New Telegraph

Abiodun, Amosun loyalists hold parallel congress

The Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday conducted parallel congresses to elect executive officers of the party at the local government level.

 

This was a repeat of what happened on Saturday, July 31 when loyalists of the state governor, Dapo Abiodun and that of the immediate past governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun conducted parallel ward congresses across the state. Abiodun and Amosun have been at loggerhead over who controls the structure of the party in the state.

Sunday Telegraph correspondent, who monitored the congress in Abeokuta South and Abeokuta North Local Government Areas of the state, observed that, the congress was peaceful as there was no report of any violence.

 

In Abeokuta South, Abiodun’s loyalists held their congress at the Centenary Hall in Ake, Abeokuta while Amosun’s loyalists conducted their congress at the Panseke Park. In Abeokuta North, Amosun’s faction held their congress in the premises of the African Church Grammar school while Abiodun’s loyalists held theirs at Unity High school, Enugada, Abeokuta.

 

Sunday Telegraph also observed that, both Abiodun and Amosun factions adopted consensus methods where there were no dissenting voices.

 

National body unconcerned with Asaba Court ruling,

Dominic Adewole ASABA

 

 

 

The head of the Committee saddled with the conduct of the election in Delta State, Hon Matthew Omegara said the national body was not concerned with the ruling of an Asaba High Court which restrained certain members of the party from conducting the congress.

The congress chairman who arrived Asaba with other sixman team and conducted the exercise across the 25 council areas of the state yesterday said the court ruling only barred the state Chairman of the party, Prophet Jones Ode Erue from conducting the congress and not the party officials from the national headquarters.

This counters the report that the court has stopped the party from going ahead with the congress in the state and sacked Governor Maima Buni led caretaker committee of the party.

 

Prior to this, Barr Sylvester lmonima, the Publicity Secretary of the Caretaker Committee in the state, rejected the attempt to use court injunction to stop the exercise and said preparation had reached advanced stage.

The congress committee chairman said the party is law abiding and appealed to all members of the party to help achieve the goals of achieving a free, fair and credible congress. He vowed that the rules and regulations, guiding the exercise would be strictly followed.

He said, “APC is set to takeover Delta state in 2023. We are aware of a ruling in Delta court which says the state chairman of the party should not conduct the congress. He or his agents are not here to do so.

He has since respected the court order. The ruling has nothing to do with the national headquarters. “We will follow the guidelines for the exercise to the letters.

The officials of the committee will be presented in all the local government areas for the exercise.” He said the process will continue until the party arrives at a popular choice for the governorship race and other elective positions in the state.

 

Kano elects 1, 320 officials

 

Muhammad Kabir Kano

 

In Kano State, the ruling party conducted elections into the 44 Local Government Areas of the state with 1, 320 officials. The exercise though peaceful, still had some members who stayed away. They alleged that it was against constitutional provision of the country.

The Congresses produced 27 Elected Party officials while three National Delegates were also Elected unopposed by party loyalists.

 

The Party Secretary in Kano, Ibrahim Zakari Sarina said that in all the Congress party pooling center there were adequate Security and INEC officials observing the conduct of the Congress. “We have produced in all and all 1,320 elected Local government party Executives among who are three National Delegates members, and the election was done peacefully”.

 

Congress peaceful in Kwara

 

Stephen Olufemi Oni Ilorin

 

The congress in Kwara State took off across the state with great enthusiasm as party delegates trooped out to elect the new executives. Reports from the 16 local government areas indicated that party delegates were peaceful in electing new leaders through affirmation of consensus list earlier agreed to by all the stakeholders.

 

As at the time of filing this report, the delegate’s election had started in every part of the state under peaceful atmosphere and close supervision by the APC team from Abuja and INEC officials deployed for the exercise.

 

Katsina APC one family, consensus best for us – Sirika

 

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika has described the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Katsina State as one family, saying it considers consensus as the best method for its local government congress. Sirika made this known on Saturday while briefing newsmen in Dutsi Local Government Area (LGA) during the congress.

 

He said: “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. “There is no problem with consensus. We have always been one family, a very big and destiny family and we believe in ourselves.”

According to the minister, there is no true member of the APC family that is not happy with the consensus method.

 

Peaceful exercise in Plateau

 

Musa Pam

 

In Plateau State, our Correspondent who monitored the Congress said it was peaceful in the Northern, Central and Southern Senatorial districts.

 

The exercise which was monitored by a Congress committee led by the Plateau State Commissioner for Special Duties Irmiya Wer, witnessed an impressive turnout in all the Senatorial zones.

Consensus by Affirmations was adopted in electing officials of the Party as agreed upon by the stakeholders. Plateau State Secretary of the APC Bashir Sati who spoke to Journalists said they came with two options but resolved to adopt the Consensus Option.

