Violence mars APC Congresses

Paul Osuyi (Asaba); Ben Dunno (Warri); Laide Raheem (Abeokuta); Remi Adefulu (Lagos); Olanrewaju Lawal (Birnin-Kebbi); John Adams (Minna); Layi Olanrewaju; Ilorin, Gyang Bere (Jos)
Ward chairmanship aspirant stabbed to death in Delta
The All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirant for ward 10 (Jeremiah III) in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr. Jeremiah Oghoveta was yesterday stabbed to death following an unprovoked attack on him allegedly by a yet to be identified member of his party.
The incident was said to have occurred prior to the commencement of the congress to the elect executive committee for the party at the ward level.
A source said the party chieftain was stabbed by the assailant while waiting for materials and party officials to arrive for the conduct of the congress, adding that there was already a harmonised list of executive members to douse tension before the unprovoked attack.
Meanwhile, in Aniocha South Local Government Area where Sunday Sun monitored the congress, the exercise was generally peaceful, although there were few wards where parallel congresses were held.
In ward 08 (Ejeme-Aniogor), where the party was able to harmonise, Mr. Stanley Ogbechie, emerged as party ward chairman. Also, there was consensus at ward 06 (Ubulu-Uno), where Mr. Alex Onwusai emerged as party chairman.
However, the party failed to reach consensus at ward 10 (Adonte) where option A4 was adopted. Two candidates contested the chairmanship position with Pastor Nick Okonkwo defeating Mr. Chucks Odume.
The report of parallel congresses in some wards of the locality could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.
A member of the party who asked for anonymity, told Sunday Sun reporter at Ejeme-Aniogor that most of the party leaders were able to reach consensus, adding however that “since the harmonised list appeared not to have favoured some bigwigs who are eying elective offices in the 2019 election, they decided to organise their own congresses in some wards in Aniocha South where they felt that they have some presence. The APC congress committee monitored the parallel congresses.
“But what I can also confirm is that such dissenting voices are very few. Majority of the governorship aspirants have collapsed their groups into the Emerhor/Enuha tendency, and they agreed on the harmonised lists that were used to elect ward party executives. They have also given their word to work with whoever emerges as governorship candidate and ensure victory for the party in next year’s election.”
However, a party stakeholder in ward 07 (Akumazi) in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state condemn rubbished the exercise, saying that there was nothing like congress in his area.
He accused the state party leader, O’tega Emerhor of hijacking the entire process, noting that the governorship primary would be for the highest bidder.
Large turnout in Lagos as Ambode lauds peaceful conduct
The ward congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) witnessed massive turnout in Lagos yesterday, though there were reports of infighting in parts of the state.
Commenting on the exercise, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode commended the peaceful conduct of the election across the 337 wards in the state. The exercise, it was learnt, started mostly around noon instead of the 10.00am due to logistics issues and intra-party challenges.
Security was tight in many areas as the military, police and other security agencies, were at most centres, even as there were reported cases of fighting in Isolo, Ijaye-Ojokoro and Somolu areas of the state.
In many centres, the different camps within the party resorted to ratification for a smooth exercise. For instance, in wards A5 and A6 in
Epe Local Government, the idea of using option A4 for the congress was set aside party leaders held a meeting.
In ward A6, where Gov. Ambode witnessed the exercise, he personally resolved opposition to the list by talking to some aggrieved members.
Chief Lanre Razak told the governor that the list was compiled in line with the directive of the party leadership. He said this followed a consensus among them to weed out old executives and appoint fresh ones.
Ambode commended members of the party for turning out in large numbers for the exercise.
“I commend our great members, all members of the APC ward A6 for turning out in this large number to perform their civic responsibility that we owe the country.”
“I also want to use this medium to thank all our members for being very peaceful and performing the particular exercise in a successful manner. This party agreed that it is either we do election or we vote by way of consensus and this we have done peacefully today,” he said.
Congress peaceful in Ogun …Osoba absent
The APC Ward congress elections held in the 236 wards of the state witnessed a large turn out of the delegates. The exercise was done in a peaceful manner.
But the former governor of the state, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, was not present at the exercise.
Loyalists of the ex-governor, who dumped the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and returned to APC, had on Thursday held a “peace” meeting with the state governor in preparation for the ward congress.
Speaking with journalists on phone over his absence at the ward congress, Osoba simply explained that it was not necessary for him to be at the ward congress.
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who addressed party supporters at his Ajura Ward in Obafemi-Owode local government, urged them to allow peace to reign during the congress.
