The Police in Ogun State on Friday warned against political thuggery and violence as the two major factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are set to conduct parallel State congresses on Saturday.
Daily Trust reports that the warring groups led by Governor Dapo Abiodun and his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, had held parallel ward and Local Government congresses last month.
The factions battling for the soul of the ruling party have now concluded plans to also hold separate congresses to elect the state executive members of the APC in the exercise slated for Saturday.
Amosun group had picked the Ake palace ground, Abeokuta as venue of its congress, Abiodun’s faction will be conducting their congress at main bowl of the MKO Abiodun stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta.
The State Police Command said it had deployed large number of policemen to secure the MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto, where Abiodun’s faction had picked as the venue of the congress.
The Police Spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement, on Friday night,
warned that “any act of hooliganism and brigandage before, during and after the congress will not be tolerated.”
He also warned that anybody who has no business in and around the venue of the congress should steer clear of the area
Oyeyemi said, “The Command will deal decisively with anybody caught in any act capable of undermining the peace and tranquility being enjoyed in the state, no matter the position or status of such person.
“Parents and guardians are also advised to call their wards to order by counseling them not to allow themselves to be used for political thuggery as such will be viewed with all seriousness.”
The Police Spokesman quoted the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, to have wished members of the party successful congress, while enjoining them to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner and exhibit high sense of sportsmanship.
Any Congress Conducted Outside Our Mandate Null And Void – APC Panel
However, the chairman of the Congress Committee for Ogun state, Wale Ohu has declared that, any congress outside the one conducted by his committee is “null and void.”
Ohu insisted that the only congress conducted by his committee will be regarded as valid State Congress election in the state.
Ohu disclosed this while briefing journalists after the screening of all aspirants seeking election into various state party offices, held at the APC secretariat, Moshood Abiola Way, in the State capital.
He said, “I have the mandate of the National Secretariat of the party to vet, screen and conduct the Ogun State congress of the APC. No other election is valid, except the one my committee of 7 sent by the National headquarters of the party.
“You will recall that we had conducted Ward and Local Government Congresses in this State before. The outcome of the congresses were subjected to appeal and subsequently validated and upheld by the CCECP of the party.
“Only a few minutes ago we sworn in the leadership at the local government level because the caretaker committee of the State Executive Council had been dissolved. For emphasis, tomorrow’s Congress of the APC will hold at MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, not anywhere else. Any other purported or supposed election is therefore a nullity,” he stressed.
According to Ohu, the clarification became necessary because he had been inundated with calls, text messages and physical enquiries over the exercise and insinuations that some other persons are planning to have another election.
