Breaking: APC releases congress results, upholds Saraki’s led exercise in Kwara

…throws out Tinubu, parallel results in Lagos

By Mumini AbdulKareem

The National leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has finally released the results of its state congresses held across the country last month, National Pilot can exclusively report.

The exercise was marred with many parallel congresses in more than 20 states in the country including Kwara and Lagos.

But the party rejected the parallel congresses held in most of the states, this medium further learnt last night.

In Kwara State, the result of the faction loyal to Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed was reportedly rejected while that conducted by the Saraki’s faction of the party was upheld.

Muhammed and other party members including Moshood Mustapha and Cook Olododo who were still serving suspension among other aggrieved party members conducted the parallel congress at the Arca Santa Event Hall in the state.

The party also rejected the parallel exercise in Lagos and the one conducted by the faction loyal to the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

It was gathered that the leadership of the party took the decision because the exercise by the Tinubu faction was held in  the twenty local government areas in the state and the thirty-seven Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) created by the government.

The party reportedly considered that LCDA exercises were not in tandem with the provision of the constitution of the party.

A top party source who confided in our reporter confirmed the development and the rejection of the entire Lagos exercise adding that the party seriously frowned at any act of unconstitutionality that trailed the exercise across the country.

He said the party will soon make official pronouncement on the issue.

“You know the issue of not adhering to the party’s constitution was initially responsible for the congress because many of us felt it was unconstitutional to extend the tenures of officials by one year.

“So, it was on that basis we also rejected the parallel congresses held across the country and the ones conducted in LCDA’s in Lagos as against the ones  held in local governments across the state.

“In Kwara where the Senate President, Bukola Saraki is from, the party only recognised the one conducted by the faction loyal to him (Saraki) which party and INEC officials attended and throw out the one loyal to Lai Muhammed for it unconstitutionality”, the source added.

The parallel congress in Lagos was conducted by the faction led by Fouad Oki, until recently a former Tinubu loyalist.

He was the campaign Director for Governor Akinwumi Ambode in 2015 and acted in that capacity for both Tinubu and former governor Babatunde Fashola.

Efforts to get the reaction of the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on the issue were not successful.

His line was switched off several times this morning when this reporter called. A text message sent to him was still being awaited as at the time of filing this report.

But Abdullahi had said during the congress in Ilorin held at the state Banquet hall and monitored by national officers of the party and INEC staff that any parallel congresses conducted in the state and (across the country) is an exercise in futility.

The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed refused to pick his call when he was contacted on telephone.

But speaking with National Pilot Saturday morning, the chairman of the faction loyal to the Minister, Bashiru Bolarinwa said he is not aware the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has met over the matter adding that until then, he would not make any comment.

“Yes, I saw your text, I don’t know where you got the information from but what I can say for now is that I am not aware that the party’s NWC has met over the issue. So, I can only comment when that has been done. But for now, I am not aware of anything of such”, he added.

Asked what will be his faction’s position if their congress is eventfully rejected, “We will cross that bridge when we get there” he submitted.

The Publicity Secretary of the Lagos chapter of the party loyal to Tinubu, Joe Igbokwe could not be reached on telephone Saturday as his line was switched off.

Text message to him has not been replied.

Also, the media aide to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Tunde Rahman refused to pick when contacted several times on telephone regarding the story. He also did not return text message sent to him Saturday which had marked read.