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APC: One shot dead in Lagos as Kogi, Bayelsa hold parallel LG congresses

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APC: One shot dead in Lagos as Kogi, Bayelsa hold parallel LG congresses

The All Progressives Congress (APC) nation-wide local government congresses held today (Saturday) have been saturated with stories of violence and confusion as was the case of its ward congress held last week Saturday.

In Agege area of Lagos, a man identified as Nurudeen Olanose was shot dead during the exercise as fracas ensued at Central School, Dopemu, soon after voting ended in the area. Two other victims were said to be in critical condition it was learnt.

As at the time of filing this report nine people were said to have been arrested and taken to Area G Police Division in Agege.

The Lagos State Police Command spokesman, Chike Oti, has assured that he was going to give full details on the matter as soon as possible.

In the neighbouring Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, the exercise ended abruptly as delegates rowdily disagreed on the election of some candidates.

The stories coming from Bayelsa and Kogi states are also not good, as the exercise in the states recorded parallel congresses.

In Bayelsa, two major factions, those loyal to the state’s former governor, Timipre Sylva, and those loyal to a former acting governor, Nestor Binabo, conducted different congresses.

On the outcome of his faction congress Sylva said, “All I have to say is thank you for conducting yourselves very peacefully, that is to the APC members in Bayelsa State, you have really been very exemplary not only in Bayelsa State but in relation to the rest of Nigeria. I believe that no other state has conducted congresses more peacefully than Bayelsa.

“It was very peaceful last week, ward congresses came and went and this week, we have even improved on the record of last week. Of course, in a political family like ours, there will be a few disagreements and that is why I personally came here with the honourable minister to resolve all those issues.”

Also on his own faction congress Binabo told newsmen that the LG congresses conducted by them were the real ones while the ones conducted by Sylva’s faction were fake.

“Fake ward congresses list of the state was pasted at the state secretariat in Yenagoa which was not approved by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, and as such the public should discountenance such a list.

READ ALSO: Okorocha reveals those behind burning of Imo APC secretariat

“An unfortunate precedent is occurring in our great party where a single individual wishes to hijack the party machinery for personal interest to the detriment of all members.”

In Kogi State like in Bayelsa there were parallel congresses, with two factions of executives also emerging.

Members loyal to the state Governor Yahaya Bello were said to have converged at the Lafia Okene venue of the congress, while the Hady Ametuo-led faction had theirs at St Luke’s Model Primary School, Adankolo.

Happenings in APC over the ward and LG congresses have continued to worry concerned Nigerians, who are now imagining what will become of the party’s state and national congresses if the ward and LG congress could witness assorted stories of violence.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

 

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