Enugu APC state congress was violence free - Onyeama
- The Enugu state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held its state congress today, Saturday, May 19
- The exercise was held without any rancour as witnessed in some other states
- Minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said the exercise was violence free
Amid the controversy trailing the congresses of the APC in Enugu state, minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama on Sunday, May 20, dismissed some media reports suggesting that political thugs disrupted the state congress of the party held on Saturday, May 19.
Onyeama said the congress which took place at the gymnasium section of Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu was violence free and was conducted in strict compliance with the party's constitution.
Speaking with journalists in the state, the minister accused the party's national leadership of encouraging a group he described as a cabal to cause crisis in the APC in Enugu state.
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He stressed the need for peace, unity and harmony within the party structure in the state in view of the forthcoming general elections.
He said the Saturday congress that elected a former commissioner for lands, Mr. Okey Ogbodo as chairman was rancour free and must be respected by the party national leadership.
According to him, “what really happened was that when the cabal who had caged the Enugu state wing of APC from making desirable impact found out that the majority of the party members and delegates were desirous to make a change and their every efforts to frustrate them failed, they decided to stage a walk out, while the election still went on peacefully and non violently with good results.”
He continued: “Yesterday (Saturday) was the first day the two factions were aware on where the congress will take place. We were very much aware that both the ward and local government congress were plotted by the cabal to retain their positions. They do not want other members to contest. Other party members interested in running for the elections were denied access to the forms.
“So Saturday was different. Every body knew where the event will take place. What they did was to try to exclude delegates who might not vote for them. What I did was to let the law enforcement agencies to let all the delegates have access to the venue when I arrived. The cabal felt intimidated. They decided to leave. There was no violence whatsoever. There was jubilation from the delegates who have been excluded when I arrived.
“So it was a total misinformation to say that there was violence. They wanted to go and hold secret meeting, claiming that they are winners. You have a situation where the popular candidates are being denied their right to participate in the congress. That will not continue to happen. We must have to get it right.”
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Similarly, Umuahia, the state capital of Abia state witnessed an unprecedented crowd of APC faithfuls as the party held its state congress on Saturday, May 19.
Legit.ng gathered that the hitch-free exercise started with the state delegates welcoming the members of Abia state congress committee from Abuja led by secretary of the committee, Hajya Rabbi Gambari.
The party faithfuls were led to the venue of the congresses by the newly elected chairmen from the 17 local government areas of the state leading their delegates and numerous supporters of the party who came to witness the momentous and historic occasion.
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Source: Legit.ng
