Again, Ogun APC conducts parallel state congresses

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Ogun state, Saturday, conducted two parallel state congresses as factions loyal to Sen. Ibikunle Amosun and Gov. Dapo Abiodun held at separate venues

Our correspondent observed that while the faction loyal to the former Governor and Senator representing Ogun Central, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun had its congress at the Palace of the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, faction loyal to the Governor were electing theirs at the MKO stadium in Abeokuta

Earlier, the congress at the Ake Palace was disrupted by thugs allegedly loyal to the governor with sporadic gun shots witnessed.

Reacting to the violence, Gbenga Opaleye, who claimed to be the congress chairman appointed by the national secretariat of the party to monitor the congress in the state, condemned the act of violence which he described as senseless.

“Ogun State is a peace loving state, I don’t know why we are sent to kill ourselves, you cannot shoot the governor nor the Senator, it is only the common man that is always at the receiving end of this violence”, he added

Normalcy however, returned hours later, which paved way for the emergence of Chief Derin Adebiyi as the state chairman, while Chief Jide Ojuko and Mr Oluwatoyin Adebusuwa emerged as the deputy chairman and secretary of the group respectively.

At the MKO stadium, the faction loyal to Governor Dapo Abiodun produces Chief Yemi Sanusi as its Chairman, while Aderibigbe Tella and Tunde Oladunjoye as secretary and Publicity Secretary, respectively.

Address the delegates at the MKO stadium, Gov. Dapo Abiodun hailed the party chieftains and members of the party for the peaceful conduct of the congress in the state.

He declared the congress which was conducted by the 7-man State Congress Committee led by Hon. Wale Ohu and witnessed by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ogun, Olusegun Agbaje, as free and fair.

In his remarks, the chairman of congress committee, Wale Ohu, informed that all aspirants for different elective positions of the party were duly screened on Friday.

He maintained that any congress held outside the MKO Abiola stadium was nothing but “exercise in futility”, adding that the committee had the mandate of the National Working Committee of the party to monitor the exercise.

He submitted that 1,730 delegates participated in the congress which was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere.