Congress
By Isaac Ukpoju
Lafia, May 5, 2018 (NAN) The All Progressive Congress (APC) wards congress in Nasarawa state held on Saturday was generally peaceful in Lafia, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
NAN correspondents, who monitored the exercise in most of the wards, reported that some of the members of the party defiled the early morning rains to be part of the exercise.
In Ciroma ward, members were on ground as early as 10:00 am slated for the exercise and had to wait for the party official till about noon.
Mohammed Yahaya, secretary of the party in the ward commended the peaceful conduct by members.
“This is a clear indication that the APC is one family, speaking with one voice and without rancor, ” he added.
Similarly, at Gayam ward, the chairman, Ahmed Aminu attributed the peaceful conduct of the exercise to the consensus decision reached by the party stakeholders.
“What we are having here today is adoption of the decimal of stakeholders in order to move the party forward and consolidate on the gains so far recorded in the state,” Aminu said.
At Makama ward, Mr. Ibrahim Arari said he got the nod of elders and other stakeholders to pilot the affairs of the party as their chairman, a position that was rectified at the congress.
Alhaji Aliyu Kira, an elder at Makama ward corroborated Arari’s claim saying that the agreement was reached to ensure a rancour-free congress.
Also in Keffi Local Government of the state, the exercise was peaceful while some ward chairmen of the party commended the state party stakeholders for ensuring emergence of party officials, from ward level, through consensus.
Mr Abdullahi Alkassim, the APC chairman, Yara electoral ward in the area said the ward party officials were returned unopposed and described the exercise as a good omen for the party.
“We are happy with the decision of the party and our stakeholders that we returned opposed or through consensus except in minor changes in the case of those that resigned from the exercise.
“We promise to work tirelessly for the party in order to ensure that our party, APC wins all future elections in the state and the country at large.
“I want to use this medium to commend Gov.Tanko Al makura, the state party leadership and other stakeholders of our party for taking the party and the state to a greater height in the state,” he said.
Alkassim called on Nigerians to support President Muhammad Buhari administration to enable him succeed in the stat ahead of him.
Mr Ovey Musa, the APC ward chairman of Wakama electoral ward of Nassarawa Eggon Local Government Area commended the consensus used to return the ward electives.
He said the decision would unite the members of the party and promote peace among members in the ward, the state and the country at large.
Also speaking, a former Administrator of Akun Development Area of the state, Mr Monday Nanza, has also lauded the members of APC for the consensus reached during the ward congresses.
He called on the people of the state to continue to live in peace and tolerate one another, irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliation.(NAN)
In Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos state, accreditation of eligible voters which started at about 1.30 p.m at Ward C Aboru-Ifesewapo, Agbado Oke Odo was peaceful amidst heavy presence of policemen.
The Chairman of Agbado Oke Odo LCDA, Mr Augustine Arogun, lauded the peaceful conduct of the congress in the locality.
Arogun said:” This is one of the largest wards where we have a lot of votes in Agbado Oke Odo LCDA.
“You can see from the way we have been conducting ourselves that it has been peaceful so far. People came out en masse to vote for their delegates and the ward executive.
The council boss also hailed the performance of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode in Lagos State, stressing that the governor had distinguished himself in governance.
He said:”The chances of APC are brighter in 2019, especially with the performance of Ambode. In fact, we are going to double the number of votes we gave to him in 2015.
“We want to double it because he has performed beyond our imagination, particularly in Alimosho where he has constructed 21 roads.
It was a different story in Badagry where the exercise was marred with snatching of materials resulting in violence and some party member disallowed the congress to hold.
Fight broke out at Ward C under Badagry Local Government during which some party members claimed that the list to elect the executive members was manipulated.
The timely intervention of the policemen from the Badagry Division prevented the situation from generating into a full blown chaos.
A party member, who pleaded for anonymity, told NAN that the list had been manipulated by party officials.
“The congress cannot hold because we believe that the list has been compromised and we wouldn’t fold our arms and allow anyone to manipulate things.
