The friction within the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of its nation-wide ward congresses today took a twist for the worse as protests have erupted
“As stakeholders of the party, we have great responsibility to make the ward congress in all the participating states successful. We should endeavour to place the party and members interest above personal interests,” Buni said.
Governor Buni further said adequate arrangements have been made by the party to conduct successful and acceptable congresses across the country. Similarly, chieftain of the party and deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, said yesterday that there is nothing going to stop the event. According to him, “From the clear content of the substratum of Jegede’s petition at the lower court, I find it very difficult to understand how it relates to the competence of the Caretaker/ Extra-Ordinary Convention Committee constituted by NEC of the APC”.
He stated that the resolution subsists and extends to the conduct of party members during the congresses. Another member of the party’s Caretaker Committee, Mamam Tahir, who affirmed that the Congress will go ahead as planned, said, “I am here this afternoon to reconfirm that our Congresses are on course to hold tomorrow and this Committee is working closely with the Attorney-General of the Federation and he has offered advice that we are on good ground and we are comfortable with that position.”
Adeniyi alleged that Osun APC Caretaker Committee had refused to carry other stakeholders along in the preparation and arrangements for the state congress tomorrow . He, however, called on the Ward Congress committee members, who are in the state for the congress, to be fair to all stakeholders within the party.
Speaking at the Secretariat, one of the leaders of the group, Mr Rasheed Raji, said: “We are here to protest the electoral fraud being committed by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and the APC Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun. The two leaders of the party are clearly killing APC in the State of Osun. Among the protesters was Mrs Opeyemi Adetipe who condemned what she described as brazen balkanization of the party by Governor Oyetola and Famodun, accusing them of intimidating and harassing members of the party who do not belong to their camp.
Justice Valentine Oriji threatened to invalidate the outcome of congresses if the party disregards the position of the Court. The tension heightened when information filtered in that the secretary of the committee, Ben Kure from Kaduna state, who was sworn in on Wednesday at the National Secretariat of APC in Abuja, had been suddenly replaced.
“The committee members must come to Enugu and conduct this congress in line with the stipulated guidelines”, a chieftain of the party, Chief Onyeike Ugwu said. But the Enugu State Ward Congress Committee chairman, Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu, said the anxiety being expressed by the members were not necessary, saying that his committee members would be in Enugu today .
Earlier, the chairman of the caretaker committee of APC in Enugu State, Dr Ben Nwoye had commended the stakeholders for attending the event. The Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa later yesterday in a motion Ex-Parte filed by some aggrieved members of the APC in the state, Ompadec Victor, Esuenifen Obi and Seimiegha Ebibofe Agbozu sought the court Interim injunction stopping the conduct of the ward Congress in the state.
The acting secretary of the party, Alabo Martins said the party is ready for the conduct of the ward Congress as required by the party. In Kwara State party leaders have agreed to adopt consensus candidates for ward congresses across the 16 local government areas of the state. Governor AbdulRazaq said the party congress is a democratic process designed to ensure smooth running of the party. He reiterated the commitment of the APC administration to serve the masses.
LEADERSHIP Friday recalls that the secretary of the ward congress committee from the APC national secretariat, Abuja, Yusuf AbdulRahman, had at a news conference in Ilorin on Tuesday advised all interested contestants to purchase forms from the recognised party secretariat in the state . Ologbondiyan at a press conference in Abuja said “This is given the pronouncement of the Supreme Court which clearly pointed to the nullity of APC’s subsistence and activities as a political party, for having a sitting governor, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state, as its Chairman, in total violation of section 183 of the 1999 Constitution as well as the provisions of Article 17 of the APC constitution.
The plaintiff in the suit marked CV/1812/2021, dated July 29 and filed July 30, 2021, is also asking the court to declare as null and void any of the APC’s Congresses and convention held under the current acting National Chairman of the APC’s Caretaker Committee.
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