Politics

‘Harvest of confusion,’ PDP mocks APC over parallel congresses

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday mocked the All Progressive Congress (APC) over the crisis that trailed its state congresses in many parts of the country.

Crisis trailed the APC congresses in the 36 states across the country on Saturday with different factions conducting parallel exercises in defiance to the party’s directives to all aggrieved members to channel their complaints through appropriate platforms for resolution.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said the ruling party’s congresses were “a harvest of confusion with the leaders engaging in physical, verbal and emotional assault against one another.

According to the opposition party, a situation in which the APC members used their thugs to unleash mayhem on rivals and threatened them with charms and dangerous weapons was a pointer to the challenges facing the nation.

The statement read: “It is indeed despicable that a party that has the incumbent President of the country could not successfully conduct state congresses, as their leaders were seen behaving recklessly and investing heavily in violence; a development that speaks volumes on why our nation has been under the heavy yoke of violence, division, bloodletting and acts of terrorism under the APC watch.

“The outcome of APC congresses in many of the states has shown that it is a party that lacks leadership direction and internal cohesion; a party of unruly people, who are averse to peace, which explains why our country is reeling in crisis under the APC.

The APC cannot guarantee or give unity, tranquility and progress to our nation. Instead, it has continued to worsen the tension in the country. It has continued to show itself as a party that is troubled from within and only waiting to implode at any time.

Nigerians should be wary of the APC. If the APC congresses turned out this bad one can only imagine the type of mayhem that would characterize its primaries as well as their involvement in the general elections.

The APC state congresses present an unprecedented scenario in the history of our nation, where a party which produced the incumbent President, will have its ranks so torn down in shameful spectacle.

“Nigerians should make a correct interpretation of the signal sent out by APC congresses, which is that the ruling party is a mere contraption and an inchoate body of desperate elements. Such a party cannot organize for the genuine development of the country.

“Moreover, our party, the PDP is not however unaware of the efforts by the APC to inject crisis into our congresses but we commend the deft handling of issues in all our congresses to avert a crisis situation plotted by the APC.

The PDP hereby calls on Nigerians to reject this crisis-ridden, conflict-provoking, and troubled political special purpose vehicle called APC.

“It is clear that the APC cannot lead Nigeria to the promised land. It can only worsen the current uncertainty it has hitherto unleashed on Nigerians.

“The PDP remains the umbrella party that symbolizes the yearning of Nigerians for unity, development, and security. The PDP is refocused to rebuild our national fabrics, reunite our people and chart a way forward for sustainable development in our country.”

Politics

APC announces new timeline for state congresses

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced an updated timetable for its activities in the forthcoming state congresses scheduled to commence on October 16.

This was contained in a statement issued by Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, the National Secretary of the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) on Thursday in Abuja.

“Pursuant to the provisions of Article 11:A sub-section (i-xiii), and Article 17(i) of our party’s Constitution.

“The CECPC of our great party has approved the revised timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of Congresses across States in the federation to elect party officials,” he said.

The APC scribe further stated that the purchase of forms for the State Congresses which commenced on Wednesday (Sept. 15) would end on Monday (Oct. 11), while screening of aspirants for State executives would be on Oct. 13 and 14.

He said the State Congresses would hold on Saturday (Oct. 16), while appeals arising from the exercise would be from Oct. 23 to 30.

“On the cost of nomination forms, aspirants for the position of State Chairman will purchase forms at the cost of N100,000. Deputy State Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer aspirants will pay N50,000.

“Aspirants for the position of Senatorial Chairmen are to purchase forms at N50,000; Senatorial Youth Leader N30,000 and other offices N30,000.

“Female and physically challenged aspirants are to pay 50 per cent of the prescribed fees for each position,” he said.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that the APC CECPC at its 17th regular meeting on Sept. 29, considered and adopted the Local Government Areas (LGAs) Congresses reports.

The committee assured that it would look into any areas where there were disputes.

It also directed that the conduct of the State Congresses shall proceed on Oct. 16 across the federation, while Zamfara and Anambra States were exempted.

Politics

In-fighting as Abia APC holds parallel congresses

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Two factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday organised parallel ward congresses in Abia, as a leadership crisis continues to rock the party.

The congresses came barely two days after the party re-affirmed the suspension of its chieftain, Chief Ikechi Emenike.

Emenike is the leader of a faction of the party, challenging the Donatus Nwankpa-led Executive Committee (EXCO).

The EXCO at its expanded caucus meeting on Thursday announced Emenike’s suspension for alleged party misconduct.

