Crises that trailed the just concluded All Progressive Congress ( APC) Ward Congress in Imo state is gradually snowballing into war fare as APC Stakeholders rebuffed efforts by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to mediate between them and Governor Rochas Okorocha.
Osinbajo had summoned a meeting with the view to settling the rift emanating from the Congress, but the meeting which ended late last night at the Presidential Villa failed to resolve the differences as it ended in deadlock.
Osinbajo met behind closed-door separately with Governor Rochas Okorocha and his team, which included his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu,
He later met other political heavyweights from the state led the deputy governor, Eze Madumere, which included Ifeanyi Ararume, Osita Izunaso, Benjamin Umajumogu, Theodore Ekechi, among others.
Speaking separately with State House Correspondents after the meeting. Governor Okorocha insisted that no Congress held in Imo state last saturday, adding that “there will be a new Congress”
“There will be new Congress, there was no Congress at all in Imo State. And it is very clear that even the supporting documents and videos show that here was no Congress, INEC has confirmed no Congress, security agencies have confirmed no Congress, the party leadership has confirmed no Congress, the party chairman has spoken no Congress”
” Nobody came to the field, the result sheets was missing and it was traceable to the national organizing secretary’s house and all of a sudden the chairman of the panel disappeared from his house at 6pm in the evening, how could there have been Congress?
The matter is being investigated by the security agencies”
This position was contradicted by Madumere and his team when the said they have been able to convince Osinbajo with documentary evidence that congress indeed held.
Madumere said the people of Imo state has taken back the control of the party ” It is very clear that APC has returned to the owners of the party, that is the people.”
” This is Imo State, here we have the deputy governor of the state, the only elected senator of the south east under APC, former speaker house of assembly, Imo state, another former speaker house of assembly, Imo state, senator Ararume, the immediate past Secretary to the State Government and immediate past chief of staff, former commissioner for information and strategy, chairman of the party and deputy chairman of the party, you have 25 local governments chairmen of the party in the state on this side, who then is left in Imo State.
” As you can clearly see, both from our faces and demeanor, we just had what we may call every eventful meeting with the Vice President.
“We are grateful for the opportunity and privilege to tell the other side of the story. I think by our presentations we have successfully deflated all the lies that have been peddled all over the country and within the state.
“I think by our presentation today, we have been able to state clearly that Congress clearly and really held. What did not take place in Imo state last saturday was simply that we resisted the temptation, the intimidation, the blackmail to write the result of the congress in the government house Owerri.
“What did not take place last week is that we said the old has passed away and things are going to be done anew in Imo State. In other words, not one man determine the results of the congresses in the 305 wards of the state.
“You saw all those who came with the Governor, his son-in law, former errand boy and newly recruited commissioner.
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
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