Controversy still trails Saturday’s ward congresses of the ruling ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) across the states.
While many states claimed it was free, fair and peaceful, others said participants and other stakeholders were shortchanged.
The congress did not hold in Anambra and Zamfara states due to the disagreement over the last governorship primary and leadership tussle.
In Kebbi, Abia, Imo, Ondo, Kaduna, Adamawa, Sokoto, Gombe and Delta states, the exercise was said to be without rancour.
In Niger State, one of the factions rejected the outcome, calling for a fresh exercise.
Kebbi State Governor and Chairman of Progressives’ Governors’ Forum (PGF), Atiku Bagudu, expressed delight at the peaceful conduct of the congresses.
The governor, who spoke after the affirmation of the party’s new wards leaders at Nasarawa 2, his ward, said: “History has repeated itself as the party had at several times employed consensus and it worked well in the past.” The Chairman of Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area, Aminu Sarkin Fada, congratulated the governor for the smooth conduct of the congress in his ward.
Leader of the monitoring committee from the party’s national secretariat, Dr. Osita Okechukwu, hailed Bagudu, major stakeholders and party members for their cooperation, solidarity and unity for the party’s progress. The Chairman of the Ward Congress Committee for Abia State, Israel Sonny Goli, lauded the exercise’s successful conduct.
The APC chieftain, who represents Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State, said his committee was not interested in anybody that declined to participate in the congress, having made it clear that no member of the party was excluded. In Niger State, a faction of the party, led by it Secretary, Mohammed Liman, has declared the exercise null and void.
Liman said there was a litigation over the legality of the caretaker committee in the state, which had not been settled.
The embattled party chieftain claimed that the party’s Ward Congress Committee from Abuja was not in Minna, the state capital, for the exercise.
“If this congress is challenged in court, the challenger would win. The illegal congress being embarked upon will kill the party. The party is heading for doom, a disaster waiting to happen,” he said.
A chieftain of the APC in Osun State, Chief Adewale Bamigbade, yesterday hailed Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for sustaining unity and cohesiveness of the party after the ward congresses.
Bamigbade, who is one of the leaders in Ilesha, also praised the state’s Caretaker Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, for ceding to the directive of the national secretariat by adopting consensus method to elect leaders of the party at ward levels.
In a statement yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, he said: “With the concluded ward congresses in Osun State, it shows that our members still trust the leadership of our party and leaders also listen to their demands.
“We have spoken with one voice and it will go a long way to help our party in subsequent elections, particularly during Osun 2022 governorship election.
“Governor Oyetola allowed the party to decide on who they wanted to be their leaders and Prince Famodun did an excellent job.”
The national leadership of the party gave a pass mark for the ward congress in Kaduna State, describing the exercise as transparent and rancour-free. Imo State APC Chairman, Prince Marcellinus Nlemigbo, expressed happiness over the peaceful conduct of the exercise in the 305 wards. In Ondo and Adamawa states, the exercise reportedly went peacefully.
Credit of party officials and other stakeholders who demonstrated maturity.
“There were no instances of parallel congresses anywhere in the state, and the entire exercise was conducted under the supervision of officials of the INEC and security agencies.” On the death of a party member, Oluwalana said: “…There was a disagreement between two individuals around the venue on a matter totally unconnected to the congresses, which led to a fight and the unfortunate demise of one of them.
We have it on good authority that the incident happened long after the congress had been concluded and was not connected with the conduct nor the outcome of the exercise. “Further, we would like to disabuse the minds of the public on insinuations being peddled about a purported clash between supporters of Governor Kayode Fayemi and supporters of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the state.
“Our respected National Leader is well known to have contributed to the growth of the party in Ekiti State and the entire country, and we as a party are aware of the very cordial relationship between Asiwaju Tinubu and Governor Fayemi.
“Conflict entrepreneurs are advised to look elsewhere for a different narrative to bolster their divisive tendencies, and not fan embers of discord where there is none.”