Tension as APC Ward Congresses Kick-off Nationwide

By Omololu Ogunmade  and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will today commence processes that would lead to its June election national convention. It is starting with ward congresses in the 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

President Muhammadu Buhari has already left Abuja for his Daura country home to take part in the congress.

However, ward congress for Ekiti and Osun were rescheduled due to the party’s governorship primary election taking place at the weekend.

Already, there are palpable fears that the exercise in some states would be explosive due to the contending forces seeking to take control of the party structures.

For instance in states like Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Adamawa, Borno, Kogi and Cross River, the contest will be tough as agents of political gladiators from opposing camps are likely to clash.

During the congress organised to fill vacant positions in the party executives, the exercise was almost grounded in many of the states with results being rejected by aggrieved stakeholders.

As at yesterday the various committees saddled with the responsibility of conducting the ward congress were seen hurrying out of the national Secretariat of the party in Abuja heading for the state of their postings.

Meanwhile stakeholders of the party in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have asked members of the party to support continuity in office of all the ward executives ahead of today’s nationwide ward congress of the party.

The party leaders also reaffirmed total support for the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, Chairman of the FCT committee of zonal APC Chairmen, Hon. Aminu Abubakar, said by allowing the incumbent excos at the ward levels to continue it would create harmony within the party rather than go to election and later result into crisis.

The zonal chairmen forum of the six geo-political zones have been existing in the political structure of the Federal Capital Territory.

Abubakar said: “Let me say here categorically that the second message of this press conference is to also re-align and re-affirm our result to adopt the position of the stakeholders of our Party on the on-coming congresses from the Hon. Minister house in Life-Camp to Area Council and wards decision in ensuring the status-quo of maintaining the present Executives of our Party is sustained. 

“This, according to our belief would create harmony rather than to go to elections and results into crisis. We therefore call on our party faithful to remain calm and avoid any act that would create functions among our ranks.”

On the decision to support President Buhari’s re-election, Abubakar said: “This committee therefore want to re-affirm our decision as leaders of the zones to pledge our unalloyed and total support for President Muhammadu Buhari administration, and his re-election bid, the Hon. Minister of the FCT and the able leadership of our great party in the FCT under the uncommon chairmanship of Alh. Abdulmalik Usman.”

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