From John Adams, Minna
The embattled chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Niger State, Engineer Jibrin Imam, has alleged that no Ward Congress of the party took place across the 224 wards in the 25 local government areas of the state on Saturday contrary to what the public was made to believe.
The chairman said what took place last Saturday was an exercise in futility and can not stand as all the laydown procedures for the conduct of a party congresses were not followed by those behind what took place on Saturday .
Speaking to our correspondent in an interview in Minna, Imam pointed out that contrary to what is obtained in the party, there was no congress committee from the party National Secretariat in Abuja to supervise the congress that took place on Saturday.
‘At least I remain the legitimate chairman of the party as it stands today but I can confirm to you that I did not see any member of the congress committee from Abuja. They were supposed to meet with the state leadership of the party before the congress but nothing like happened,’ he said.
Imam and the secretary of the party, Barrister Mohammed Liman, who have been in a legal battle with the party over their purported suspension from the party over allegations of financial misappropriation, stated that the party is heading for self-distraction over the manner the affairs of the party is being handled.
He specifically frowned at the consensus arrangements for the election of the Ward leaders of the party on Saturday, saying that ‘what becomes the faith of those candidates who paid money to the party account for the purchase of nomination forms for various positions.
‘That is not how to do a consensus. At least you should allow people to signify interest by purchasing nomination forms and then come together to agree. But as it is now who are you doing consensus with,’ he queried.
He insisted that all those elected as Ward leaders from the Saturday congress of the party can not preside over the affairs of the party as their action will be termed illegal, null and void.
He pointed out further that more so that the suit challenging their purported suspension from the party is still pending in court, makes the whole exercise illegal.
Imam warned the party not to continue with the congresses without addressing some pending legal issues, pointing out that until the determination of the suit challenging their suspension from office, they remained the authentic members of the exco as their removal/suspension did not conform to the party’s constitution.
‘if this congress is challenged in court and feared that unless redress was made, the illegal congress being embarked upon will kill the party. In fact, the party is heading for doom, a disaster waiting to happen.’