Again, two factions hold poll in Kogi State

Gombe police confirm one dead, members threaten legal action in Yobe

Like last week’s ward congresses, parallel factions conducted the All Progressives Congress (APC) local council congresses in Kogi State at the weekend.The factions are the Audu/Faleke faction with Haddy Ametuo as chairman and the Governor Yahaya Bello faction with Ibrahim Ahovi as acting chairman.

The factions have been struggling to outwit each other in their attempts to outdo the other at the end.By last Saturday the Audu/Faleke faction in Lokoja Council, elected a new executive to run the affairs of the party.At the end of the congress, which held at the St. Luke’s Primary School, Adankolo, Usman Mamanlafia and Abubakar Nagogo Maiyaki emerged chairman and secretary in the 27-man executive.

The faction is alleged to be sympathetic to the embattled APC state chairman, Haddi Ametuo.Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with some operatives of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad supervised the exercise.It was learnt that security men invaded the venue of the congress, allegedly dispersing the delegates.

At Okene, the faction loyal to Bello led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Abubakar Ohere, were seen preparing for the council congress on the popular Lafia Street. Ohere denied insinuations that there were parallel congresses, saying APC in the state remains one family.

Similar arrangements by Bello’s loyalist, led by the speaker of the state house of assembly, Mathew Kolawole, were ongoing in Kabba, to elect executives for Kabba-Bunu Local Council.

In a related development, the Gombe State Police command yesterday confirmed the killing of an APC member during the council congress.Spokesperson of the command, Mary Malum, told newsmen that the death was recorded in Deba town of Yamaltu/Deba Local Council, adding however, that the exercise was peaceful but that an argument that ensued among party members turned bloody, resulting in the death of one person, Salisu Dage, and the injury of three others.

Meanwhile, APC stakeholders in Yobe State have threatened to take legal action if their complaints of injustice during the ward and local council congresses in the state were not addressed.

Their spokesperson, Adamu Yaro, during a press conference in Damaturu yesterday said the manner in which the congresses were conducted in the state could attract avoidable litigations, as well as threaten future elections in the country.

“The gross injustices shown in the congresses, if not addressed, will leave us with no option than to fight it in a court of law.“The party, as a matter of urgency, must take appropriate measures to address the disaffection, strengthen unity and promote internal democracy, to avoid the consequences of imposition and marginalization suffered by other political parties in the past,” they said.

Secretary of the APC in Yobe, Abubakar Bakabe, said the party agreed on affirmation of the existing structures in the ward and local government councils because of lack of time and resources to organize straight elections.“It was agreed that the party in the state will go for affirmation and replace officials who died or left the party, or left the state for any reason; that was our resolution and we abided by it,” he added.