APC congresses: Showdown looms as factions, groups reject consensus

Fireworks are expected ahead of today’s state congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as efforts to adopt consensus and position sharing arrangements in the composition of state executives among opposing interests have failed.

It was gathered that the option of sharing arrangements among the groups and interests was rebuffed as stakeholders couldn’t reach any agreement and thereby creating room for parallel congresses, polarization and boycott of state congresses across the country.

In its previously held ward and local government congresses across the country, the ruling party experienced crises in many of its state chapters over the outcomes of the congresses.

In Ogun State, the two factions of the party in the state – Governor Dapo Abiodun faction, and his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, are set to hold parallel state congresses today in separate venues in Abeokuta.

The Abiodun’s faction of the party would hold its state congress at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, while Amosun had chosen the Ake palace ground as the venue for its state congress same day.

In Lagos, the mainstream APC under the leadership of former Governor Bola Tinubu is set to hold its congress at the Onikan stadium, while the Lagos4Lagos movement led by Olajide Adeniran Jandor, said its venue for congress is its state headquarters on Adeniyi Jones.

Supporters of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode are also holding a parallel congress in Lagos today.

In the Enugu State chapter of the party, leaders of the party in the state failed to a reach decision on a consensus candidate and parallel congress is expected to take place in the state.

The embattled Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye camp, which has settled for his former deputy, Mr. Adolphus Udeh, as party chair, said its congress would take place at the state secretariat, off Abakiliki Road.

But the camp of the former governor of the state, Sullivan Chime, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, which has no consensus candidate, may conduct its congress at The Dome event Centre in Enugu.

In Ebonyi State, the move by the state governor, David Umahi, to ensure that no parallel congress takes place today has led to the sealing off of Salt Lake Hotels, Abakaliki, the proposed venue for the parallel congress.

Similar template is expected to play out in Delta State, where the likes of Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Festus Keyamo (SAN), Dr. Alex Ideh, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, Victor Ochei, Dr. Mrs Mariam Ali, Chief Monday Igbuya, Sir Richard Odibo, Elvis O. Ayomanor and others, are said to be up in arms against the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, and a host of others on the state congress.

In Kwara, the Chairman of the Committee for the state congress, Prof. Emmanuel Dan-Daura, is optimistic of a united front, but it is unlikely especially with the parallel outcome of the previously held congresses.

Governor Abdulrasaq Abduraham is at loggerheads with Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed over the control of party structures.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that the options of consensus and sharing formula arrangement, proposed to stakeholders as means of pacifying different camps and interests within the party, failed, because most of the gladiators are more interested in a winner-takes-all outcome.

A ranking member of the party in Lagos told The Star that most of the governors of APC-controlled states refused to even considered the options because it appears to undermine their influence and control of the party in the state.

He said, “The rejection of arrangements to recognise different interests and tendencies will only escalate the crisis further as we go to electioneering. You will start seeing court cases flying up and down. We should jaw jaw than war war,” he said.