July 31, (THEWILL) – Youth members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State have razed down some sections of the party secretariat, located in Ikot Ekpene.
THEWILL reports that crisis had rocked Saturday’s ward congresses of the APC in the state following the alleged insistence of the National Secretary of the party’s Caretaker Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, to have a consensus arrangement.
A group, known as the APC Elders Forum and led by a former Military Administrator of Rivers and Ogun states, Group Captain Sam Ewang (retd), had called for free and fair elective ward congresses instead of a consensus.
However, the congresses, which were supposed to take place in the 329 wards in the state, did not hold.
Materials for the congresses did not arrive at the party secretariat even as national officers from Abuja kept away from the congresses.
Angered by the situation, youths of the party went on rampage, setting ablaze some sections of the state party secretariat located along Ikot Ekpene.
The party’s flags were also torched.
The youths carried placards with the inscription, ”Udodehe you can’t hijack our party” and ”We want a free and fair congresses not consensus,” among others.
A member of the party from Etinan Local Government Area, Mr. UduakAbasi Ikpatt, said there were no congresses in any of the wards in Etinan due to the absence of materials.
Ikpatt blamed Udoedehe for the situation, insisting that the right thing must be done if the party is to remain one ahead of the 2023 elections in the state.
However, spokesperson of the party in the state, Nkereuwem Enyongekere, said the ward congresses went on smoothly without any hitch.
He said: “The congresses took place in the 329 ward centres and not at the APC state secretariat in Uyo, so what materials are they complaining about?
”The congresses have been concluded. If you want video clips of my own I will send it to you.”
On allegation of Udoedehe trying to hijack the party, Enyongekere said: ”Hijack what? This is the most transparent congress ever conducted in Akwa Ibom State, very democratic. Otherwise from the inception of this state, it has always been writing of names.”
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