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Tag: APC

  • Ekiti 2018: Ex-PDP Publicity Secretary, Adeyeye denies joining APC

    …accuses Fayose’s aide of spreading falsehood

    Former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has denied news on the social media that he has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Adeyeye, former Minister of State for Works, quit the PDP two weeks ago on the heels of the governorship primary won by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    The former PDP chieftain promised to reveal his next political dispensation within forty-eight hours but he was said to be consulting with his associates and supporters.

    He accused Governor Ayo Fayose of intimidating delegates at the primary which he said swayed majority of the votes to his protégé.

    Adeyeye contended that Fayose’s order that the delegates wear same uniform compromised the integrity of the primary.

    Olusola scored 1, 191 votes at the PDP governorship primary while Adeyeye garnered 771 votes.

    The social media has been awash with reports suggesting that Adeyeye has moved to the APC with an alleged visit to Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun in Abeokuta.

    It was alleged on the social media posts that Amosun has promised to give Adeyeye N200 million if he joins the broom party, an allegation he has dismissed.

    Adeyeye who stressed that he enjoys freedom of association courtesy of the Constitution promised to reveal the party he would join without recourse to “yellow”.

    In a statement on Monday by Director of Media, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM), Niyi Ojo, Adeyeye described the claims that he has joined the APC as deliberate falsehood urging members of the public to disregard same.

    He said: “There is deliberate falsehood and blackmail trending on social media that Prince Adeyeye and his supporters have defected to APC with a promise of #200million to be sourced by Governor Amosun of Ogun State.

    “The rumours emanated from Prime Reporters, a blog owned and managed by Governor Fayose’s Media aide, Lere Olayinka, whose life achievement as a journalist is to libel, blackmail and malign the integrity of any person apart from who is presently feeding him.

    “We call on the general public to disregard the write up as the figment of the imagination of the author.

    “Prince Adeyeye has the right to any political association of his choice and he knows how to unveil his new platform without recourse to yellow journalism as evidenced from the publication of falsehood to the general public.

    “We assured all lovers and admirers of Prince Adeyeye that in a matter of days a broad based platform for the realization of his ambition shall be made known after extensive consultations and deliberations.”

  • APC acknowledges nPDP grievances as genuine

    Ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday acknowledged that all grievances expressed by the leaders of the defunct new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) were genuine.

    Speaking after a closed door meeting which lasted about an hour at the party’s national secretariat Monday, APC Deputy National Chairman North, Sen. Shuaibu Lawal, who presided over the meeting between the National Working Committee (NWC) and the nPDP members, promised that the party the Presidency will address the issues.

    He assured that the party will take up the dissatisfactions seriously, even as he admitted that all the issues have not been resolved.

    Sen. Lawal, who stood in for the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said:

    “We have not yet resolved. They wrote a letter to us; they are partymen, they have grievances; we looked at the letter, their grievances are genuine. And they requested a meeting within seven days and, before the seven days expired, I called them and they were not ready to come; they said we should shift the meeting till today, which we did.

    “So, we are listening to them, we have listened to them and we are taking up their matter seriously, we will address it. We don’t ignore our people, except if you don’t send your grievances to the party; but if you send, we will always address your grievances,” Lawal stated.

    Reacting to the meeting, leader of the dissent group, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, denied insinuations that they were planning to leave the ruling APC for the opposition Peoples Progressive Party (PDP).

    Asked whether he was satisfied with responses his group has gotten from the closed meeting, Baraje said: “So far so good, we have just started and when you start a race, you don’t say whether somebody wants to see you until you are getting to the middle or to the end. But it is a good start, it is a good beginning,” he stated.

    “As you are aware, we requested to see the party’s national leadership, and the party, very sensitive party, very responsible party, responded to our requests adequately and we think it is a very encouraging time.

    “Since last week, they have gotten across to us, but because of one logistics or the other, we couldn’t come until today. We begged the party to shift the day till today and today we have seen our party.

    “We are party members, this office is our office, we have only come home to discuss those observations we copied you people when we wrote our letter. The meeting was very beautiful,” he said.

