Chief Jim Nwobodo, former governor of Old Anambra and chieftain of APC in Enugu state has commended the enthusiasm and commitment of APC members toward the development of the party in the state.
Nwobodo, who spoke at his Amechi East Ward 1 in Enugu South Local Government Area, said that the large turn in his ward and elsewhere showed that more people in the South-East were identifying with the party.
He said the action of the members was an indication that Ndigbo had understood the need to join a progressive party at the national level.
Nwobodo also noted with delight the peaceful and hitch-free conduct of ward congress of the party in the 260 political wards in the state.
Nwobodo said it was clear that party members were willing to make the necessary sacrifice for the party to take over the entire zone.
“The large number of people you see here at this ward congress implies that APC is the party to be reckoned with, we are have massive followership in the South-East and Enugu State,’’ he said.
On the ward congress in his ward, Nwobodo, said that the exercise was very peaceful and conducted in an orderly manner, while party members displayed comportment during the exercise.
“We have to return the former party executives in the ward unopposed. They did very well, especially in canvassing and gathering membership for the party in their first term,’’ he said.
In similar vein, Sen. Ken Nnamani, former Senate President, lauded the party for adopting the open and transparent option A4 for its voting system at the ward congress.
Nnamani said, “Option A4 and the friendly atmosphere the ward congress election was conducted guarantee its success.”
Nnamani , who spoke at his APC Ward 2 in Amechi-Uwani near Eke-Market in Enugu South Local Government Area, noted that the tap root of politics was at the ward level.
He added that APC had got it right by putting its house in order from the ward level of politics.
On the conduct of the ward congress, he thanked party members for showing resilience and undermining the weather to be at ward congress venue, adding that the whole process was devoid of rancour.
“Some of the executives were returned unopposed but as you can see now, we have long queues for those that are being contested and the beauty is that we are applying option A4 to ensure openness,’’ he said.
Chief Emma Enukwu, National Vice-Chairman of APC South-East, adjudged the entire exercise as “very peaceful and orderly’’, while the turnout was “unprecedented in the history of political ward congresses in Enugu’’.
Enukwu, who spoke at his Obinagu Ward in Udi Local Government Area, said that the large turnout and general comport of all showed the importance the party members attached to the exercise.
On the congress proper in his ward, he noted that the ward executives were returned opposed as the people wish“ they continue their good work for the party’’.
Chief Ben Eze, Chairman of APC Oji River Local Government Area, said that the turnout was highly impressive as most wards recorded over 400 members.
Eze, who spoke from his Apugoeze Ward in Oji River, said that “we recorded 480 members turning out for the ward congress.
On the congress proper in Apugoeze Ward, he said that all the former executives were returned unopposed.
In Ward 4, Enugu South Local Government Area, located at Zik Avenue Primary School, Uwani, accreditation and voting went on peacefully and all the members were returned unopposed.
Mr John Nnona, Chairman-elect of the ward, thanked the party members for their comportment and “trust in his leadership all these years’’.
In Akabugwu Ward 1 and 2, the exercise was also peaceful and former executives returned unopposed. (NAN)
APC Ward Congress: Confusion, late arrival of electoral material cause delays in Akwa Ibom, Delta
Talata-Mafara, Zamfara, Gov.Abdul’aziz Yari of Zamfara also commended the delegates and members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state over peaceful ward congresses of the party in the state.
Yari made the commendation on Saturday while speaking to newsmen when he visited Galadima ward in Talata-Mafara town, Talata Mafara Local Government Area of the state.
He said, “I am satisfied with the way and manner our people conducted themselves at this congress.
‘’I am impressed with what I have seen here at Galadima ward, I hope all the 147 wards in the state, he said.
“I believe this is an strong indication of the strength of our party, I hope this will continue up to local government and state of congresses as well as to the general elections.’’
He urged members of the party to embrace unity, peace and in order to maintain the strength of the party.
He commended Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies as well as all other stakeholders for a peaceful exercise.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that most of the winners at the congresses emerged through concensus.
In Akwa Ibom, the exercise was yet to commence as at 2 p.m.
The Chapter Chairman of APC in Eket, Mr Godwin Akwaowo, told NAN that non commencement of the congress was as a result of late arrival of materials from the state capital, Uyo.
“We are still expecting the materials from Uyo, the materials arrived Uyo very late, that is what is contributing to the delay of the materials.
“I think they are trying to sort the materials so that they can distribute it to the 31 local government areas across the state.
“There is a problem in Eket with the group that support consensus and the group that is against it,’’ he said.
