APC Congresses: Crisis deepens, as Tinubu, Aregbesola, Amosun, Abe lose grip

Olusesan Laoye

The two wards and Local governments Congresses conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) have shown that the ruling party is getting deeper in troubled waters ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The two congresses had indicated that the centre is not likely to hold as they have been used as an avenue to show those who believed they were previously powerful that may no longer count or be relevant going forward.

The two congresses were characterized with rivalry, sharp division and bickering among party faithful and these have aggravated the already tensed situations in the party.

Those who are mostly affected are the all mighty Jagaban Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Senator Ibikunle Amosu, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Magnus Abe in Rivers State and others.

For instance, Tinubu has been badly hit in Lagos. The Jagaban, who some years back could not be challenged in Lagos but right now he is facing the battle of his political life with the Lagos4Lagos group which from all indications, had its Local government parallel Congress endorsed by the National Secretariat of the party, last Tuesday by acknowledging receipt of Lagos4Lagos local government executives and delegates lists as submitted by the group.

Lagos4Lagos Movement, is a group within the Lagos APC Lagos chapter, championing the cause for equality and level playing ground among members of the party.

Recall that the state chapter of APC, led by Tunde Balogun, also held a ward and council congresses which had been a subject of controversy in the state. The movement, with this current thrust has taken over the party structure in all the 20 LGAs of Lagos State

But this development hasn’t gone down well with the Tunde Balogun group, who sources said have filed a petition to the National body of the party.

In Ogun State both Governor Dapo Abiodun and his predecessor Senator Ibikunle Amosun are still at loggerheads and both the wards and the local governments congresses in the state still confirmed the animosity they have for each other.

They both held parallel congresses, but from the look of things Governor Abiodun had an edge over Amosun as the former governor’s parallel congresses were not recognized.

The Local Government Congress Committee of the (APC) to conduct the congress in Ogun State said a parallel event by a group within the party would not be recognised.

The chairman Wale Ohu of the seven-man committee, said that the parallel congress by Amosun’s group wasa waste of time.While the governors group is led by Yemi Sanusi, the party caretaker chairman in Ogun State, Mr. Amosuns faction, is led by Derin Adebiyi, a former APC chairman in the state. Both groups had inaugurated their executives.

In Osun states parallel congresses were held between the group loyal to the incumbent Gboyega Oyetola and his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola.

There were mixed reports and reactions, as those in Oyetola’s camp said they adopted consensus method in picking their officers during the two congresses, while those in Aregbesola’s group claimed that they held their ward and Local government congresses across the state.

But the Aregbesola’s group just like that of Amosun failed to get the endorsement of the National body, as the chairman of the Congress committee, Gbenga Elegbeleye claimed that it endorsed the consensus arrangements of the Oyetola’s camp.The leader of the Aregbesola’s TOP Adelowo Adebiyi said the Oyetola faction manipulated the whole process and argued that they were ready to pursue justice to logical conclusion.

In Rivers State, where it was said that the Local government congress were peaceful, those in the camp of Senator Magnus Abe, shunned the exercise.

The situation in Ekiti state has not changed and the fight between Fayemi and Tinubu in the State heightens by the day.

Though those in the Governor Kayofe Fayemi’s camp claimed that there was the LG congresses in the state, those in Tinubu’s group said there was nothing because they have gone to court since the last ward Congress.

Senator Anthony Adeniyi, the coordinator of South West Agenda for Asiwaju Tinubu Presidential bid (SWAGA) in Ekiti state said that over 3,500 members and stakeholders of the party had gone to court and wondered why Fayemi’s factions got their delegates from, because as far as they were concerned, “there was no local government Congress in Ekiti state because the foundation for it which was the ward Congress was faulty and you can’t build something on nothing”.

States where there were issues include Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Sokoto, Enugun, Bayelsa, Abia, Imo and Akwa Ibom states.

In Kwara, the Abdulrasaq vs. Lai Mohammed group held parallel congresses, while there were protests in Niger state which led to violence in some local governments.

The National chairman of the Extra Ordinary Convention Committee of the party and the governor of Yobe State Mai Mala Buni has said that the whole issues arising from both the ward and the Local government congresses would be resolved and that they would ensure that they bring all warring groups together before the National Congress of the party.

But as it stands today, it seems the battle line has been drawn in most states and resolutions may not be likely as those holding the advantage are bent to fully exploit it.