  • Fayemi, APC’s battle to reclaim Ekiti, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    By Ehichioya Ezomon

    A major challenge for the opposition All Progressives Congress, in its desire to regain control of the governorship of Ekiti in the July 14 election, is how to counter the avalanche of disinformation, misinformation and mischaracterization that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party dishes out to the unsuspecting voters in the state.

    A sampler. Barely a few hours after the Saturday, May 12 re-scheduled primaries won by former Governor and Minister of Solid Minerals and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, a spokesperson for Governor Ayodele Fayose claimed that Fayemi was “set to pick a 73-year-old man as deputy.”

    However, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, a special assistant to Fayemi, rebutted the assertion by Mr. Lere Olayinka, special assistant to Fayose on Public Communications and New Media, which was posted on his Facebook wall. Said Oyebode: “We finished the governorship primary late Saturday night, and we’re just trying to get over the stress. So, where did Lere Olayinka hear that information? Please, disregard it.”

    Expeditious refutal of such claims is one way of defeating the deliberate false or misleading information hallmarking the battle of wits and grits that foreshadows the remaining seven weeks of campaigns before the poll, which heralds the 2019 general elections.

    And talking about picking a deputy, the clamour for a Muslim as governor of Ekiti had never been louder, culminating in the PDP adroitly nominating youthful Deji Ogunsakin, a former chairman of Ado Local Government Area, as the running mate to Prof. Kolapo Olusola, a Christian and current deputy governor of the state.

    The development, which drew applause from the South-West Muslims, who held a celebratory rally in Ado-Ekiti last Tuesday, has put the first real pressure on Dr. Fayemi and the APC to quickly respond, albeit with equal measure, to avoid alienating two vociferous segments – Muslims and youths – of the Ekiti electorate.

    That said, Ekiti 2018 is principally a struggle by a former governor (Fayemi) to checkmate an incumbent (Fayose) that removed him from office in 2014. Although Fayose is not on the ballot, he has vowed to install his deputy, Prof. Olusola, to carry on his “legacy projects” for the Ekiti people.

    Fayose, relying on his political philosophy of “100% of 100” (winning all seats on offer), has thrown down the gauntlet, derisively telling Fayemi that he and the APC would be vanquished, once again, in July.

    Reacting to Fayemi’s nomination, Fayose, via his Tweeter handle, @GovAyoFayose, wrote: “I thank the APC for giving Ekiti people a candidate they love to vote against at all times. Fayemi should not celebrate this pyrrhic victory (at the primaries) yet because it is nothing but a flame that will be quenched on July 14.”

    Another statement from his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, said: “In 2014, when he (Fayemi) was the sitting governor and I ( Fayose) was not in power, I trounced him mercilessly. I gave him 16-0, defeating him in all the (16) local governments, including in his home town.

    “Now, I have been in power for more than three years and have served the people of Ekiti well… Fayemi will suffer the worst defeat of his political career. After the July 14 election, he will go into political oblivion. He has nothing to celebrate because of the electoral disaster awaiting him.”

    Oddly, the man that gives no thoughts to another’s strength is likely to kiss the dust. Thus, Fayose’s cockiness is a distraction calculated to make Fayemi take his eyes off the ball. With a lot of ground to cover, he should concentrate on getting his “rescue mission” message across to the grassroots, who are better positioned to judge his past administration and the incumbent’s.

    The large number of hopefuls at the APC primaries indicates that virtually all 16 local governments in Ekiti are represented in the scramble to spread the governorship slot to all sections of the state. This places the APC in a good stead to win at the July poll.

    But only if Fayemi carries along his co-contestants, whose numerical strength, if well-cultivated and harnessed, could do the magic for the APC. He should have at the back of his mind the allegation by Mr. Adelusi that, “The manner of his (Fayemi) so-called victory also leaves much to be desired, as it has turned many of their party leaders and followers against him.”

    Certainly, there’s no contest without dissatisfied or aggrieved parties (as Ekiti PDP primaries also show). The good news is that Fayemi recognizes this reality. Hence, in his acceptance speech, he appealed to his co-contestants for supports, and co-opted them into the “Candidate’s Advisory Council,” for the prosecution of the APC campaigns for the election.

