APC Congress: Amosun, Aregbesola, others risk suspension over parrallel state congress
…as Caretaker Committee describes parallel arrangements as futile, unconstitutional
By Moses Adeniyi
Risk of sanctions is feared for top political leaders under the umbrella of the All Progressive Congress (APC) over alleged sponsorship of parallel congresses believed to be against the broad interest of the party.
Nigerian NewsDirect learnt from key party functionaries that such politicians who were instrumental to convening parallel congresses which are products of division against the party interest, would on frank decision risk party sanctions for activities capable of fractionalising the party.
Saturday APC congresses in such States as Osun, Ogun, Abia, Kano, and Niger assumed dynamic dimensions occasioning parallel arrangements – a development that resulted into opening doors of crises in the party with controversies that translate into the emergence of factions.
Listed among the top officials alleged to have sponsored parallel congresses against National Party’s interest were Nigeria’s Minsiter of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, the Senator representing Kano Central, Ibrahim Shekaru, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Senator representing Ogun Central senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
Against attempts to prevent conduct of a parallel congress in Kano, the Senator representing Kano Central, Ibrahim Shekaru, led a group to conduct a parallel congress which elected Ahmadu Haruna Zago as the state party Chairman.
Others in Shekaru’s camp include senator representing Kano North, Barau Jibril, member representing Dawakin Tofa and Rimingado Federal Constituency, Tijjani Abdulkadir Jobe, member representing Karate and Rogo Federal Constituency, Haruna Isa Dederi and member representing Kano Municipal Federal Constituency, Shaaban Ibrahim Sharada.
Meanwhile, a party member from the national headquarters, Sani Bello, supervised the congress in Janguza, Tofa local government area of the state.
Similarly, in Osun, a faction loyal to Nigeria’s Minsiter of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola had organised a parallel congress at Ladsol area, Ogo-Oluwa, which produced Mr Rasaq Salinsile and Mr Adelani Baderinwa as Chairman and Secretary at the factional congress.
This is just as the National Committee party representative conducted the APC congress held at the Osogbo city stadium, where Prince Gboyega Famodun and Mr Kamoru Adebisi emerged as Chairman and Secretary respectively.
In reaction to the development on Sunday, APC’s National Committee Chairman for Osun state congress, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye has described any congress held by any faction in the State as a mere jamboree.
Speaking to journalists at the APC secretariat on Sunday, Elegbeleye said his committee was in the state for real business to supervise and conduct congress for the APC at a specified venue, which is the stadium in the state capital.
He argued that neither a faction nor the National Secretariat notified the committee of any other congress, which he described as a “funeral ceremony or marriage ceremony,” conducted by any other factions.
He said, “I am not aware of any congress elsewhere in Osun State, nobody notified me or any member of this committee. We are seven in number. What we don’t know we don’t act on it.
“We came to the state secretariat of the party on Friday to hold a stakeholders’ meeting and we informed all party members that the congress, we were saddled to conduct by the National Secretariat, will be held at Osogbo City Stadium on Saturday.
“We came here to announce the venue of the congress. So, if anybody goes to any shrine to do anything, certainly that may be funeral ceremony or marriage ceremony but not a congress.”
In Akwa-Ibom, while the group loyal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, conducted its congress at the Kara Event Centre along Stadium Road, Uyo, the faction loyal to the National Caretaker Committee Secretary of the party, Senator John James Akpanudoedeghe, convened its won congress where its officials were elected at the Sheer Grace Arena, Uyo, the state capital.
The congress in Niger took similar turn with the emergence of two factions following disparities in interests.
In Abia State, while Chief Ikechi Emenike group held its own at the Ugwunchara area, loyalists of Hon. Donatus Nwankpa gathered at the indoor Sports Hall of the Umuahia township stadium for the congress.
Ex-Gov. Amosun risks another suspension
Meanwhile following the controversies of parallel congresses that greeted the Ogun State party chapter, the Senator representing Ogun Central senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has been said to be on the verge of being suspended again by APC over anti party activities.
Amosun, a former Governor of the state was suspended in 2019 by the party for allegedly working for the Allied People’s Movement (APM) candidate, Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade against the APC candidate and now sitting Governor of the State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, in the 2019 governorship election.
It was gathered that recent developments have prompted questioning of his confidence in the party by the national leadership which it was said may give another query that could lead to a second time suspension.
It was gathered attempts to hold parallel congresses at the ward, local government and state levels had on Saturday led to chaos, gunshot and pandemonium at the Ake palace.
Parallel congresses are against party constitution – APC
As controversies shroud the development, the APC on Sunday said parallel congresses conducted in the affected States on Saturday are against the party’s constitution.
The ruling party conducted its congresses in 34 states on Saturday, with some factions conducting parallel congresses.
National Secretary, APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe in a statement described the parallel congresses as futile and against the constitution of the party.
According to him, the APC leadership will not hesitate to take adequate and lawful measures against any person or interest “sabotaging the collective party’s interest and efforts to achieve peace and unity in our great party.”
He said the leadership of the party will only recognise congresses conducted and supervised by its State Congress Committee.
He said, “Our attention has been drawn to reports of so called and purported “parallel” Congresses. To borrow the phrase of one of our esteemed governors, such ‘parallel’ Congresses are mere naming ceremonies.
“The purported ‘parallel’ Congresses are futile activities and very strange to the party, our Constitution and the guidelines for the conduct of the State and other Congresses.
“Only exercises conducted by duly inaugurated State Congress Committees are recognised by the party.
“The APC leadership will not hesitate to take adequate and lawful measures against any person or interest sabotaging the collective party’s interest and efforts to achieve peace and unity in our great party.
“Where contestations exist, adequate conflict resolution measures have been put in place to address them. The party has appeal committees for every Congress.
“Recall also that the party has inaugurated the National Reconciliation Committee under the chairmanship of Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, former governor of Nasarawa State to reconcile all differences among stakeholders and party members.”
Attempts to get the reactions of the affected parties as at the time of filing this report proved abortive.