“We would prefer it nothing holds than allowing this to happen,” the party member said.
Also, the Ward Congress was yet to start as at the time of this report in Badagry West Local Council Development Area.
Party who converged in various centres waited in vain for officials of the APC to conduct the congress.
In Ward B and C, centres were filled with APC members who waited endlessly for the conduct of the exco elections.
The party members said they reported at the venue of the exercise as early as 7a.m and the exercise has not was not as at the time of this report.
Also at Olorunda Local Council Development Area, party members were still expecting officials to conduct the elections and material hasn’t arrived.
Peaceful development, however, characterised the exercise in Katsina state, in Katsina, Kankia, Charanchi, Dutsinma and Kaita Local Governments Areas where NAN correspondents monitored the exercise.
It registered large turnout of voters, particularly women amidst adequate security arrangement in the voting centres to forestall breakdown of law and order.
The APC National Deputy Treasurer, Mr Muhammad Tanko, who is the chairman of ward congress committee in Katsina State, said the congress peacefully in all the 34 local governments of the state.
“All contestants in the 361 wards in the state were given level playing ground to avoid complaints.
“The committee has a set up a complaint subcommittee to enable aggrieved contestants lodge their grievances over the exercise, ‘’he said. Congress
In Kogi, members of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi on Saturday defied the early morning rains as they trooped out for the party Ward Congresses.
The congress, which was expected to commence 10 a.m across 239 wards across in the state, was hampered by the rains which came few minutes to the slated time.
The member, who spoke with NAN, said they took the action to affirm the list of their candidates on whom they had earlier agreed.
Speaking with newsmen on the mode adopted to attain a hitch-free congress election, Mr Idris Ndakwo (APC-Lokoja II), Kogi State House of Assembly, said measures were taken to avoid imposition of candidates.
Ndakwo said imposition had caused a lot of problems in the past and as a result, the party leadership insisted that members of particular wards must agree on the choice of leadership before the affirmation.
At Ward A headquarters collation centre in Crowther Memorial College, Lokoja, the congress was conducted peacefully.
Arch. Femi Oluyori, the elected chairman of the ward, told NAN that it was a unanimous congress in which candidates were sorted in a ‘’basketing process’’, adding that members only came together to have a voice vote to affirm the candidates.
At Oworo Ward 8 in Lokoja Local Government, the INEC representative monitoring the conduct, Zakari Adama, said though the congress was billed to commence at 10 a.m but that rain held some members back, yet the exercise was peaceful.
Ishaq Idris and Abdullahi Adamu both staunch APC members with other members at the Ward Congress venue said they defied the rains in view of the importance attached to the exercise.
At Ward B, Liman Shehu, who was returned as chairman along with Ibrahim, his Vice- Chairman,said the exercise went hitch-free.
In Ward C, Bishop Crowther Primary School, Lokoja, Musa Suleiman and Abbas Mohammed emerged chairman and secretary.
In Damaturu,Yobe, the exercised was conducted through affirmation.
Hajiya Khadijah Ibrahim, Minister of state Foreign Affairs, who was at the ward congress for Damaturu Local Government Area, said the ward executives of the party were elected peacefully.
She said the party provided for either election or consensus or affirmation which was adopted by the wards.
“It was very successful here without rancour, the executives were returned by affirmation, and those who died or resigned were replaced.
“I am satisfied that due process was adhered to and everyone was satisfied with the process” she said.
Alhaji Bulama Bukar, legislator representing Gujba state constituency also expressed satisfaction with the arrangement made by the party for the ward congress.
“The ward congress had been conducted peacefully across Gujba local government area with adherence to due process, rule of law and respecting the people’s choice” he said.
Alhaji Adamu Chilariya, the acting state chairman of the party, commended party members for the peaceful conduct of the congress.
NAN reports that the ward executives were returned as leaders, while those who died were replaced. (NAN)
Reporters/ HS/DUA
Edited by Halima Sheji/Dada Ahmed