The Local Government Congress of the All Progressives Congress held across Nigeria on Saturday became bloody in some areas of Lagos and Ogun States, with many sustaining injuries and a person so far reported killed.
Signs that the congress would be unsuccessful in most parts of Ogun State began when hours before the exercise commenced, the Ogun State National Assembly caucus demanded its cancellation. Most of those who supported the demand for its cancellation are loyalists of former Governor of the State, Chief Olusegun Osoba.
Osoba and the current Governor, Ibikunle Amosun have been battling for supremacy in the party for months now; and Huhuonline.com has reported how their opposing actions resulted in the factionilisation of the party since last year.
The caucus, in a statement signed on their behalf by Senator Adegbenga Kaka, had alleged that the Ward Congress of the party held the previous Saturday was fraught with irregularities and various breaches and violation of all known rules of the game.
The caucus said since the State Congress Committee failed to address the complaints and petitions which followed the Ward Congresses, the committee should not conduct the Local Government Congress in the state.
“The attention of the worthy members of our great party, APC, is hereby called to the shenanigans of congresses going on in Ogun State.
“We observe and believe that the unbridled breaching of party guidelines on the congress is capable of truncating the aspirations of our party faithful. The Ward Congresses of Saturday, April 5th, 2014 were preceded with various breaches and violation of all known rules of the game.
“Petitions were written from wards, local governments and state before and after the stipulated time for the conduct of the exercise and handed over to the congress committee chairman for onward transmission to the State Congress Appeal Committee”, the statement said.
In spite of the warning, the congress held, resulting in a clash between those loyal to Governor Amosun and those loyal to Osoba. The fracas resulted in the injuring of many loyalists of Osoba in Ijebu-East while two separated but parallel congresses were held in Ijebu-North.
At Ijebu-East, it was learnt that soldiers from the OP MESA residing inside Ilese barracks who were invited by the members of the party loyal to Amosun to create a peaceful atmosphere for the congress, turned the heat on members to loyal to Osoba and injured some of them.
It was learnt that those loyal to Amosun brought in the Military after realising that the congress would not go in their favour.
Despite these obvious issues that came up, Governor Amosun has described the congress held in the 20 local governments of the state as a huge success because it was free and fair.
The governor said the exercise in his state was testimony that true and fair elections can still be held in Nigeria.
At Ijebu North Local Government Area, a faction loyal to Chief Segun Osoba held their congress at the APC party secretariat in the Local Government while in Ijebu-Igbo area, the governor’s faction, led by the Council Chairman, Chief Laide Osifeso, and Hon. Bayo Adesegun held their congress at Ijebu Igbo Town Hall.
In another development, the APC congress held in Coker Aguda/Orile Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos became bloody, leading to the death of a young man.
The victim was allegedly stabbed by a member of a gang of thugs allegedly brought into the congress venue at Sanya Grammar School, on Apapa Oshodi Expressway, by one of the aspirants for executive positions in the party, Alhaji Wasiu Salmon and Jamiu Saka, chief security officer to the Council Chairman, Chairman, Bolanle Akinyemi-Obe.
It was learnt that Salmon had supported a candidate supported by the chairman of the LCDA, Mrs. Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe, an alleged preferred candidate for the election for the chairmanship of the party in the Local Government.
This was said to have resulted in tension, which later erupted into a full crisis that saw many injured.
Sources in the party told Huhuonline.com that the crisis started during an emergency meeting called on April 10, by party leaders to fine-tune modalities for the congress.
An emergency meeting scheduled to restore peace in the party in the Local Government resulted into violence. A former chairman of the council, now a member representing Surulere Constituency 2 at the House of Representatives, Aliyu Kazeem had his Mercedez Benz 4MATIC sports utility vehicle vandalised. The lawmaker was also injured on his head by one of the thugs.
At another meeting held a day to the congress, the elders of the party in the Local Government had appealed to the two contestants for the chairmanship position of the party to agree between themselves to create for a peaceful election. They were also told that if they could not act mature, then they could step down from the race for a neutral candidate.
Rather, the council chairman went ahead with the exercise even though there was no concrete resolution. This caused the violence that led to the death of the man.
The council chairman did not answer his calls, as she was said to be organising a post-wedding ceremony for her son.
