APC congresses

The situation in Adamawa State is still hazy, as the rescheduled APC ward congress slated for today may still not hold. The national committee, headed by Alhaji Musa Mahmoud from Niger State and his members are nowhere to be found in the state.

The President Muhammadu Buhari faction, led by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. David Babachir Lawal, and his loyalists were yesterday stranded at the party secretariat located along bank road in Jimeta- Yola.

Lawal was in the company of Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu, Senator Abdullaziz Nyako, representing Adamawa Central, Senator Abubakar Mo-Allal, representing Adamawa Southern zone, Engr. Markus Gundiri and other senior stakeholders.

Imo: Exercise witness fiasco
From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri

The APC ward congress in the 305 wards of Imo State was marred by crisis.

The contest for supremacy was among the governor, Rochas Okorocha, the National Organising Secretary, Osita Izunaso, the Secretary of the National Convention Committee and the Senator representing the Imo North Senatorial District, Benjamin Uwajimogu, a former Senator that represented Imo North, Ifeanyi Ararume, the Chairman of the Southeast caucus in the Senate, Hope Uzodinma, among others.

There was chaos shortly after words filtered in that Senator Ararume had been arrested for alleged electoral fraud.

Enugu: Affirmation averts showdown
From Lawrence Njoku (Enugu)

The APC ward congress in Enugu State, yesterday, returned unopposed former executive members of the party, thus averting what would have been a showdown between rival political interests. Chieftains of the party, including former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, former governor of old Anamabra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, National Vice Chairman of the party (Southeast), Emma Eneukwu, applauded the hitch-free exercise in the 260 political wards of the state.

Nonetheless, there were allegations of hijacking of materials by a faction of the party, after a failed attempt to compromise the congress committee. Investigations by The Guardian showed that many party members participated in the exercise.

Nwobodo, who spoke at his Amechi East Ward 1 in Enugu South LGA, said the enthusiasm and commitment shown by the members was an indication that Ndi Igbo has understood the need to join a progressive party at the national level.

Kano: Consensus Amid Tight Security, Kwankwasiyya Absent
From Murtala Adewale, Kano

Consensus was the option adopted by the Kano State chapter of APC in its ward congress, amid heavy security.

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje would have succeeded in securing firm control of 1188 party leaders drawn from 484 wards across the 44 local government councils of the state.

Acting Chairman of APC in Kano, Engr. Bashir Yahaya Karaye, told journalists at the party’s secretariat that all is set to conduct free and credible ward congress.

He posited that despite the consensus, earlier agreed upon, members at the ward still have the liberty to go into elections, if unsatisfied with the early arrangement.

However, supporters of former Governor and Senator representing Kano Central, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, were conspicuously absent at few wards visited.

Delta: One killed
From Chido Okafor, Warri

A ward chairmanship aspirant was confirmed killed at Jeremi ward 10 in Ughelli South council, Delta State, yesterday, during the APC ward congress to elect party delegates across the state

The PPRO Delta Police, Andrew Aniemaka, confirmed the killing.

Although the leader of the party in Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, said the ward congresses were free, fair and peaceful, reports of snatching of materials meant for the exercise were rife.

Ogun: Unopposed Outcome, Harmonisation In View
From Charles Coffie Gyamfi, Abeokuta

The APC ward congress was held across the 236 wards in Ogun State with majority of the ward chairmen, who were elected in 2014, unanimously returned unopposed.

The ward congress committee chairman, Alhaji Bashir Sheriff, who coordinated the exercise, expressed satisfaction with the outcome.

It was learnt that Governor Ibikunle Amosun directed that where there was consensus among party leaders about candidates seeking election, the affected candidates should be returned unopposed.

It was also gathered that there would be “harmonisation “ at the end of the day to accommodate people loyal to former governor, Chief Segun Osoba.

Forty-eight hours to the congress, the Osoba camp and that of Governor Ibikunle Amosun were said to have met in Abeokuta, the state capital, to deliberate on how to work in unity to ensure peaceful and successful congresses.

Kogi: Audu/Faleke Camp Rethink Boycott, Claims Victory
The Audu/Faleke Political Organisation in Kogi State announced with exultation how majority of its candidates coasted home to victory in yesterday’s ward congresses across the state.

Speaking with newsmen in Lokoja, the state APC chairman, Alhaji Hadi Ametuo, said he was glad to announce that APC members came out in their thousands to elect the ward executives across the state, with members of the Audu/Faleke group running away with victory.

