*BY TONY IHEANYI*
The battle for the soul of the All Progressive Congress, APC in Imo State has taken a new dimension with rival camps doing all they could to outwit the other. This is coming on the heels of the set up of the State Congress Committees for the State Congress scheduled to hold on Saturday.
However, more drama continued in the party in Imo State .While the Governor’s camp particularity members of the Imo State House of Assembly of APC extraction made a last ditch move to convince the party’s national chairman, John Oyegun to accept the cancellation of the ward congresses, the results of the local government congresses held in the State on Monday has been presented to the party.
The Okorocha camp had boycotted the local government congresses held on Monday just as some group of demonstrators stormed the APC national Secretariat, Abuja.
“The Allied Forces” another rival camp in the party in the State seems to have taking the upper hand at the moment having control of the ward and local government executives of the party through the ward and local government congresses.
The National Working Committee, NWC is yet to make a counter directive countering the congresses rather a report by the Congress Appeal Committee for the ward congresses acknowledged that ward congresses were held .
In a swift move, news filtered in the State Chairman of the party, Hilary Eke and some officials of the party have been suspended. This was followed by photos which surfaced online showing the “Allied Forces” team with the State party Chairman at the APC headquarters in Abuja.
In a counter move, the Imo State Government said based on the report of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, sensitive materials including result sheets for the ward congresses were not provided.
According to a statement by Sam Onwuemedo, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, the report signed by the commission’s Administrative Secretary in the State, Barr. T.O.N Ongele confirmed that the exercise “ was characterized “ in its confusion and controversies as reported by the officers that monitored the congress at the various wards and local government areas”
State Congress And Appeals Committees Constituted.
Reports reaching this newspaper reveal that State Congress Committees for various States have been constituted. This newspaper could not verify who is the Chairman of the Imo State Congress Committee, but Mr .Barr. Kogolo Peter was named as Chairman of the State Congress Appeal Committee.
APC National Organizing Secretary, Osita Izunaso was said to have inaugurated the Heads of States Congress Committees on behalf of the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun in Abuja.
Some State Congress Chairmen appointed 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.
