The State congresses
of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday deepened cracks in the party
as parallel executives emerged in states.
Parallel executives
emerged in Delta, Kwara, Oyo, Kogi and Kano states, among others.
Two congresses took place in
Kwara State with the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, leading a faction and
the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, heading another.
The Saraki-led faction held
their congress at the Banquet Hall, opposite the Government House, Ilorin,
while that loyal to the minister took place at Arca Santa event centre.
The congress of the Saraki
faction was attended by Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed, Speaker of the state
assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad, National Publicity Secretary of APC, Mallam Bolaji
Abdullahi, Alhaji Kawu Baraje and representatives of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) from Abuja and Kwara State.
The other congress was
witnessed by a former aide to Saraki, Moshood Mustapha, a member of Kwara State
House of Assembly, Prince Saheed Popoola, Abdulganiyu Cook Olododo and Raheem
Adedoyin, among others.
In the Kogi State, two state
executive councils emerged from two congresses.
A faction of the congress
conducted at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja, saw the emergence of
Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, aka “Dollar” as state chairman unopposed.
The congress was witnessed by
Governor Yahaya Bello and other party members.
At another congress at St.
Peter Primary School, Felele, Lokoja, the embattled state chairman, Alhaji
Haddy Ametuo and all his executive members, except two, returned through
affirmation.
The two members are a zonal
vice chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahovi and the state youth leader, Emmanuel Jimoh.
Two state executives also
emerged in Oyo State. Both congresses were monitored by INEC officials and
congresses committee members from Abuja.
An executive led by the outgone
chairman of the party, Chief Akin Oke, held its congress at the
Adamasingba stadium while another, led by Alhaji Isiaka Alimi was held at the
Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan.
Chief Oke and Alhaji Alimi
were the outgone chairman and vice chairman, respectively.
Present at Awolowo Stadium were
the minister of communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, senator representing
Oyo Central, Monsurat Sunmonu, eight members of the House of Representatives,
party leaders, 22 out of the 26 outgone executives of the party while former
Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and the former Senate leader, Teslim Folarin joined
Governor Abiola Ajimobi at Adamasingba stadium.
The chairman of the congress
committee and the former deputy governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi
Gwarzo, said he was not aware of any parallel congress.
However, a factional congress
at BTO Hall, Akure, Ondo State was disrupted by hoodlums with party members and
journalists injured.
But the Governor Rotimi
Akeredolu-led faction congress held at the International Event Centre. Ade
Adetimehin was elected the new chairman.
In Kano, the results of the
congress led by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje are to be announced today,
Daily Trust on Sunday learnt.
Up till the time of filing this
report, delegates were still casting their votes at the Sani Abacha Stadium.
Meanwhile, the Kwankwasiyya-led
faction had conducted a parallel congress and elected a 36-member executive
with Alhaji Haruna Umar Doguwa as chairman.
However, despite a directive by
the national leadership of the party to postpone the Delta State Congress,
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege/Chief Great Ogboru’s faction went ahead to conduct
a state congress.
In a letter dated May 18, 2018,
made available to Daily Trust on Sunday, the APC
national secretary, Mai Mala Buni had informed INEC that the congress had been
rescheduled for Monday, May 21.
But the chairman of the
congress committee, Senator Olugbenga Obadara, in company of Senator
Omo-Agege, Chief Ogboru, wife of former national chairman of the PDP
Mrs. Maryam Ali and Chief Frank Kokori, arrived the St. Mulumba
College, Okpanam, venue of the congress about 1.30pm and returned the incumbent
35-man state executive committee, led by Prophet Jones Erue by voice
affirmation.
In Zamfara State, the
Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Lawali M. Liman, was elected as the new
chairman of the party. He replaced Alhaji Lawali Abubakar Kaura who held the
position since the time of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
In Yobe State, the executives
were re-elected through affirmation. The congress was presided over by a
national officer, Alhaji Lawan Kareto.
