APC: Parallel Congresses Hold in Adamawa, Zamfara, Enugu... As 1 Killed in Lagos
As 1 killed in Lagos Kwankwasiyya holds congresses today in Kano
The All Progressives Congresses (APC) local government congress turned violent in Lagos as one person was killed and three others injured amidst incidents that dominated the exercise across the country.
The congress, in Agege Local Government of Lagos State, turned bloody when a man, identified as Nurudeen Olanose was shot dead while three others were critically injured.
The congress was said to be going on smoothly at the Central School, Dopemu, when some hoodlums invaded the place and started shooting.
Eyewitnesses told Daily Trust on Sunday that the attack may not be unrelated to the supremacy battle between different camps within the state and local government party caucuses.
Mr Jayeoba Kolawole who claimed he was at the venue, said activities were going on smoothly when some boys found their way into the school compound and started shooting.
Another member of the party, Kehinde Olatunji, who also claimed to have witnessed the incident, said it appeared that the killing was premeditated because those who shot him quickly left the venue.
In Adamawa State, parallel congresses were held against the backdrop of Ward Congresses Appeal Committee that struck out 8 out of 10 petitions including one filed by “The Buhari Support Project 2019.”
Promoters of the group include former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawan, Senators Abdulaziz Nyako, Abubakar Mo-Allahyidi as well as Marcus Gundiri.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha who spoke at the congress organised by the party leadership at Lamido Cinema in Yola North Local Government Area adjudged the election as peaceful.
He denied existence of a faction, saying there are existing guidelines for elections and that the party would only accept results of elections conducted in accordance with those guidelines.
The Speaker, Adamawa State Assembly, Kabiru Mijinyawa, who participated in the election in Yola South commended the party for a peaceful e exercise.
However, a member of the “Buhari Support Project” and former Minority Leader in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Bappa Waziri, said the congresses organised by the group were the authentic ones.
In Enugu State, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, the Special Assistant to the President on Judicial Reviews, Mrs Juliet Ibekaku and the Director- General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu, in parallel congresses emerged as delegates at the congresses.
They were elected unopposed during the parallel congress held at the Comprehensive High School, Abia-Udi.
Also, during another congress at Udi APC Local Government secretariat, 9th Mile Corner, Ngwo, near Enugu, Okechukwu was returned unopposed alongside others.
The APC National Vice Chairman, South-East, Emma Eneukwu and the acting Women Leader, Mrs Oby Nwofor, were among the party chieftains from the local government who attended the congress.
However, the congress in Langtang South Local Government Area of Plateau State was postponed following a violent clash between supporters of Governor Simon Bako Lalong and Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung.
An eyewitness say Dalung who is from Langtang South was not at the venue just as he failed to appear during last week’s ward congress.
Daily Trust on Sunday however, gathered that the minister’s supporters had turned out at the local government secretariat before the venue was later changed.
Our correspondent also gathered that supporters of Governor Lalong were not comfortable with the election officials.
The Chairman of the electoral team for the local government, Hon. Ibrahim Baba Hassan told Daily Trust on Sunday that congress had to be postponed over security breach.
In Kano, the Kwankwasiyyaled faction of the APC said it will conduct its local government congress today.
The chairman of the faction, Alhaji Haruna Umar Doguwa made the disclosure in Kano yesterday.
He said the faction postponed the congresses following the death of the renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Isyaku Rabi’u. The faction conducted a parallel ward congresses last week.
Also, the camp of the chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Kabiru Marafa organised a parallel Congress in Zamfara State.
The camp in a statement signed by Bello Soja Bakyasuwa Maradun said the parallel congresses recorded a large turnout.
In Ondo State, parallel congresses held with each group claiming to be the authentic faction.
The congresses across the 21 council areas of Kogi State were said to be peaceful apart for that of Lokoja Local Government Area where a parallel congress was held.
Speaking in Iyara, headquarters of Ijumu Local Government Area, Senator Smart Adeyemi said the peaceful conduct was an attestation to the acceptability of the party in the state.
The congresses were also peaceful across Delta State.
Meanwhile delegates and critical stakeholders in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have agreed and endorsed its executives for another term.
The chairman of the electoral committee for the local government, Suleiman Wambai, told newsmen in Lafia the committee found out that the decision was overwhelmingly reached without rancour, disaffection or complaints.
He said the decision reflected the unity, maturity and understanding flourishing in the APC in Lafia.
The State Secretary of the party, Mallam Aliyu Bello, who monitored the process, said he was highly pleased with the resolve of party members.
In Yenagoa, a former Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Werinipre Seibarugu, said the peaceful local government congress showed the party was ready to take over power in the state.
He told journalists yesterday that they have already put their house in order to ensure the APC takes over power in the state in 2020.
In Katsina, the chairman of the state local government congress committee and deputy national Treasurer of the party, Barrister Mohammed Tanko Zakari, expressed delight the congresses went smoothly.
He said, only two complaints were received with one of them being a pre-election matter while the other is being handled by the appeal committee.
However, the chairman, congress committee in Kwara State, Senator Mohammed Ohiare, has called on other state chapters to adopt Kwara’s model in electing their executives.
Ohiare told journalists in Ilorin that the exercise was made easy in the state because of the subsisting leadership system that had been institutionalised.
The congress in Edo State mainly adopted consensus to elect party executives at the councils.
The state publicity secretary, Mr Chris Azebamwan, said consensus was adopted to maintain the cohesiveness of the party.
In Benue State, the old structures were retained mainly by affirmation. Our correspondent who monitored the congress in Gboko, Tarka and Makurdi local government areas report that though materials and officials arrived late at the party secretariat, supporters, however, conducted themselves in an orderly manner.
The Chairman of Tarka Local Government Area, Anthony Sende, said, the party in his domain had continued to conduct their affairs peacefully over the years without rancour or intervention from any quarters.
The APC in Yobe State assured of its readiness to address marginalisation and disenfranchisement in the party’s congresses. The state Commissioner of Education, Alhaji Muhammad Lamin told newsmen in Damaturu that is was normal to receive complaints in every election but what happened in the congresses were purely in-house problems that can be sort out.