“Having consulted widely with our people and critical stakeholders of the APC on our initial boycott plans and received assurances, we directed our members to come out in their droves to participate in the congresses yesterday and I am glad to say that the congresses went well without hitches across the state, with our members recording massive victory,”Alhaji Ametuo declared.

Edo: Oyegun Absent At Peaceful Congress
From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City
 
THE Edo State chapter of APC, yesterday, had a peaceful ward congress across the 192 wards of the state, where most of the elections were by consensus and affirmation.
 
In Edo north, the peaceful conduct of the exercise was witnessed in wards 1 and 2 in Akoko Edo council, where Chief of Staff to Governor Godwin Obaseki, Taiwo Akerele, participated.

At ward 2 in Oredo, the APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, was absent, but the exercise was conducted by the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, and monitored by officials of INEC.
   
Birnin Kebbi: Mixed Bag Of Consensus, Contest
From Ahmadu Baba Idris, Birnin Kebbi

The chairman of APC Electoral Committee on Wards and Local Government Congress in Kebbi State, Senator Alkali Lawal Jajere, has confirmed that out of 21 local governments, where the ward congress took place by consensus, only three councils had election.

The congress took place in 225 wards across the 21 local governments of the state.
Jajere, who stated this while speaking with journalists at the APC secretariat, said: “There is consensus in all the local governments, except three out of the 21 councils in the state. These councils were: Koko, Bagudo and Suru local government areas. We gave them the forms and we have allowed them to go and test their popularity.”

Cross River: Congress Postponed Indefinitely
From Anietie Akpan, Calabar

Following the hijack of electoral materials for the ward congress in Cross River State, the six-member APC congress committee, led by Mr. Stanley Okezie, was held hostage.

The committee members were held at Danic Hotel, Calabar, for over seven hours by aggrieved members, who accused them of aiding a faction of the party to rig the congresses scheduled to hold in various wards of the state.

As early as 8:00 a.m. the party secretariat at Barracks Road was besieged by party faithful, but materials were not on ground, thereby causing tension and rowdiness as most stalwarts moved to the hotel.

After so much pressure by party members like the Senator, Cross River Central, Owan Enoh, the National Vice Chairman, South South, Ntufam Hiliard Eta, APC governorship aspirant, Venatius Ikem, Zonal Vice Chairman Central, Mr. Cletus Obun, former governor of the state, Mr. Clement Ebri, Special Assistant on Prosecution, Chief Okoi Obon-Obla and hundreds of party members, the congress committee members were forced to move to the secretariat for a stakeholders’ meeting.

The meeting presided over by Eta resolved to postpone the ward congresses indefinitely.

Bayelsa: Peaceful Congress, Sylva’s Court Ruling
From Julius Osahon, Yenagoa 

Despite apprehensions in many quarters that the APC ward congress in Bayelsa would be marred by violence, the exercise went on smoothly across the 105 wards in the state. 

At Yenagoa, Ward 2 and 3, Onopa and Amarata ward 5, materials came early and delegates were available. The conduct was orderly. In ward 13, Otuabula 1 and 2 in Ogbia local government area, officers and delegates were also early.

Former governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, speaking to journalists after monitoring the exercise alongside members of the party’s congress committee, faulted the purported judgment by the State High Court, Sagbama Division. Sylva slammed Justice E.G. Omukoro for the injunction reinstating the sacked state chairman of the party, Tiwei Orunimighe.

Rivers: Uncertainty, Protests
From Kelvin Ebiri, Ann Godwin, Port Harcourt

The crack in the Rivers State chapter of APC was further deepened by yesterday’s crisis-ridden ward congresses.

After Friday’s violent protest that led to the vandalisation of the party’s secretariat in Port Harcourt, the congress went ahead in some parts of the state devoid of violence.

The Guardian gathered from sources in Opobo, the hometown of the Director General of NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside, that the congress, which took place in the early hours of yesterday, was peaceful.

Similarly, at the Ojukwu field in Port Harcourt, the congress was also conducted without any hitch, even as ward 5 Etche was also peaceful.

However, there were complaints no congress was held in Ward 11, 15, 4 and several others in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Angry APC members almost torched the party secretariat in Port Harcourt on Friday after allegedly paying for nomination forms into designated APC accounts, but were not issued forms.