Those re-elected included
Alhaji Adamu Chilariye, Chairman, Alhaji Alamai Kankare, deputy chairman,
Alhaji Abubakar Bakabe, Secretary and Hajiya Ladi Jibrin, woman leader among
others.
Also, the officials in Abia
State were returned. The chairman, Chief Donatus Nwamkpa and all
members of the State Working Committee were re-elected through consensus.
The Benue State congress also
returned its executives in an affirmative order under the state chairmanship of
Comrade Abba Yaro.
The re-elected party chairman, however,
disclosed that Governor Samuel Ortom would remain the APC’s gubernatorial
candidate in 2019 while the leader of the party in the state, Senator George
Akume would retain the senatorial ticket for Benue North-West.
The congress in Akwa Ibom State
decided to settle for a consensus candidates.
The Senior Special Assistant to
the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate) Senator Ita Enang said the
decision was predicated on the decision of the party to accommodate all
interests.
He said the party, by the
decision, was trying to avoid a very contentious congress.
He added that the senatorial
districts had concluded their mini exercises on who should occupy the different
offices and whom they would sponsor as candidates of that bloc.
The congress in Bauchi was held
under tight security in spite of court injunction secured by the Speaker of
House of Represntatives, Yakubu Dogara, and six others, restraining the party
from conducting the exercise.
However, the Police Command’s
Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Kamal Datti, said beefing up of security at
the venue was normal.
The state party chairman,
Alhaji Uba Nana, who re-contested, said the party was yet to be served with the
court order.
In Edo State, the congress saw
the re-emergence of Barrister Anselm Ojezua as the state party
chairman through consensus.Governor Godwin Obaseki, commended the
delegates for orderly conduct.
In Katsina State, about 1805
delegates took part in the congress where 36 officials were returned unopposed.
Also, the incumbent chairman in
Gombe State, Mr Nitte K. Amangal was elected through affirmation as the new
chairman.
In Nasarawa State, the party
formally endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for the 2019 presidential election
and returned the entire state officials.
The congress in Plateau State
was peaceful with the return of Hon. Latep Dabang and Alhaji Bashir Musa Sati
as chairman and secretary, respectively.
All 34 other positions were
also returned unopposed and one contestant for the chairmanship of the party
Mr. Johnson Podar was disqualified because his name was not on the register of
his ward.
The situation also played out
in Niger State as the executives were returned through affirmation in a
congress held in Minna.
In Kaduna, the party elected
Air Commodore Emmanuel Jakada (rtd) as its new
chairman.
The party has been without a
substantive chairman since the former chairman, Yusuf Bala Bantex, was
nominated in 2015 to be the governorship running mate to Nasir el-Rufai.
Meanwhile, Ali Bukar Dalori, a
staunch ally of Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima bounced back
to his seat as state chairman of the APC.
Other Shettima’s loyalists that
emerged are Bello Ayuba, state secretary, Mohammed Babandoki, State Youth
leader and Hajja Fati Kakinna as state woman Leader. They were among the 37
state executives elected at the congress.
The congress, which took place
at the Elkanemi Sports Centre in Maiduguri, was conducted by officials from
APC’s national headquarters.
It was monitored by officials
of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It was attended by
members of the APC Board of Trustees, past and serving Senators, House of
Representatives members, State Assembly members, past and serving public office
holders at the National and State levels.
They all supported a consensus
arrangement under which many aspirants voluntarily stepped down and made way
for the governor’s anointed candidates.
A former Speaker of the Yobe
State Assembly, Zanna Zakariyya, who chaired the congress committee, listed the
names of candidates who had indicated interests for various positions.
He then asked in different
languages if there was any aspirant who was interested in contesting for any
seat but whose name was left out. When no one did, officials of the congress
read the APC guidelines and constitution, which required affirmation of all
consensus candidates by the delegates. The APC state executives were reelected
after affirmation by delegates for a term of four years.
The executives of the Jigawa
State chapter were returned unopposed in a congress conducted under a peaceful
atmosphere.
The 35-member executives were
returned unopposed through a voice vote.
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