Amosun, who arrived the venue of the congress late, also enjoined the party supporters to allow the trend of tolerance earlier set by the party during its previous congresses to reign.
Also fielding questions from journalists at Ward 08, N.U.D Road, Oke-Ijeun, where he had gone to participate at the congress, the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, described the exercise as a huge success.
Against the backdrop of any crisis in the party as a result of those who rejoined the party from the Osoba’s Camp, Adeoluwa said, “APC as a big family does not discriminate against the old members of the party and the returnees.
“I am not aware of any skirmishes in the conduct of the ward congress anywhere. APC is a big family and you will remember that the governor mentioned specifically that there are no old or new members. Therefore there are no skirmishes anywhere.”
Elections held only in 3 out of 21 LGAs in Kebbi
Ward congress elections were held in only three of the 21 local governments in Kebbi State yesterday.
The Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, (APC) Electoral Committee on Wards and Local Government Congress in Kebbi State, Senator Alkali Lawal Jajere confirmed that the ward executives in wards in the other 18 LGAs were appointed by consensus.
The Ward Congress took place in 225 Wards across all the 21 Local governments of the state.
Jajere, who stated this while speaking with journalists at the APC Secretariat, noted that the party had complaints from Suru, Koko and Bagudo Local Government Areas of the state.
He said: “So far so good, we have done justice to all sides. The complaints were that some people had paid for the forms and they were not able to get the forms. But we have settled all the problems.
“There is consensus in all the local governments except three local governments out of 21 councils in the state. These councils include Koko, Bagudo and Suru local government areas. We have given them the forms and we have allowed them to go and try their popularity.”
But some party members, who were not happy with the congress process, lamented that the consensus arrangement allegedly adopted was not true.
Addressing journalists at the APC State Secretariat, Birnin-Kebbi, Aminu K. Shamaki described the consensus as” false consensus,” and stressed that many of them had paid for the forms but did not get the forms.
Similarly, Mr. Junaidu Aruba Mega, who also condemned the consensus arrangement stressed that they were understudying the situation before they taking any action.
274 ward executives unopposed in Niger
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger state yesterday returned unopposed all the executives of the party in the 274 wards across the 25 local government councils of the state.
The party also elected five delegates for each of the wards that will elect the local government executives and national delegates next Saturday.
In all the 274 wards the “election” was by affirmation and generally peaceful, an indication that the party had actually done its homework before yesterday’s congress.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the police and other security agencies as well as men of the vigilance group provided security at the congresses, some of which held in private residences “for security reasons.”
It was learnt that the decision to return the ward executives unopposed was taken at a stakeholders meeting held at the government house in Minna on Tuesday night, which was presided by the governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello.
According to a source close to the meeting told our correspondent that “it was resolved that the consensus option should be adopted in order to avoid crisis during the party primaries.”
One of the returned chairmen, Mr Garba Joji said with the success recorded in the ward congress the party was set for the local government and state congresses.
Kwara peaceful
The ward Congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) went smoothly yesterday across the 193 wards in Kwara state.
Our correspondent who monitored the exercise in various parts of the state reported that there was no violence in any of the centres where the exercise took place.
Speaking with newsmen after reviewing the congress, Senator Philip Ohiare who led the APC national team that monitored the exercise in the state expressed satisfaction with the conduct of participants.
“Kwara is a very peaceful state; it is one big family and I’m proud of what we have seen today. The exercise has been very peaceful and
if there was any instance where people expressed contrary views it has been very minimal,” he said at the Balogun Alanamu ward.
Earlier while also speaking with newsmen state chairman of the party, Hon.Ishola Balogun-Fulani explained that reports from across the state indicated that party members came out enmass early in the day to pick their leaders in a free and fair manner.
Plateau excos get second tenure
Plateau APC ward congress elections were peaceful as the exercise was generally done on consensus basis where the party reaffirmed the incumbent ward executive committee to pilot the affairs of the party for another tenure.
Sunday Sun gathered that the party’s stakeholders took the decision to avoid friction that would give birth to splinters group ahead of the 2019 General elections.
A visit to some wards in Jos South, Riyom, Barkin-Ladi and Jos North Local Government Areas in Plateau North Senatorial Districts shows that party stalwarts turn out to the ward party’s offices and reaffirmed the previous Exco without any opposition.
It was gathered that almost all the 17 Local Government Area of the state had earlier resolved to endorsed the ward Exco part from few wards were elections were contested.
Governor Simon Lalong adjudged the ward congresses as peaceful and called on Plateau people to pray for peaceful party primaries and the 2019 general elections in the state.
-Sun