    His words: “In all electoral contests, tempers often rise and nerves are frayed. I, therefore, humbly appeal to all my supporters, and to my co-contestants and their supporters… that we put our differences aside… Together, we are greater and stronger than the sum of our individual parts, and no individual, myself inclusive, is bigger than our great party.”

    With President Muhammadu Buhari rallying the South-West Caucus of the APC, including Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, and the zonal APC governors, behind him, Dr. Fayemi only needs to build confidence in his 31-member advisory council as “co-owners” of the campaign, and put all issues on the table for consideration, and adoption as an acceptable roadmap for success in July.

     

    * Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

     

  • Breaking: Cyril Ogodo emerges Delta APC chairman

    Olorogun Cyril Ogodo, former Deputy Chairman of the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged as the new state chairman of the party.

    TheNewsGuru reports Ogodo emerged the state party chairman after a keenly contested congress election on Monday.

    Ogodo, who hails from Sapele in Delta Central Senatorial District, defeated his close rival, Fred Obe, who hails from Ozoro in Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta South.

    Aside from the chairmanship position which was contested, other positions were returned unopposed after a voice confirmation by the delegates.

    While Ogodo scored 731 votes, Obe scored 99 votes. Thirteen votes were voided.

    The Congress, which was held under tight security, was generally peaceful, as delegates from the 25 local government areas of the state filed out to elect the new State Executive Committee.

    The exercise, monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, was conducted by the Eugine Udoh-led State Congress Committee approved by the APC National Working Committee.

     

  • APC holds fresh Ward, LG Congresses in Rivers today

    The rescheduled ward and local government congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state will hold on Saturday (today) and Sunday (tomorrow).

    This followed the cancellation of the May 5 and 12 Ward and Local Government Congresses by the party’s national leadership.

    According to Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the party’s National Chairman and Mr Muiz Banire, its National Legal Adviser, the decision was taken after due consideration with major stakeholders.

    In a statement on Friday, the party said the decision was taken to enable all states of the federation including Rivers, to participate in the party’s National Convention slated for June 2.

    “Consequently, and after considering the logistics involved, the party hereby directs as follows: that the new Rivers state Ward Congress is hereby fixed for Saturday, May 19, and Local Government Congress for May, 20,” it said.

    Party members who had paid but were unable to collect forms for the Ward Congress, should immediately proceed to the party’s State Secretary or its Administrative Secretary to collect the required form, fill and submit same.

    The statement also waived bank payments for those who may want to participate or contest in the Local Government and State Congresses.

    “Instead, cash payment maybe made to the Rivers State Secretary or our party State Administrative Secretary,”the statement said.

    It urged party members to remain steadfast in the face of its current travails in the state and assured that the party shall overcome.

    It further added that two appeal panels each had been constituted for Ward, Local Government and State Congresses at the state secretariat.

    The statement also said that filing of appeal that may arise from the ward congress if any, would be from 3.00p.m on May 19, while filing of appeal from the Local Government Congress would be on May 20.

    It added that disposal of appeal that may arise from the Local Government and State Congresses would be on May 21.

  • Sen. Sani lists 15 threats to Nigeria’s democracy under Buhari’s watch

    Sen. Sani lists 15 threats to Nigeria’s democracy under Buhari’s watch

    All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator representing Kaduna Central at the National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, has released a list of fifteen threats to Nigeria’s fledgling democracy under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Senator Sani released the list on Friday, and it captured the “mass killings in the North Central and North West” region of the country as threat to democracy.

    The APC Senator listed “disobedience to court orders and resistance to rule of law on the alter of political exigencies” as threat to democracy in the country also.

    See full list:

    Fifteen threats to democracy in Nigeria

    1. Mass killings in the North Central and North West of Nigeria.

    2. Increasing spate of Insurgents guerrilla attacks in the North East;the abductions and the plight of the abducted.

    3. Violations of freedom of speech and increasing intolerance to contrary political views,peaceful dissent and peaceful protest.

    4. Onslaught against the parliament and parliamentarians perceived as opposition.

    5. Religious bigotry and rise of ethnic nationalism.

    6. Disobedience to Court orders and resistance to rule of law on the alter of political exigencies.

    7. Unaddressed perception of nepotism and favoritism.

    8. Timidity of the major opposition party and disorderliness of the ruling party.

    9. Public perception of credibility and moral problems of members of the parliament over corruption issues and patented as self serving.

    9b. Public perception of a Tyrannical and autocratic President contemptuous of democratic values,surrounded by a vicious cabal.

    10. Arbitrariness and increasing lawlessness of security agencies.

    11. Docile and pliant civil society.

    12. A deodorant and Insecticide style anti corruption crusade.

    13. Compromised and subservient states assemblies and emperor Governors operating above the laws.

    14. A dubious national objection to Hate speech that shields people in Position of power and targets ordinary Nigerians.

    15. The prominence of the rabid political and economic interest and ambitions of the political elites over the peace and unity of the country.

     

  • War Against Fayose: Buhari begs Tinubu, other S/West leaders to reclaim Ekiti

    Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose is in for a serious battle as President Muhammadu Buhari tasked South West caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to carry out every legitimate step to win back Ekiti state from.

    He gave the charge during a dinner meeting with the party’s leadership in the southwest at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Recall that Fayose who is at loggerheads with Buhari is positioning is Deputy, Kayode Olusola-Eleka to succeed him in office as governor of the state.

    Among those at the dinner where Buhari made the proclamation were Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, National Leader of the party Bola Tinubu and National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

    Immediate past governor of the state Kayode Fayemi, who is currently the minister for Mines and Steel Resources, on Saturday emerged as candidate of the APC for the July 14 governorship election in the state.

    And Buhari believes Fayemi has what it takes to restore what he believes are the lost values of the state.

    “I know Ekiti fairly well and Ekiti people are well known for their forthrightness, candour and integrity,” he said.

    “All of these values seem to have been lost and we must restore these values and return Ekiti to its pride of place in the comity of states.

    “As we approach the 2019 elections, the return of Ekiti into the fold of progressive states is important as the election of July 14 is going to be a key pointer to subsequent elections,’’ he said.

    The President reechoed his policy of not interfering in the internal affairs of the party at any level, commending Fayemi for reaching out to his co-contestants after Saturday’s primary election.

  • Buhari dines with Tinubu, South West APC leaders [Photos]

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday night hosted South West caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to a dinner at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The event, which started at about 8.30p.m at the new Banquet Hall, was attended by APC chieftains from the region.

    TheNewsGuru learnt that some national issues including the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states would be deliberated upon.

    More important, Buhari would seize on the opportunity to appeal for reconciliation of all the aspirants in the Ekiti governorship primary.

    Among those at the dinner were the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Chief Bisi Akande, and the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

    Others included Segun Oni, Minister of Mines and Steel Development and APC flag-bearer in the forthcoming Ekiti governorship race, Kayode Fayemi.

    Governors at the meeting included Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and the Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, who was the chairman of APC Ekiti Guber primaries committee.

    Some members of the National Assembly, Ministers and stakeholders from the South West were also in attendance.

  • Kaduna LG poll: APC wins 12, PDP takes five, others pending

    Kaduna LG poll: APC wins 12, PDP takes five, others pending

    The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM) on Monday declared the local government elections results for Chikun as inconclusive.

    Samuel Ndams, SIECOM returning officer for Chikun local government, who made the announcement, said only results from seven wards out of the 12 wards of the area were submitted.

    Ndams said results from five wards were not submitted at the collation centre, “therefore after due consultation with the SIECOM headquarters we decided to declare the LG polls in Chikun local government inconclusive”.

    Meanwhile, official results declared by returning officers indicate that the ruling APC maintains its lead in 12 local government areas, while the PDP won in five local government areas, even as results from three LGs are still pending, making a total of 21 LGs.

    Election did not hold in Jaba and Kaura local government areas.

    In Kubau, Muhammed Tukur Bashir, the returning officer, declared Sabo Aminu of the APC who scored 46,535 votes as the winner of the poll, beating Umar Abdullahi of the PDP who scored 13,398 votes.

