Following the inauguration of the newly elected state chairmen as well as that of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, some of the key actors in the nationwide congresses may have lost out in their bid to control the party structures in their respective states.
In Rivers State, Senator Magnus Abe lost his bid to stop the recognition of Ojukaye Amachree who belonged to the group loyal to the Transportation Minister Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi as the new state chairman.
A similar fate befell the Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, whose effort to wrest the party structure in Oyo State from the incumbent governor, Abiola Ajimobi, hit the rocks, as the candidate who emerged from the pro-Ajimobi state congress, Chief Akin Oke, was the one sworn in as new the APC chairman in the state.
Besides, Shittu was also said to have been prevented from entering the venue of the inauguration on Monday and his faction Tuesday announced that it was leaving the party to another one where their interests will be protected.
It was also an extension of his woes and nightmare for the embattled governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha, who made spirited efforts to get the state congress results annulled, but could not convince the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to do so.
Accordingly, it was the candidate of the ‘Imo Restoration Coalition’ Hillary Eke who triumphed.
Reacting to the swearing-in of Eke, Okorocha declared Tuesday that he would not rest until he sees the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, and others imprisoned for dragging the party backwards.
In Kwara, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, attempted to test his popularity against Senate President Bukola Saraki, who has a firm grip on the party structures in his state.
However, the APC recognised Ishola Balogun Fulani as chairman. Fulani was elected chairman by the main faction of the party loyal to Saraki, while Moshood Bolarinwa, who was elected chairman by the Kwara APC faction loyal to Mohammed, was ignored.
The party also dumped Fouad Oki who was the chairman elected by a faction of the APC in Lagos and instead swore in Tunde Balogun, who was elected chairman by the main faction loyal to the National Leader of the APC, Chief Bola Tinubu.
The tussle for the control of the Enugu State chapter of the APC ended in favour of the group loyal to the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, VON, Osita Okechukwu and the National Vice-Chairman (South-east) Emeka Eneukwu.
Ben Nwoye, who emerged from one of the parallel congresses backed by Okechukwu and Eneukwu, was confirmed by the party.
The NWC had in the wake of controversies over the conduct of parallel congresses by aggrieved groups issued a statement saying that it would not recognise any congress not conducted by its congress committees.
In the statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said there was no such thing as parallel congresses.
“The only congress recognised by the party is that conducted in accordance with the party constitution, which was organised by the congress committee charged by the party to organise such congresses.
“We therefore regard any so-called parallel congresses as an exercise in futility and attempt to cause confusion in the party,” APC had said.
In Kano, Abdullahi Abass, the candidate loyal to the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, was also sworn in as the state chairman.