 

Aggrieved members of the Party are expected to approach the Congress appeal committee after the exercise conducted in all the 17 Local Government areas of Plateau State.

 

Alleged irregularities mark exercise in Benue

 

Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

 

The exercise in Benue state was yesterday allegedly marred by pockets of irregularities as there were reported cases of parallel congresses in parts of the state.

 

Sunday Telegraph gathered that supporters of the party who turned out to participate in the exercise were stunned by the activities of the some leaders to cause more crises in the party. It was observed that the conduct of the party men to shortchange members, ignited factionalization with others boycotting the exercise.

In Gboko Local Government Area, for instance, a parallel congress was reportedly held following a sharp discord between supporters of the House of Representatives member in the area and other top politicians who claimed loyalty to a minister in the state, prompting parallel congresses.

 

But in a reaction, a factional and aggrieved local government exco of the party warned any member of the faction planning to conduct a parallel congress to shelve the idea.

 

The local government’s APC’s Secretary, Dr. Terver kyernum told newsmen that he personally did not participate in the exercise “because there is a court case filed against the intending parallel exercise, he equally warned those engaging in practice to desist, declaring that the party will not hesitate to sanction those engage in the parallel congress.

 

Exercise didn’t violate constitution – Ekiti

 

Adewumi Ademiju Ado-Ekiti

 

Ekiti State Chapter has said that conducting the exercise does not amount to the violation of the Constitution of the party not that of the country.

 

The Secretary of the Congress Committee, Job Femi Akindele, said the unconfirmed report that a faction of the party called Southwest Agenda for Tunubu 2023 presidential poll (SWAGA) went to court to challenge the ward congress doesn’t affect the outcome of the local government congress.

 

Speaking via telephone in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, Akindele added that the exercise which was conducted yesterday was orderly and that all the expected delegates stipulated by the party’s constitution and guidelines voted in all the 16 local government areas of the state.

He said: “Let me tell you that there wasn’t any legal encumbrance to our local government congress. We followed the due process of the law. “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.

 

Exercise peaceful in Oyo in spite of parallel congresses – Chairman

Sola Adeyemo Ibada n

Party leaders in Oyo State were unanimous in their submissions that the exercise across the Pace Setter State was peaceful as they sued for peace and unity among members ahead of 2023. Even as Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, said the outcome will determine the direction the party is heading in the general elections.

However, there were reports of parallel congresses in some councils, including Ibadan North-East and Ibadan South- East Local Government areas of the state. Briefing journalists at the state Secretariat, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, at the end of the congress, Chairman of the congress committee, Chief Hilary Amodu, described the exercise as peaceful.

He said: “What I saw was a good turnout and peaceful congress. The delegates were there and exercised their franchise. I was impressed. For the first time, I must commend the party and its members for a job well done. I also commend the security agencies for also standing by the party.” On the parallel congresses,

Amodu said: “With what we discussed at the stakeholders’ meeting which we held on Friday, the entire stakeholders know that there is an agreed and approved venue for the congress in each local government.

 

So, if you take the congress outside the approved venue, I don’t think that is a congress. Whatever you did there will be declared null and void.” Meanwhile, Minister of Youth and Sport Development, Sunday Dare, has said results of the congress would determine the direction of the party in 2023.

 

Speaking in Ogbomoso, during the exercise, the Agbaakin of Ogbomoso, stated: “The local government congress in Oyo State should be that of working together and ensuring all interests are accommodated. Let us use the local government congress to lay a solid foundation for the success of the APC in the 2023 polls.”

 

The Senator representing Oyo Central, Teslim Kolawole Folarin said: “The party congresses were democratic, all inclusive; the Chairman of the National Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Adeolu Akande said he was satisfied with the conduct, commending the committee members for a job well done.”

 

Amid fears Rivers holds peaceful congress

 

Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

Despite fear of running into the hands of the People Democratic Party (PDP), the congress went smoothly in Rivers State across the 23 local government areas.

 

The party’s scribe, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke had accused Wike and Sen. Magnus Abe,’s faction which boycotted the Ward Congresses in July of working together to abort the exercise.

 

Nwuke had in a statement alleged of a plot to stop the Congresses through the office of the Chief Judge by assigning a suit against the conduct of the Congress to a vacation judge to handle in order to issue a restraining order.”

 

“Under the current plan, a suit was instigated on Thursday ,August 5, filed and kept under the custody of high ranking judicial officer in the State without assignment,” he said. Although Congresses held yesterday, it was boycotted by the faction led by Abe, whose supporters boycotted the July Ward Congresses in the state.

 

At press time, the names of those elected were being compiled by the state leadership of the party, which is controlled by transportation minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

 

But in Andoni Local Government Area, whose outcome has been released, one Hon. Felix Awaji was elected to run the party’s affairs in the LGA, while one Amadi, a resident of Diobu in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area emerged the chairman. L

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