The development, however, did not deter Emenike’s camp, as it went ahead to conduct its congresses, supervised by the National Ward Congresses Committee.

Briefing newsmen on the situation at the state Secretariat of the party in Umuahia, the Chairman, APC Caretaker Committee in the state, Chief Donatus Nwankpa, said the party declared the committee members wanted.

He said the committee members failed to report to the party secretariat in Umuahia upon their arrival in the state.

Nwankpa said the party set up screening and appeal committees for the congress, in line with the party Constitution.

He said that his EXCO had also taken delivery of all congress documents from its national secretariat.

“The party duly took custody of them, signed them and members, who paid to the national account, not state account, were given forms.

“And by the party regulation, after the sale of forms, the state party chairman is to set up a screening and appeal committee on screening.

“Those forms were duly handed over to the two lpcommittees at various locations.

“They have come back and we have screened candidates for the congresses.

“Unfortunately for us, the people who are supposed to receive the document from the screening committee did not appear.

We are not unaware of some clandestine meetings going on among those claiming to be stakeholders,” Nwankpa said.

Politics

Tension in Enugu APC over alleged hijack of congress materials

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There was tension in the Enugu State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) over allegations that materials for the ward congresses of the party might have been hijacked by some of its stakeholders.

It was learnt that stakeholders of the party drawn from the 17 Local Government Areas of the state and 260 political wards who were invited for a briefing at the party secretariat on Thursday waited in vain, as no member of the committee showed up.

The tension heightened when information filtered in that the secretary of the committee, Ben Kure from Kaduna State, who was sworn in on Wednesday at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja, had been suddenly replaced.

Ripples Nigeria learnt that though members of the party in the state paid for delegate forms, none of the forms was received at the state secretariat as of Thursday evening, paving way for suspicion that the actual delegates may not participate in the exercise.

A chieftain of the party in the state, Chief Onyeike Ugwu, speaking with newsmen in the state, said, “All the sensitive materials have been given to a member of the committee, whom we learnt is taking orders from one of the leaders of the party in the southeast zone.

“The worry is that the little success we have made in bringing members together might kiss the dust if the congress is not well managed. Nobody is ready to accept the kind of thing they did in Anambra state during the governorship primary.

“The committee members must come to Enugu and conduct this congress in line with the stipulated guidelines.”

On his part, the Enugu State Ward Congress Committee Chairman, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, said the anxiety being expressed by some members of the party was not necessary.

“They should have called the national secretariat of the party. Talking about the hijacking is part of their job. Nobody has hijacked the process and I am not working for any individual,” he said.

Meanwhile, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, on Friday during the stakeholder meeting with the seven-member committee for the ward congress election, challenged the party members in the state to use the ward Congresses to lay the political foundation for future election victories.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the party in the state, Dr. Ben Nwoye commended the stakeholders for attending the event.

He said most of the wards have already agreed on consensus arrangements but added that those who are indisposed to the arrangement would have their congress.

Politics

CONGRESS: APC begins sales of forms July 1

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) will begin sales of forms for its congresses on July 1.

The APC Director of Organisation, Prof. Al-Mustapha Medaner, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Medaner said the decision followed the approval of activities by the party’s Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

He said the purchase of forms for ward congresses would take place from July 1 to July 7 while the inauguration of the ward and local government congresses screening and appeals committee would hold on July 10.

The APC chieftain also announced the timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of congresses across wards, local government areas, and states for the election of party officials.

Medaner said: “The screening of aspirants for the ward positions would take place from July 12 to July 16 while the inauguration of the ward and local government appeals committee would hold on July 19 and ward congresses on July 24.

“The appeals arising from ward congresses would be entertained from July 26 to July 29.

Purchase of forms for the local government positions will be from July 26 to July 30 and screening of aspirants for party positions at the local government level will be from July 19 to July 26.

The appeals arising from local government congresses would be entertained from August 16 to August 20.

“The sales of forms for executive positions at the state level would take place from August 23 to August 27 while the inauguration of screening and appeals committee for state congresses would hold on Aug. 30.

“Screening of aspirants for state executive positions will be from September 6 to September 8 and appeals arising from screening for state executives will hold from September 12 to September 15.

“State congresses will hold on September 18 and appeals arising from state congresses will hold from September 19 to September 21.

By this notice, aspirants will purchase forms as follows: ward chairman – N10, 000; ward vice-chairman, secretary, and treasurer – N5,000, other offices – N 2,000.

“Local government chairman – N25, 000, local government vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer – N15,000.00; other offices – N10,000.”

Medaner said female and physically challenged aspirants would pay 50 percent of the prescribed fees for each position.

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