Cracks in Abuja APC over congress election

Last week, about 62 aggrieved ward chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, protested the congresses held in diff erent parts of the country over credibility question. DONALD IORCHIR who monitored the development reports that the chairmen rejected the results of the ‘secret’ congresses and called for a fresh one

Th e All Progressives Congress (APC) congress elections held in several parts of the country last month has generated serious problems for the partt, in the Federal Capital Territory (FTC), as ward chairmen have rejected the results of the FCT congress saying that it was held without their knowledge. APC ward chairmen in the six area councils vehemently rejected the results of the congress and are calling for its cancellation and for another congress to be organised in the place of the fi rst one.

Th e aggrieved chairmen, about 62 in number told Blueprint that the Secretariat of the party held the congresses secretly without informing the ward chairmen or extending any formal invitation to them to participate in any of the process leading to the congress election. In a strong worded petition to the state secretariat of the party, the 62 ward chairmen are alleging that the state executive deliberately cut corners to enable the offi cials install their candidates without allowing the ward chairmen to make inputs in the congress. Describing the action as an anti-party activity, the chairmen alleged that it was a deliberate ploy to make the APC lose its control of the territory in the next FCT elections to other parties.

Th e APC controls fi ve out of the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] after defeating the Peoples Democratic Party in what was seen as a predictable off -set in the 2016 FCT elections while the All Progressive Grand Alliance [APGA] won one seat. Spokesman of the chairmen, Chief Ibrahim Tsugbaza who represents Chibiri Ward in Kuje area council of FCT described the congress as a Kangaroo meeting also said “we are against the result of the socalled congress because we did not witness it and it was convened to reinstall the unpopular FCT state chairman who was allegedly returned unopposed by a hand-picked set of party members.

” He expressed hope that the executive chairman of Kuje Area Council who has off ered to mediate in the dispute will fi nd lasting solution to the crisis before it leads to electoral defeat for the APC in the FCT. Chief Tsugbaza disclosed that a meeting has been arranged of the ward chairmen with the other group to take place within the week pointing out that the rejected congress will be the main issue for discussion.

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