    In Giwa, Abu Shehu Lawal Giwa of the APC won with 57,005 votes defeating Bello Shehu Kago of the PDP who got 2,673 votes as declared by Muhammed Sani, the LG returning officer.

    Musa Yusuf, the returning officer of Kauru local government, declared PDP’s Shuaibu Goma, who scored 24,393 votes as the winner against Bashir Tanko of the APC with 21,564 votes.

    Also, John Mallam Lugards, the returning officer for Ikara LG, has announced Ibrahim Salihu Sadiq of the APC who polled 42,312 votes as the winner for Ikara polls, defeating his PDP counterpart Abdullahi Aliyu who scored 9,248 votes.

    In Lere, Aminu Ahmed Muhammed, returning officer, has declared Abubakar Buba of the APC who scored 92,854 as the winner, beating Jumare Tanimu Magaji of the PDP with 16,231 votes.

    Micah Victor, returning officer for Sabon Gari local government, announced Mohammed Ibrahim Usman of the APC as the winner after scoring 20, 576 votes against PDP’s Suleiman Ibrahim Gambo with 9,580 votes.

    Similarly, Ahmed Kofa, returning officer for Igabi local government, announced Jabir Khamis of the APC who scored 47,630 as duly elected chairman, beating Abubakar Abubakar of the PDP with 2,449 votes.

    In Sanga, Samuel Shamaki of the PDP emerged winner of the chairmanship contest with 20,843 votes, beating Charles Danladi of the APC, who got 19,757 votes.

    Similarly, Nuhu Garba, SIECOM’s returning officer announced PDP’s Peter Agite as the winner in the Kachia local government chairmanship contest with 42,242 votes to beat his APC counterpart, Peter Dan-Baki, who got 33, 817 votes.

    Returning officer, Kaduna north LG, Umar Hayatu announced APC’s Saleh Shuaibu, who scored 168,572 votes as the winner, beating Muhammad Sabo Babayaro of the PDP who got 12,467 votes, while the PRP candidate had. 4,956 votes.

    In Zangon Kataf local government area, Elias Maza won with 55,643 votes, against the APC candidate, John Hassan with 31,514 votes.

    In Jema’a local government, Arnaold Makeri, the returning officer, announced Peter Averik of the PDP winner with 45,361 votes to beat Cecelia Musa of the APC who got 25, 973 votes.

    Lawal Abdullahi-Tukur, returning officer for Kudan LG, announced APC’s Shu’aibu Bawa-Jaja with 72,021 votes as the winner in the chairmanship contest beating PDP’s Kabiru Isiaku who got 3,394 votes

    Aliyu Umar, returning officer Soba LG, also announced that Mohammed Mahmud Aliyu of the APC who scored 40,903 votes as the elected chairman against the PDP candidate Muhammad Surajo Tukur who got 13,835 votes.

    In Zaria LG, Aliyu Idris Ibrahim of the APC won with 42,859 votes to beat PDP’s Yusuf Namadi with 16,033 votes.

    Similarly, Musa Abdullahi Mahdi, returning officer for Makarfi LG said APC’s Kabiru Musa Mayere won with 25,199 votes against Ibrahim Isyaku of the PDP who scored 13,088 votes.

    SIECOM announced APC as the winner of Birnin Gwari local government area but results not yet obtained.

    The official results for Kagarko and Kajuru LGs were yet to be ascertained, while that of Kaduna south is still being awaited.

    While the APC and the state government have commended the results so far released as reflecting the wish of the people, the PDP has cried foul, saying most of the results were fabricated.

  • APC congresses: Triumph of tenure elongation proponents, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    By Ehichioya Ezomon

    Except in a few states, where the rug was rudely pulled from under the feet of so-called “leaders” of the party, proponents of the aborted tenure elongation for officials of the ruling All Progressives Congress dominated the contentious May 5 (and even Saturday’s May 12) congresses held across the country.

    Thus, the outcome was more of sighs and hisses than smiles. Which is why there’s outpouring of calls for cancellation of the balloting in many states, especially in areas where aspirants were hoping to upstage officials that had overstayed their welcome.

