Keyamo, 18 others demand cancellation in Delta
2 chairmen emerge in Bauchi
PDP flays APC over crisis
By Saawua Terzungwe, Muideen Olaniyi (Abuja), Iniabasi Umo (Uyo) & Hassan Ibrahim (Bauchi)
There is confusion as four ‘chairmen’ of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have emerged in Akwa Ibom State following last Saturday’s state congresses held by the party.
They are Augustine Ekanem, Steve Ntukekpo, Mr Douglass Pepple and another who is said to have emerged from the group loyal to Bishop Akpan, another APC chieftain in the state.
Mr Steve Ntukekpo had emerged from the congress held by a group loyal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and former governor of the state, Senator Godswill Akpabio, while Douglass Pepple emerged from the congress held by the group loyal to a Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang.
The State Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party, Dr Ita Udose, in a statement, however, said Augustine Ekanem is the authentic chairman of the party in the state.
“In line with the Constitution of the APC, I wish to bring to the notice of all APC members and the general public the official results of the state congress elections conducted through open secret balloting on Saturday, October 16, 2021, at Sheergrace Arena, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State as announced by the 7-man State Congress Committee from Abuja who conducted the exercise.
“The attendance cuts across all the major shades of opinion in our party and there was no one left in doubt as regards the authenticity of the congress which was very peaceful.
“The party implores any member who has anything against the conduct of the party congresses to get ready to present it before the 5-man state congress appeal committee that will be set up very soon,” the statement reads.
Senator Akpabio and Senator Enang whose groups held parallel congresses were, however, listed among party members who attended the congress that produced Ekanem.
Stakeholders demand cancellation in Delta
Some stakeholders in Delta State have asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee to cancel last Saturday’s Congress held in the state.
They include the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Festus Keyamo; a former Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Ochei; Delta APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Elvis O. Ayomanor; the Secretary, Delta APC Leaders’ Council, Hon. Cairo Ojougboh and 15 others.
In a statement at the weekend, the stakeholders said as leaders of the party in the state, they were not part of the “kangaroo” state congresses organised by some politicians in the state.
“We are calling on the national leadership of the party to cancel and declare that sham they call congress null and void.
“We stand on the initial position of the party, and present the original concensus ward to state exco list as directed by the leadership of the party and put together by the leaders and stakeholder of the party from across all tendencies and factions within the party here in Delta State.
“We would not recognise any other executive than the consensus executives put together by the leaders and stakeholders, which have been affirmed as the wards, LGAs and state executives, by all APC faithful across the state,” they said.
Parallel congresses in Bauchi
There were parallel congresses in Bauchi State as stakeholders failed to agree on the position of the state chairman of the party.
Daily Trust reports that the failure by power brokers to reach a consensus on the matter led to the emergence of two state chairmen as parallel congresses were held in the state.
Babayo Aliyu Misau, said to be backed by the Minister of Education Adamu Adamu, emerged at the Pali Suite, while Sunusi Aliyu Kunde, said to have been supported by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Maitama Tuggar, emerged after two other contestants stepped down at their congress held at Zaranda Hotel.
While declaring Babayo Misau as the new chairman, the Secretary, State Congress Committee, Aji Alkali Kolo, said they were mandated from the APC National Secretariat to conduct a rancour-free election.
On their part, the stakeholders under the leadership of Hon Adamu Noma, from Bauchi Central Zone, insisted that Sunusi Aliyu Kunde is the duly elected chairman of the state.
Noma said some of the critical stakeholders of the party attempted to highjack the congress through “a rancorous meeting” in Abuja, that sought to produce a consensus candidate anointed by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
But APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena told one of our correspondents in a telephone chat yesterday that the party would recognise the excos that emerged from the congresses conducted by its state congress committee.
PDP flays APC over crisis
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has chided the All Progressives Congress (APC) for holding state congresses characterised by violence and parallel exercises in many states of the federation.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, while reacting on Sunday to the development, said it was a clear signal for reasons why the nation had allegedly been in a disaster.
Ologbondiyan said “the fractious congresses” of the APC have shown how “greed and lust for power by the ruling party’s leaders had created crisis in all facets of our national life.”
The PDP called on Nigerians to reject what it called “this crisis-ridden, conflict-provoking and troubled political special purpose vehicle called APC.”
“It is indeed despicable that a party that has the incumbent president of the country could not successfully conduct state congress, as their leaders were seen behaving recklessly and investing heavily in violence; a development that speaks volumes on why our nation has been under the heavy yoke of violence, division, bloodletting and acts of terrorism under the APC watch.
“The outcome of APC congresses in many of the states has shown that it is a party that lacks leadership direction and internal cohesion; a party of unruly people who are averse to peace, which explains why our country is reeling in crisis under the APC,” the PDP added.
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