He said that as soon as the materials arrived, the party ward congress would commence in the 329 electoral wards in the state.
A visit to Ward 7 in Eniong Offot in Uyo council area by NAN revealed that there was, however, large turnout of people but no official and materials for the Congress.
The situation was the same at Nkari Ward 4 in Ini Council Area, where party faithful were seen but no congress in place.
At Uvwie, Delta, some members of the APC in Uvwie Local Government Area complained of imposition of candidates in the exercise.
Mr Raymond Akpofure told newsmen that the party leadership in Uvwie had imposed candidate on them.
He said that could be very bad for a party that was aiming to claim leadership from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta in 2019 general elections.
“What the leadership of the party is doing in Uvwie is not good, there is conspiracy, trying to impose candidate on us.
“APC in Delta need to have a formidable structure so that it can claim leadership from the PDP in the 2019 governorship election.
‘’The way they are going about it now, well, I don’t know yet,” he said.
Another party supporter, Mr Eric Efetobor said, ‘’Of course, they imposed candidates on us but my worry is that, if those candidates cannot do the job, it will be a disaster for the party.”
However, the APC Chairman in Uvwie, who simply give his name as Mr Johnson, said that the venue for the congress had not been communicated to them as at 1:00 p.m.
Similarly, newsmen could also not locate the venue of the congress in Warri South Local Government Area.
Late commencement was witnessed at Gombe APC ward Congress in all 114 wards.
The Chairman of the Ward and Local Government Committee, Mr Suleiman Kawu-Sumaila, announced to newsmen that the exercise would commence by 2p.m.
Delegates who spoke to NAN expressed frustrations, adding they were ground as at 9a.m to exercise their rights as party members.
However, the Chairman of the committee who addressed the delegates before the exercise, solicited the support of party members and urged delegates to go to their respective wards for the congress.
“I wish to thank you all for your patience so far and your show of love for the party.
“I want all the delegates to go to their respective wards for the commencement of the exercise.
“We are here to ensure that everyone speaks his or her mind. There will be no imposition as that negates the tenets of our party, ‘’he said.
One of the delegates who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the process though started late but was happy about the process so far.
‘’We came here since 9a.m, hoping to do the needful and get back to our homes but that was not the case.’’
The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Suleiman Hassan, told newsmen that he was happy with the unity of party members.
“The progress so far witnessed in the state is unprecedented and must be commended and sustained.
“This is democracy at work and I am happy my state has really developed democratically. “
The exercise commenced late in Bauchi state with delegates lamenting the development.
NAN gathered that APC Ward Congress Committee, deplored to Abuja distributed the congress materials to ward congresses committee by 1:30 p.m on Saturday.
Aliyu Manu, APC member told NAN that the ward congress process was faulty.
”The process of the ward congresses was faulty, why starting late, that shows something is wrong somewhere.
”Nobody is aware of what the committee is doing at all, these materials should have been distributed since in the morning.
The Chairman of the Ward Congress Mr Tony Macfoy told newsmen that the committee arrived Bauchi and met the stakeholders throughout the night and this morning, to sort out family problem in respect of the congress.
”This is purely family business, that is why we met the stakeholders to deliberate on how we will go about the congress without any rancour.
’’We want to conduct a clean congress devoid of violence and malpractices,” Macfoy said
He said members of the committee were deployed to the 3 Senatorial zones to supervise the congress.
In Minna, Niger, Gov. Abubakar Bello expressed satisfaction over the peaceful conduct and orderly manner electorate during the wards congresses in the state.
He said this when him and members of the APC wards and local government congress visited some wards in Chanchage and Bosso Local Government Areas on Saturday.
“I am happy that the process has been peaceful and reports reaching us from other wards say the congress has been well conducted.
“We have to use concession and affirmation in some of the wards for the old executives to be re-elected and this is because our party allows it and you can only affirm when the stakeholders agree to it.
“We are democratic and we allowed internal democracy to take place.
‘’This congress shows that members of the party in the wards worked hard and anonymously agreed to have a successor to maintain the structures,” he said.
The governor, however, advised the new executives to be committed and ensure transparency in their various wards.
Similarly, Malam Jibrin Imman, APC Chairman in Niger, explained that stakeholders and APC caucus, the highest decision making body of any political organisation, met the state executive and resolved to adopt affirmation during the congress.
He said that the state government constituted a 5-man committee in the 25 Local Government areas to visit all the wards to persuade the people to allow the existing executive continued.
Imman appealed to new and old members of the party to eschew bitterness and be united so as to move the party forward.