    Recall that the tenure advocates had boasted about their grassroots’ spread and reach in the states, and that canvassing extension in office was to save the APC from implosion that acrimonious congresses and conventions often precipitate. So, the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-headed National Working Committee, chapter chairmen and most of the state governors stressed this fear of divisiveness, to seek additional 12 months for the party officials at all levels.

    Although the tenure champions won the day, they had just a one-month reprieve – from February 27 to March 27, 2018 – before the “superior argument” of President Muhammadu Buhari vitiated their dream of one more year to their original term due to expire next month (June).

    Buhari’s foreshadowing was that, apart from infringing on constitutionally-mandated periodic elections into political offices, the positions thus elongated would constitute mere “caretaker committees,” which could not legally endorse candidates for any elections, as the courts had pronounced.

    To avoid any legal jeopardy arising from such lacuna, the National Executive Committee of the APC voted for the congresses and a national convention, and asked interested aspirants, whether old or new members, and the current office holders, to go into the field and sell themselves to the party voters.

    Well, the congresses held, and the tenure prolongation partisans and their patron-governors were proved right. They did not only hold sway in the states, but the balloting was a throwback to the larger Nigerian electoral atmosphere signposted by omens of rowdiness, manipulation, and bloody skirmishes.

    In the midst of a dustup in Delta State, a chairmanship aspirant in Jeremi Ward 10, Ughelli South local government council, Mr. Jeremiah Oghoveta, was stabbed to death. In Bauchi State, aggrieved party supporters set ablaze the Ningi local government secretariat when results of the congresses in some wards did not favour their faction.

    And in Rivers State, on the eve of the exercise, dissatisfied members vandalized the APC secretariat in Port Harcourt. A High Court in the city suffered the same fate last Friday before the local government congresses. Thugs of both factions of the APC, reportedly joined by those of the external Peoples Democratic Party, vandalized the court that was considering a motion to stop the elections.

    Reports from other states were no less unsavory, with accusations of devious shutting out of aspirants unaligned with the power brokers – majorly current and past governors. Those sidelined were heavyweight politicians: former governors, former and serving minsters and lawmakers, and financiers, some of who had sacrificed more for the APC than the incumbents in the states.

    Some examples: In Kaduna State, Governor Nasir el-Rufai outsmarted his main challengers, Senators Shehu Sani and Suleiman Hunkuyi, by resorting to affirmation of candidates in all the wards, prompting the lawmakers to declare that “no congresses” ever held.

    The camp of the Minister of Transportation and former governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, employed the Option A4 system of voting to gain all seats in the wards in Rivers State, and thus outwitted the faction led by Senator Magnus Abe, whose governorship ambition Amaechi opposes.

    In Kano State, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and his estranged political godfather and former governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, held parallel congresses. Also in Kogi State, the rival groups of Governor Yahaya Bello and Mohammed Audu/James Faleke (Reps member) conducted parallel congresses.

    However, there were astounding congresses in some states. In Imo, Governor Rochas Okorocha was worsted by a combination of APC chieftains, who seized the election materials, to the exclusion of the governor’s supporters. Okorocha would hurriedly report the humiliating experience to President Buhari, who was in Daura, Katsina State, to participate in the congresses.

    Factional APC members in Oyo State, led by the Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, though reportedly manhandled by political thugs, celebrated their “defeat” of the camp of Governor Abiola Ajimobi at the ward congresses.

    In Bauchi State, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, and his supporters skipped the congresses, which Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar and his faction claimed with relish.

    Similarly, the APC national chair, Chief Oyegun, stayed away from the voting in his home-base, Edo State, which chapter has thrown up former Governor Adams Oshiomhole to contest for that position at the national convention in June. Oshiomhole, who formally declared that interest in Abuja on Thursday, has the backing of President Buhari.

    With the results of the council congresses on Saturday equally being scandalized by the “losers,” the fissures in the APC, going into the 2019 elections, may be deepening, to the “we-said-so” amusement of the tenure elongation enthusiasts.

     

    * Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.