspirant, Richard Tersoo Mnenga, described the congress as a family affair.
The congress was rescheduled for today in Wushishi Local Government Area of Niger State following the inability of the supporters of the two contenders for the Chairmanship of the party to reach an agreement.
But the exercise took place in Bida, Lapai, Chanchaga, Bosso and other local governments peacefully.
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State yesterday commended members of the APC in the state for their peaceful conduct during the local government congress, describing their maturity as a great asset to the party.
Lalong spoke in Shendam, headquarters of his local government during the conduct of the exercise where all the officers emerged via consensus.
The Governor said what transpired in Shendam was a good example of political maturity and dialogue where individual interests are harnessed for the common good and the strengthening of the party in the State and nation at large.
He assured the members that their sacrifices and considerations would be rewarded as the party continues to wax stronger, ready to win the forthcoming Local Government elections.
Akwa Ibom holds parallel congresses
The factional crisis in the Akwa Ibom chapter of the party worsened yesterday as factions within the party held parallel congresses across the 31 local government areas of the state.
The APC in the state has been split into two major factions. One of the factions is loyal to the National Secretary of the APC Caretaker Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, while the other is said to be for the Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The tussle for the soul of the party played out during the last ward congress which is still a matter for litigation with each of the factions claiming to have produced the authentic ward officers.
Our correspondent observed that there was a general atmosphere of inactivity at the state Secretariat of the party situated along Ikot Ekpene Road where materials were supposed to be moved from to the council areas.
A few members who turned up at the party where aloof and appeared lost as to whether elections would hold or not
Some members of the party who spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity said materials for the congress were hijacked and taken to remote and unknown places were the election was allegedly done.
However, it was gathered that there were no materials for the congress as each of the factions were busy trying to prepare their own list of winners of the congress.
Spokesperson of APC, Nkereuwem Enyongekere however said the congress was general peaceful across the state.
”The results of the congress have not been announced, but all I can say is that the exercise was peaceful in all the local government areas of the state,” he said.
Protests mar exercise in Adamawa
Protests and complaints of irregularities marred the local government congresses in Adamawa State.
Disenchantment with organisation of the congress climaxed with youths staging a protest march to the party’s state secretariat in the capital, Yola, towards the evening.
Many youths stormed the Secretariat shouting, ‘We need justice,’ ‘No congress was held.’ ‘This is all a scam’ among other outbursts.
They accused security operatives and members of the committee sent from the National Secretariat of the APC of “conniving to divert materials” meant for the congress.
As the youths became rowdy, security officials shot into the air to restore order.
Journalists lost their freedom to achieve thorough coverage, as security operatives and officials supervising the process forced reporters and cameramen to delete whatever recording they made of the disorder.
Complaints had been rife earlier in the day, especially in Yola North, Yola South and Girei LGAs of how election materials were in the wrong hands, causing scarcity where they were really needed.
It was said in some places that no activities were observed at all, but this was explained to mean that stakeholders were working out consensus option and no voting was required.
We had a successful exercise, says APC secretary
Secretary of the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Dr. John Akpanuoduedehe, last night rated the exercise a huge success.
He told our correspondent by phone that the exercise was “successful and peaceful nationwide.”
“The Congress was very successful. The exercise was very peaceful and orderly everywhere across the country. Today’s exercise was an improvement on the ward congress. It was far more successful than the July 31 ward congress,” he said.
When told of pockets of crisis in some states, Akpanuoduedehe said the differences would be addressed in due course.
He added: “I have said that the exercise was peaceful and successful but wherever we have these minor differences shall be looked into and will be addressed in line with the party’s constitution and the guideline governing the exercise.
“The Chairman, Hon. Mai Mala Buni and the entire Caretaker Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) are committed to ensuring fair play and level playing ground for all our members and where there are aggrieved ones, we shall use the party’s internal mechanism to address the situation.”
Akpanudoedehe attributed the success of the party’s local government congress to the resolve of the CECPC to deliver on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari of building the party “bottom-up” and to the dedication of the LG Congress Committee to carry out their assignment diligently.
“I want to appreciate our party members, the LG Congress Committees, INEC officials, Police, and DSS who were at every point to monitor what we did.”
