The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress( APC) has disclosed that it will not recognise the Lagos State faction loyal to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, which conducted its ward and local government congresses in 57 local government councils and local council development areas. Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary, revealed this on Sunday, while speaking with newsmen.
According to him the national leadership of the party on Friday commenced work on the reports from the various appeal panels, in respect of the conduct of state congresses and has set up a harmonisation panel to recognise the authentic state executive.
Recall that during the state congresses of the APC held across the country penultimate Saturday, two different executives emerged in Lagos State and other states.
One had its congress at the APC secretariat on ACME Road, Ogba, which produced Tunde Balogun as its chairman and the other faction had its own at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, and was led by Mr . Fouad Oki, APC Lagos Vice Chairman, representing Lagos Central Senatorial district.
However with the new development, the APC NWC has decided to recognise the ward and local government congresses held in 20 local Government Areas of the state by the Fouad group.
However the party leadership refused to hand over the state structure to the Oki’s faction, which it said conducted the exercise in line with the national and party laws, guiding such an exercise.
The party also planned to adopt a political situation in solving the crisis emerging from the election of the state executive.
According to the APC spokesman, a five-man panel was set up to dissect the constitutionality and legality of the two exercises conducted in Lagos State and find a political solution to the crisis in the state.
The panel headed by its Deputy National Chairman, North, Senator Lawal Shuaibu, has commenced sitting in Lagos on Sunday, with a view to looking into what the constitution says about the matter and then seek political solutions in a way to avoid winner-take-all situation.
Abdullahi said, “We set up a panel to look at the issue in Lagos chapter. Of course, we overruled those who conducted their congresses in 57 LGs and LCDAs, because the constitution only recognises 20 local governments.
“We couldn’t have discountenanced those who conducted in 20 local government areas, because that is constitutional. The issue in Lagos is about legality and constitutionalism.
According to him, it only state executive members sworn in and legally recognised by the NWC that have the capacity to inaugurate ward and local government congresses, adding that the party has not commenced the process of inaugurating the state executive, which allows for harmonisation window.
Meanwhile , Mr. Abiodun Salami, the Assistant Publicity Secretary, of the group loyal to Tinubu, disclosed that the group will challenge in court the nullification of the state congress by the National Working Committee (NWC).
He said that the NWC was mischievous in its attempt to cause confusion in the Lagos chapter. He added that the issue of local government on which the NWC based its decision was not tenable.
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