Factions of the All Progressives Congress in several states that are loyal to some ministers and senators are set to lose out as the APC has perfected plans to inaugurate state chairmen loyal to the governors at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja today.
Some of the losers include the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo; and the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
Others who lost out include former Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Senator Kabiru Marafa and a former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’Aziz Yari’.
Several state chapters had been divided into factions due to the controversial congresses conducted late last year. However, the national leadership of the party is now set to inaugurate chairmen who are loyal to the governors.
Chairmen from at least 30 states had already arrived in Abuja ahead of their inauguration.
At the party headquarters on Blantyre Street, Wuse 2, Abuja, there is heavy police presence to prevent any breakdown of law and order especially if aggrieved elements stage protests.
Some of the states witnessing crises include Osun, Ogun, Kwara, Kebbi, Kano, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bauchi and Zamfara. In some of these states, factions have gone to court, seeking to be recognised as the authentic one.
One of the states with contentious primary elections is Zamfara where Senator Kabiru Marafa, former Governor Abdulaziz Yari and Governor Bello Matawalle are leading different factions. Earlier in the day, however, indication emerged that the APC would inaugurate the faction loyal to Governor Bello Matawalle.
The factions led by Yari and Senator Kabiru Marafa have openly kicked against the development. This was made clearer by the Zamfara State APC Publicity Secretary of the governor’s faction, Yusuf Idris, who told newsmen that they were the only faction invited by the national headquarters of the party for the inauguration.
Idris said, “We are already in Abuja for the inauguration as invited by the national headquarters of our great party, the APC”.
In Delta State where Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege and Labour Minister of State Festus Keyamo have been engaged in a supremacy battle, it was learnt that Chief Omeni Sobotie, the chairman loyal to Omo-Agege would be recognised by the APC.
But the faction led by Keyamo has concluded plans to storm the venue of the inauguration to demand that its own chairman be recognised.
