The Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is conducting parallel congresses to elect officials into the state executive of the party on Saturday, 16th October, 2021.
Voice of Nigeria reports that while the faction of the former Governor Ibikunle Amosun is using the Ake palace ground, Abeokuta as venue of its congress, the Governor Dapo Abiodun’s faction is conducting it’s congress at the main bowl of the MKO Abiodun stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta.
The Congress organised by Amosun’s faction was disrupted by unknown men.
As at the time of filing the report, activities have been disrupted forcing people to scamper for safety.
However, the Chairman of the Congress Committee for Ogun State, Wale Ohu said that any congress outside the one conducted by his committee was “null and void.“
Ohu insisted that the only congress conducted by his committee would be regarded as a valid State Congress in the state.
He disclosed this while briefing Journalists after the screening of all aspirants seeking election into various state party offices of the party, held at the APC secretariat, Moshood Abiola Way, at the State capital.
Ohu 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.”
Insinuations
According to him, the clarification became necessary because he had been inundated with calls, text messages and physical enquiries on the exercise and insinuations that some other persons were planning to have another election.
“It cannot be. Any other one other than the one we are conducting is anti-party because we have all the materials: congress eligibility register, ballot papers and boxes, result sheets, party seal and authority. No other person or group of person has the CCECP to conduct any election or congress in Ogun State tomorrow,” he said.
Ohu further said that his committee had invited security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the exercise as he enjoined party faithful to conduct themselves with decorum.
“Everybody knows Ogun State for its civility, peace and high-level of political enlightenment,” he stated.
Free, fair
Ohu introduced all the 7-member team from the APC headquarters in Abuja saddled with the responsibility of conducting the Congress in Ogun State and assured all APC members of a credible free, fair and transparent process.
He said ”participants at the congress would include five delegates elected at the Ward Congress held on July 31st, 2021 as ratified by the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the party.”
Others expected at the Congress besides those elected at the ward congress include statutory delegates as stipulated in the party’s constitution and the guidelines for the congress.
The statutory delegates comprise of members of Trustees from the State, State Chairman and members of the State Executive Committee, State Governor and his deputy; all serving and past members of the National Assembly who are members of the party.
“All serving and past members of the State House of Assembly who are members of the party; all elected local government area chairmen, their deputies and councilors who are elected into the 20 LGA who are members of the party,” he stated.
Others are chairmen and secretaries of the party in the LGAs; and members of the Zonal Executive Committee from the State.
He added that political appointees, if not elected as delegates, may however attend as observers.
Lateefah Ibrahim
