The All Progressives Congress (APC)’s ward congresses scheduled for Saturday, July 31, held amid much drama in some states.
The ruling APC held the nationwide ward congresses to elect new party executives at the grassroots.
However, the congress recorded twists and turns as there were parallel congresses in some states. Also, court rulings restrained the exercise from holding in others.
In Zamfara State, the ward congress was suspended over a court ruling by a Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The High Court in Abuja, in its judgment restrained the Zamfara State APC chapter from holding the congress on the grounds of a leadership crisis currently rocking the party in the state.
According to reports, Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa, who is representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District is reportedly at loggerheads with the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle over the leadership of the party in the state.
The acrimonious relationship between the duo has hit the rooftop as it led to two factions in the state.
Recall that Matawalle, who recently defected to the APC was declared the leader of the party in the state by National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni, a decision which was criticised by Marafa and some other APC stalwarts in the state.
Similarly, the APC chapter in Bayelsa State has postponed its ward congresses over a court ruling by the state’s Federal High Court.
The Federal High Court in Bayelsa State on Friday had restrained the APC in the state from holding the proposed congress pending the determination of the motion of notice before the court.
The court also adjourned the matter till August 9.
Some aggrieved members of the party loyal to former Minister of State for Agriculture and Mineral Resources, Hon. Heineken Lokpobiri, had filed an application seeking an order to stop the APC in the state from conducting the scheduled ward congress.
It was gathered that the leadership tussle in the party has generated into two factions; the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva-led faction and Lokpobiri-led faction.
Also, in Osun, some APC members staged a peaceful protest over an alleged plan by some party authorities to have a consensus party executives.
Reports had emerged that some party leaders in Osun are allegedly planning to dump the ward congress for consensus candidates.
The protesters who took to the streets to kick against the alleged plan displayed several placards with inscriptions like; We say no to consensus,’ ‘Osun progressives’, ‘Don’t kill the party, ‘We want free and fair congress’.
However, the Imo State chapter of the APC conducted its ward congress successfully in the 305 Wards in the State.
The congress held in a peaceful manner across the state.
The New Diplomat gathered that many party members stormed their respective local council to participate in the exercise.
It was also gathered that the exercise held at the Azuuzi Ward 3 in Owerri Municipal Council, Obitte/Mgbuisii Ward in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, Nguru/Umuowa ward 6, in Ngor Okpala LGA, alongside many other wards in the Southeast state.
