As members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) file out today for the party’s local government congresses across the federation, the Ekiti State chapter of the party will be picking its gubernatorial candidate in a rescheduled primary lection.
This is coming as President Muhammadu Buhari returned to Abuja last night after his four-day medical trip to London, United Kingdom. Buhari was scheduled to return on Saturday.
The reason for returning one day ahead of the scheduled date was not disclosed but sources said it might not be unconnected with his desire to participate in the local government congresses.
Addressing reporters, the president said: “I just went for a checkup. I am now okay”. However, in a telephone interview with the president’s media aide, Garba Shehu, on why the President returned earlier than schedule, he said: “He has finished his business there and is back. We are ready for the campaigns”.
There is no iota of doubt that the contests are going to attract attention, considering the political drama that trailed last Saturday’s botched primary in Ekiti State and the acrimonious ward congresses held in the 9572 electoral wards in the country.
While a tough battle is expected in Ekiti between two former governors; Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi, the local government congresses are expected to be fraught with factionalisation as the power tussles between political gladiators are making them to flex muscles and are set to use today’s exercise to test their strength.
This is coming as Justice Chiwendu Nworgu of Rivers State High Court has granted an order stopping the congress in the oil-rich state. Justice Nworgu based the decision on an interlocutory injunction sought by 23 members of the party challenging the conduct of the congress, and adjourned the matter to June 26 for hearing.
The judgment however led to a pandemonium at state judiciary complex, when the operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) and Department of State Security (DSS) operatives dispersed protesters who barricaded the court complex The protesters in their hundreds stormed the complex because Senator Magnus Abe’s camp wanted to get a court injunction stopping the camp of the transport minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi from going ahead with the party’s local government congress.
The situation suddenly changed when some of the protesters started throwing missiles into the court premises, hitting some judiciary workers and glasses.
It was at that point that the security operatives started firing gunshots, which forced the protesters to flee towards the post office direction leading to Government House.
Some of the protesters and pedestrians struggling to cross over from the post axis to the Town area of the city took refuge in banks and adjoining buildings. Speaking with newsmen outside the courtroom, counsel to the applicants, Henry Bello said: “The court has shown that officers of APC cannot conduct any congress in Rivers State.
The ruling is meant to sustain internal democracy in APC and other political parties. Also speaking, counsel to the APC, Tuduru Ede faulted the injunction, arguing that the injunction was transferred from a High Court in Bori to Port Harcourt in less than 24 hours with the court aiding them. The publicity secretary of the APC, Chris Fynebone, who reacted to the injunction, said that the congress was an ongoing process being carried out by the state chapter in line with the party’s constitution. Fynebone noted that the ward congress at the local government level would still take place today as scheduled despite the court order.
Lagos APC in sharp division
In Lagos, the delegates across 57 councils would be going into the contest as a divided group owing to the fallout of last week’s ward congress that led to mass protests by members of the party. Considering the criticism and protests over the method used to elect ward executives and delegates, today’s election is expected to be rancorous, if those not favoured with the outcome of last Saturday congress decide to go ahead with their treat.
Some faithful had trooped to the party’s secretariat on Acme Road in Ikeja from Sunday to Thursday to register their grievances while condemning the method adopted in electing the ward executives.
They claimed that the use of affirmation and consensus by some party leaders was done without carrying the majority along. The grievances of the aggrieved members is that some chieftains of the party failed to adhere to the advice of the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu that the party leaders should brainstorm and take care of all interest in the sharing of positions.
With what happened last Saturday, it is expected that today’s local government congresses in the 20 local government areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) will be used by many party leaders to settle scores.
Saturday Telegraph gathered from party sources that some members, especially those who were not favoured last week would fight back today. Despite the plea by party leaders that the local government executives should emerged through consensus arrangement and affirmation of candidates, some members are insisting that voting should take place during today’s congress.
A delegate who spoke with one of our correspondents explained that they “will fight to the finish to ensure nobody trample on our right” Investigations by Saturday Telegraph revealed that the main cause of the power tussle between the APC chieftains is the 2019 contests as everybody is battling for the party structures at ward, local government and state levels so that they will be at an advantage position during the forthcoming APC primary elections to elect those who will fly the party’s tickets in next year general elections.
In today’s local government congress, some of the state and federal lawmakers, especially those aspiring to return to office in 2019 are expected to face-off with some party leaders who are drumming supports for other candidates to take over from the present office holders in 2019.
Some political office holders in the party are also positioning themselves to ensure that they get some delegates in today’s congress for negotiation during the party’s primary elections.
Therefore, it is expected that all the political gladiators will go out with full force during today’s congress to ensure that they have their ways and position themselves strategically for 2019.
But with the internal mechanism being put in place and reconciliation of some warring factions in the last few days, after the sitting of the appeal committee set up by the party, the election may be peaceful in many places if the members agree to go for consensus arrangement and affirmation during today’s exercise.
Parallel congress and outright boycott is expected during the local government congress in Ondo State today. For those who would not boycott the congress among the aggrieved members of the APC, the way to go is a parallel congress where another set of party executives may emerge.
Already, the Ondo East/ West Federal constituency chapter of the party has elected its officials despite opposition from the state secretariat of the party. They submitted the list only to be rejected by the congress committee of the party.
The party members in Ondo West and East local governments had accused some national officers of giving forms to a particular group at the exclusion of others. But some of the leaders had argued that the officers emerged having paid the necessary dues to the coffers of the National Secretariat of the party.
The ward leaders in a statement said they elected their ward executives despite the opposition by “new dictators” in the state. The same scenario is expected to play out today, where those that lost out in the ward congress organised parallel congresses.
The major grouse of the party members is that all the petitions submitted to the Appeal Panel were rejected without consideration and that those who alleged irregularities in the ward congresses were not given fair hearing because the panel said it is a family affair.
Imo office burnt
The raging war over who controls the structure of the party in Imo State between Governor Rochas Okorocha and Allied Forces led by the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere may have reached a feverish pitch leading to an arson attack on the party’s state secretariat Thick smoke was seen Friday evening rising out of the secretariat located at Works Layout by Okigwe Road, Owerri leading to pandemonium in the neighbourhood as people scampered for safety.
According to Government House source, the fire incident is not unconnected with the local government congress, which has become rather desperately contentious in the state following the outcome of last Saturday’s ward congress.
The office of the Chairman of the party, Dr Hilary Ekeh and his Deputy, Hon. Ugochukwu Nzekwe were mostly affected by the fire incident. Contacted, Ekeh said it was obvious that some people wanted to sabotage the LG Congress.
.new telegraph
