The Appeals Committee into the ward congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo state has over ruled the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and members of the state House of Assembly that ward congresses did not take place in the state.
However, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said the party was yet to consider reports from any of the states.
The Appeals Committee into the ward congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo state has over ruled the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and members of the state House of Assembly that ward congresses did not take place in the state.
However, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said the party was yet to consider reports from any of the states.
In a report submitted to the National Working Committee signed by the chairman of the three man committee, Senator Abubakar Tature and one other member, Ikenna Uzoka, the committee none of those statutorily qualified t9 petition the committee to complain against the conduct of the exercise did so.
But the Speaker of the Imo state House of Assembly, Hon. Acho Ihim who led other members of the legislature in the state to the national secretariat of the party told newsmen that no congress held anywhere in the state, pointing out that since there was no congress, there was nothing for them to petition against.
The state governor, Rochas Okorocha had earlier met President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo to protest alleged malfeasance during the last two congresses in his state and to demand its cancellation.
The Appeal committee however rectified the ward and local government Congresses held in Imo state and dismissed the petition by aggrieved stakeholders on grounds saying the petitions submitted by them and the state governor lacked merit.
Part of the report reads: “that the congress committee whose duty was to conduct the congress election affirmed that the election took place. That the state party chairman and his deputy affirmed that the elections were duel held in All the 305 wards of the state.
“That the person’s who would have the right to petition over the conduct over the ward congress election are those qualified to contest the congress having purchased the forms.
“That the petitions were written by unqualified persons and therefore would be construed as lacking the locus standing/basis to bring in any petition and that the video evidence by the petitioner was an incidence that took place in a private residence which was not which was not a ward congress voting venue.
“Based on the evidence and careful consideration carried out by us as the appeals committee, we hereby hold that the ward congress of 5th May 2018were duely conducted and held in the 305 wards of Imo and APC ward officers were duely elected.”
