Ekwunife, Danbazzau, Zwingina, Elegbeleye, 69 Others Head APC State Congresses, Appeal Committees
- Party warns against unilateral deferment of congresses
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – Ahead of Saturday, May 19, 2018 State Congresses, the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday inaugurated 5-member Committees to conduct Congresses in different states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Similarly, three-member committees were also inaugurated to entertain appeals that may arise from the State Congresses.
Among the State Congress Chairmen are H.E. Pius Odubu (Adamawa); Gen Danjuma Danbazzau (Taraba); Prince Austin Eweka (Kano); Sen. Domingo Obende (Niger); Sen Jonathan Zwingina (Abia); Sen. Olugbenga Obadara (Delta); Sen. Uche Ekwunife (Lagos); Hon. Mathew Omegara (Ondo); H.E. Peter Obadan (Ogun); H.E. Abdullahi Gwarzo (Oyo) among others.
For the Appeal Committees, H.E. Chris Akoma is Chairman of Ebonyi State; Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye (Rivers); Hon. Bashir Lado (Ogun); Alh. SAbubakar Maikudi (Bauchi); Amb. Jerry Ugog (Kano); Barr. Kogolo Peter (Imo).
Inaugurating the committees on behalf of the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, APC National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso told the members that the congress must be conducted in strict conformity with the official APC Guidelines for State Congresses -(http://officialapcng.com/apc-releases-updated-guidelines-for-wards-local-government-areas-and-state-congresses/)
Izunaso said the State Congress Committees are expected to hold meetings with stakeholders in the respective states on Friday before Saturday’s nationwide Congresses to elect State executive committee which include the traditional 17-member State Working Committees.
The Organising Secretary urged the Congress Committees to ensure a free, fair, democratic and transparent process, even as he also warned against unilateral postponement of Sate Congresses without approval by the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
According to Izunaso, “Don’t deny anybody who has a payment teller a form. It is undemocratic… You don’t have the power to postpone the election. If you go to a State and you find out that it is impossible to conduct the election, you inform the NWC for approval. The National Convention is close by, we want to conclude these processes as quickly as possible.”
He told the Appeal Committees that every petition from individuals, who contested elections, must be entertained and cautioned the Appeal Committees to gauge the security situation in their respective state in deciding where to hold Appeal sittings.
Explaining that the NWC has the final decision on Appeals, Senator Izunaso said; “If the place is volatile for the Appeal Committee, and they cannot sit there, you can sit in Abuja.”
