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…Says no room for factional groups
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
An Appeal Committee of the Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CEPC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has fixed Thursday and Friday, August 19 and 20, 2021 for the hearing of all petitions against the conduct of July 31 ward congresses in Lagos State.
The CEPC is headed by the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.
Chairman of the five-man Appeal Committee, Mr Ibrahim Akaje, disclosed this on Wednesday, during a stakeholders’ meeting of the Lagos State chapter, held at the APC Secretariat, Acme, Ikeja.
Akaje, while disclosing that Ward Congresses Appeal Committee for Lagos State had received four petitions from aggrieved groups, gave assurance of fairness and justice to all aggrieved party members.
According to him, “The committee will follow the normal democratic channel and ensure that all petitions received a fair hearing.”
He continued: “We are here in Lagos as an Appeal Committee of the APC to attend to complaints arising from the Ward Congresses.
“Let me inform you that so far, the committee has received a total of four (4) petitions submitted by the Lagos4Lagos, The Conscience Forum, the AAMCO and the Democrats Political groups within the party.
“We expect other petitioners within the next 24 hours at the committee’s secretariat within APC party secretariat.
“We have sorted out the petitions and distributed copies to every member of the committee to digest before we will later converge, deliberate on the issues raised, decide and make our submission to the National Secretariat of the party.”
Akaje said that the stakeholders’ meeting was to dialogue with all aggrieved members and address the complaints made in the petitions on the conduct of the Ward Congresses.
He noted that petition is normal in any kind of democratic election and bound to have committed contestants who will raise issues that they feel were not handled properly.
Akaje said: “Let me assure you that as members of the committee, we resolved to be fair and just in treating complaints made over the conduct of the ward congresses in the state.
“As Chairman of the committee, I have always cherished the idea of fairness, justice and peace and I want to assure you that this committee will do its best to listen to your complain and advise the national Secretariat appropriately.
“All should be rest assured that we shall be as dispassionate as possible in discharging our responsibility as stated in our party’s constitution.”
He, however, urged petitioners to show understanding, cooperation and support as they discharge their duties.
Akaje, stressed that the national body has ruled out the existence of any factional group and would not recognize such within the party.
Meanwhile, some aggrieved stakeholders seized the opportunity to register their anger against the July 31 ward congress in the state.
Speaking, Mr Sunday Ajayi, the Vice-Chairman, Apex Committee Lagos4Lagos group within the Lagos APC, said that the ward congress in the state was not fair and the exercise was a “sham”
Another member of the group, Shakiru Onilude, added: “If anyone says APC is one, he or she does not want to say the truth.”
Also, Mr Mustapha Dabiri of the Conscience Forum, another group within the party, said, “APC is one, but there are divisions. We have divisions. All we are asking for is inclusion.”
Speaking, Mr Lanre Ogunyemi, the Secretary, Lagos APC Caretaker Committee, said that there was no division in the state ruling party, saying no group is recognised within the party.
The appeal committee has slated Thursday for the hearing of Lagos4Lagos and AAMCO groups’ petitions, while Friday is slated to hear petitions of the Conscience Forum and Democrats’ groups.
Vanguard News Nigeria
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