Breaking News:- APC Breaks Up In Lagos

A new faction of All Progressives Congress (APC) headed by State Chairman of defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), Chief Ajibade Emiabata has emerged. Explaining the action at the new faction’s Ade-Onitimirin Street, Surulere, Lagos Secretariat on Wednesday, Emiabata said the merger that birthed APC has since been marginalizing him and chairmen of two other political parties ― All Progressive People’s Party (ANPP) and All Progressive Grand Alliance (ANPP) ― that make up the party. Emiabata said the sidelining came to a head at the Stakeholders’ Forum held at the party’s Secretariat, Acme road, Ikeja, on Wednesday. He complained that activities at the Stakeholders’ Forum were conducted as if the party was still the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), an action he described as unacceptable.

“We are not going to leave the party for them, we are still members of the party”, Emiabata asserted. “We’re going nowhere because we’re part of the merger. The fact that you are majority does not mean you shouldn’t recognise us.

 We’re not asking for equal right, but we want to be recognised.” The division is coming less than 24 hours to the beginning of the party’s ward congresses, scheduled to run from 5th April to 24th May concluding with the National Convention. Emiabata called on all other party faithful from the sidelined parties to boycott activities of the congresses and conventions until they are accepted and properly recognised.

He said he is less concerned if this method of protest would work, but he only wants to register his grievances. “I hereby direct all leaders, officers and members of the defunct CPC in APC to submit themselves only to my authority as the Chairman of APC in Lagos, and affirm the total dissociation of Lagos APC from Otunba Oladele Ajomale’s unilaterally organised ward Congresses for Saturday 5th of April 2014 across 376 wards of Lagos State”, He declared.

He later explained how the whole matter started and got to the point of dividing the party. “Since Saturday 11th May 2013, the Lagos State CPC, along with other states in the federation met at the National Convention and considered the motion to merge with other political parties namely; ACN and ANPP and adopted the name APC as a common party”, Emiabata explained.

 He said that thereafter, the interim national executives were appointed in Abuja where the merging parties agreed to set up State Harmonisation Committees across the federation. He said all other states, except Lagos, promptly constituted and inaugurated the committees.

He accused Otunba Niyi Adebayo, who has the responsibility to lead the constitution and inauguration of the committee in the state, of conspiring with the leadership of defunct ACN in the state not to inaugurate the committee. “Sadly, our case in Lagos State is terribly different”, he lamented. “The party-structure of defunct ACN, led by Otunba Oladele Ajomale, not only reconvened in the name of APC but operates solely and takes decisions independently of the other legacy parties especially the defunct CPC on behalf of APC in Lagos State.

“This unfortunate incident nearly marred the party membership registration exercise but the state leadership of the CPC calmed the storm in order to ensure the success of the merger that produced APC with passion. The factional leader finally called on all party members to remain calm, steadfast, and continue with their normal party business and to await further directives and developments from him.