Lagos APC: Obanikoro, Igbokwe condemn parallel congress
Senator Musiliu Obanikoro
Former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) Publicity Secretary, Engr. Joe Igbokwe, have condemned the conduct a parallel congress that produced Mr. Fouad Oki as factional chairman of the party in the state.
It would be recalled that former Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, emerged as APC chairman at the congress held at the party’s secretariat on Saturday, while the Convener of the Broom United Movement, Mr. Fuoad Oki, emerged as state chairman at a parallel congress held at Airport Hotel, Ikeja.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos, Obanikoro, an APC chieftain, said the parallel congress is illegal.
His words: “The parallel congress is illegal since those who were authorized by the APC national body to conduct the congress were at the party’s secretariat. So, I wouldn’t worry about what is going on elsewhere.
“This is a democracy; people have a right of expression. But that expression doesn’t make things wrong, right and legal. What we did at the party’s secretariat has been sanctioned by the party as the authentic gathering and why should we worry about what is happening elsewhere.”
He also expressed confidence that the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, will achieve great success in the task given to him by President Muhammadu Buhari to reconcile aggrieved members of the party, nothing that Anything politically that you hand over to Asiwaju properly, normally you can go to sleep.’
Igbokwe said any congress held outside the APC secretariat, which was the venue of the congress as announced by the party and monitored by the Congress Committee sent from Abuja is non-event.
His words: “The APC state congress in Lagos was held at the party’s secretariat where the congress was suppose to hold and we have held the congress. So, anything done outside the premises is a non-event, signifying nothing; all noise and no substance.
“I speak for Lagos APC and I know what I am talking about. Anybody who is doing anything outside the party’s secretariat is figment of that person imagination. And for all intend and purposes, it will not stand.”
Igbokwe also charged the newly elected Lagos APC executives led by Alhaji Balogun to add value to the party.
“I wish them well to drive the party. We are bringing in people that will add values to the system. If you can’t add value to any system in any place you find yourselves, there is no need for you to go there to stay.
“We are where we are in Nigeria today because people who managed this country for many years did not add value to the system. History will judge you and wherever you find yourselves, make sure that you add value,” he said.
