Again, parallel state executives emerge in Ogun APC
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State yesterday made passionate plea to members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, urging them to unite in order to overcome the coming challenges. The plea followed the conduct of two parallel State congresses by the two factions which produced two new set of party executives.
Amosun, at his faction’s congress, graced by large crowd, said the monthlong congresses produced “no victors, no vanquished”, advising those who won to be magnanimous in victory while those that lost should take it in their strides.
Amosun spoke yesterday at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta at the end of the State Congress of the party, which was monitored by 12 officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from the state and federal levels.
He said the congresses in Ogun APC had proved that “free and fair elections are possible in Nigeria if we all abide by the rules.”
Commenting on the protests that nearly marred the sitting of the Appeal Panel last Wednesday, Amosun said such was not totally unacceptable in politics.
He explained that with the endorsement of the April 5 and 12 Ward and Local Government Congresses by the APC Appeal Panel, the success recorded in yesterday’s State Congress should encourage members to sink their differences and come together as one family.
“I spoke with our party leader, Akinrogun Olusegun Osoba, this morning and we shall continue to work together so that we can face the next elections as a united body,” he added.
On his part, the Chairman of the State Congress Committee, Ope Salami, commended the efforts of all stakeholders in the party towards successful congresses.
He acknowledged a few hitches in the exercises but said they were not enough to invalidate them, explaining that national leadership of the party scored the congresses very highly.
Sunday Trust gathered that the power tussle between Governor Amosun and the former Governor Osoba had led to previous parallel ward and local government congresses witnessed in Ogun State.